Having and another rest day in the Exe, l planned to leave and sail back south to Torquay. Over night and in the early morning the wind was westerly force 5-6, but forecasted to die away to northwest force 4. Until the tide started going out again l was staying put, so slowly got Elektra ready to leave.
I was thinking about 1000hrs but by 0900hrs Elektra had swung around to face the tide and wind so l started her engine and switched on the instruments. Dropped the mooring at 0920hrs having first replaced Elektra’s anchor to her bow.
Motoring Elektra back down the river, l realised there was 1.2m more depth than there was when we had arrived, so if l followed the same track back out that l made coming in we would be safe. It struck me how far out to sea the channel buoys went, they seemed to go on forever, but even just after high water Elektra only had about 3m under her keels, this far out to sea. We passed the last buoy at 1010hrs having logged 4.5nm.
From there l unrolled the genoa and Elektra was soon logging over 5kts, but the tiller pilot couldn’t cope so l rolled in the first reef. Elektra sat up better and had only dropped her speed by 0.2kt, but the best bit was the pilot could cope.
I had been heading for the seaward side of the Ore Stone but l remembered reading in the pilot book that there was a passage between Hope’s Nose and the Ore Stone, so changed the heading a bit to pass inside the Ore Stone, as we entered the gap the wind died away and l started Elektra’s engine at 1210hrs having logged 13.5nm from there l motored Elektra around to Torquay Harbour and anchored her to the west of the harbour.
I had been in contact with my friend Philip, who happened to be aboard his yacht in Torquay Harbour. After arrival and putting things away, l launched the dinghy, fitted the outboard and went in to see Philip. What followed was a nice afternoon with a beer and chatting with Philip. I also went to the co-op for some shopping.
Love Sailing 