After 10 days of wind and rain, a spell of nice weather is forecasted. A few days aboard would allow me to rest after looking after Vicki.
On Friday 12th June after sorting out some paperwork regarding Vicki’s finances in the morning. I planed to sail over to Place in the Precuil River. I had arranged with my friend Robert for him to hold the safety line while l go up the mast to fit new signal lines on Saturday morning. The tide times dictated when l had to go and the weather wasn’t looking very good.
The forecast for Friday was westerly force 4 gusting 6. I wanted to get into Place over high water which was about 1530hrs and l was down to St Anthony beach by 1330hrs, launched and loaded the dinghy. Out at Elektra, l transferred stores into her cockpit. Lifting the outboard from the dinghy onto Elektra’s pushpit and attached her davit lines, then climbed aboard. The wind was howling out of Gillan Harbour while l got Elektra ready to leave. Once ready l switched on her instruments and stared the engine. Walked up the the bow, where Elektra was keen to leave, held by the mooring strop swinging back and forth, casting was an effort for me. Before l got back into the cockpit Elektra gad already turned 90 degrees and drifted half the way towards the next moored yacht. I quickly engaged forward on engine control lever and turned her towards the sea. Motoring her out between Carcroc and Dennis Head, l set half her genoa and stopped the engine. I truly expected Elektra to take off across Falmouth Bay, but there just didn’t seem as much wind out on the water. It wasn’t long before l had let all her genoa out and Elektra was logging 5-6kts. It was a nice sail across the bay but nowhere near as lively as l was expecting. I started her engine again as we reached St Mawes moorings and motored her into Place 1.25hrs after casting of having logged 6nm.
Here in Place Elektra had 2m under her keels and would go aground around mid tide. I like Elektra to be aground when climbing the mast as wash from other boats passing by can cause those who are up a mast to be flung around like being up a tree in gale! Other boaters, especially motor boaters don’t see the havoc they leave in their wake!
I worked out the tide times and relayed to Robert, he should be able to get aboard Elektra at about 1215hrs tomorrow.
In the anchorage was Gary in his Hurley motor boat. We had first met Gary in Scilly during our first visit to the islands back in 2009. At the time he lived in Scilly but when he retired moved to the mainland and now lives nr Falmouth. Over the years since we met, Gary had done huge distances in some very small yachts and is a very experienced sailor. Once l launched the dinghy, l went over for a chat.
Over the late afternoon evening l lounged around in the sunshine until the sun set over the hill, when l retired to the saloon.
Love Sailing 