Anchored in the entrance of the Lynher River, l had decided to explore the river by dinghy as Vicki and l had done so many times on other rivers in the southwest.
Even fin keel yachts can lie at anchor in Dandy Hole 2nm west if where Elektra was at anchor, although swinging room has been serious reduced by a sunken yacht in the middle of the pool which sunk there 2-3 years ago. But l decided to leave Elektra at anchor in Sand Acre Bay and explore the upper river by dinghy.
I like to explore the rivers at low water if possible or just as the tide is flooding into them, so l can see first hand exactly where the deep channel is. The upper reaches of the Lynher are perfect to navigate by dinghy at low water and it wouldn’t worry taking Elektra in there now having seen for myself at low water.
I read on my old (2006) chart the channel was marked by red poles to port from Dandy Hole all the way to St German’s. But not finding any poles, l looked at the chart for the position of the channel from west of Dandy Hole. This is where local knowledge is a bonus and l didn’t have any! I came to a part of the river where there didn’t seem to be any definite way to go! And only the outboard grounding told me l was wrong! I stopped the motor and rowed, working my way into deeper water to port, only then could l see a red can buoy further on to port. I started the motor again and headed for it. From there the channel was marked by port and starboard buoys all the way to St German’s
Now low water most of the yachts at St German’s were aground and the water level wasn’t deep enough to proceed any further upstream than the railway viaduct. So l made the dinghy off to a pontoon and climbed the ladder onto the quay.
Having had a little walk on the quay and up the road, l went back to my dinghy and headed back out the channel into the in coming tide.
Once back down stream to where the Lynher goes north, l explored in there too, the channel is well marked from here with poles and port and starboard buoys at the entrance as part way in here is a big boat yard built on the spoil heap from an old quarry. With quarries here up until the 1930s the river had been used to transport the stone out and old quays can be seen all the way into the upper reaches, certainly quite big vessels would have come in here, and apparently still do.
Motoring the dinghy back out into the increasing flow, l continued to check the outboard as l had realised the cooling water flow from the motor wasn’t flowing well, just dripping out, but the motor wasn’t seeming to hot! Back down river and passed Dandy Hole, although not run out l had refilled the fuel tank twice since leaving Elektra!
Now heading east-northeast in open water of the main Lynher River into the incoming stream, the wind about force 4 from the southwest kicked up the surface, we hadn’t gone far before the dinghy started surfing, at which point l sat further back so not to risk digging the bow in while surfing!
Having got back to Elektra, l lifted the outboard off the dinghy and onto the pushpit, from there once aboard l disassembled the engine to clean the water jet. The engine hadn’t got too hot, but better for the water to run though properly. Checking via the chart l could see l had logged over 10nm in the dinghy today and burnt about 2.5lts of petrol.
Love Sailing 