My original plan had been to stay in Place two nights because of the forecast of southerly force 4 gusting 6. But looking at another forecast, it suggested force 4 gusting 5 which wouldn’t be bad for the passage to Fowey in a northeast direction. I pondered on this during the day, kept on looking at the forecasts but both of them still said the same.
I couldn’t leave anyway until Elektra was floating again around 1300hrs by which time l had decided to go. The forecast said southerly but the actual direction was southwest which seemed to work well upto the Dodman but not so good afterwards.
I motored Elektra out of St Mawes and south out around St Anthony light house and set the genoa from there. There didn’t seem as much wind as forecasted southwest so l pulled up the main and spent the next hour reefing it once then twice before pulling it down again. Because the tiller pilot just couldn’t cope with all that sail and being alone l couldn’t helm all the way with other jobs to do like keeping the ships logged adjusting the sails.
Once the mainsail was down again, the next 2hrs Elektra creamed along at over 5kts average. But going down wind after the Dodman Point Elektra slowed and as we passed Cannis Buoy 4.25hrs after leaving Place we had logged 19.5nm.
With no free swing moorings in Fowey harbour, l motored Elektra north to Wisesman’s Reach where the harbour master had placed no mooring tags. So l picked up a local mooring on my third attempt,more difficult than it looks on your own! Lol 😆
Love Sailing 