Love Sailing

Ever since we first went to Scilly in 2009 we have anchored in Green Bay and being a drying anchorage the anchors are visible at low water, l have always been interested in how well they worked or didn’t in some cases.

But it was the summer of 2013 which really made me think of which anchor would be better to buy. We had sailed to Scilly on the Saturday and after arriving there was a forecast of gale set for Wednesday. Most yachts left for the mainland before then but we had only just arrived and didn’t want to leave, so we stayed! During the low water before the gale was due, skippers were digging their anchors in (digging a hole with spades, placing the anchor in the hole and filling the holes back in). We had a Danforth anchor for our Hurley 22, Danforth didn’t have very good write ups in the yachting press but we hadn’t ever had a problem.

The gale arrived at the end of the day, south veering west just as the tide floats all the yachts. We were very close to another yacht so we moved and found a space before dropping anchor again, the anchor set in its own length and held throughout the gale overnight. In the morning is was easy to see which anchors worked and which didn’t. The 3 yachts which dragged all had CQR anchors, but thankfully they didn’t collide with any other yachts! The Bruce anchors had gone in really deep into the bottom. The Delta anchors seemed to work well, one yacht even had a big fishing man’s anchor which seemed to work well.

The wind stayed up around force 6 for the next 3 days, then for Sunday came another forecast of a southeast veering southwest gale. Our Hurley 22 was a fin keeler which we fitted beach legs to, to dry out. But southeast blows straight into Green Bay and legs aren’t good in any swell. So we moved and picked up a swing mooring in New Grimsby. That was a night l don’t ever want to repeat, during wind against tide the mooring buoy was trying to break though the bow, good job H22s were over engineered (very thick GRP). The CG met office forecast had given northeast force 7 for Monday but when we awoke the wind was gone and it was flat calm. That was the first time we came back via Newlyn over 2 days. Later that season l bought my first smartphone because met office couldn’t be trusted to give a correct forecast.

When we bought Elektra, she had a CQR anchor, l took one look at it and chucked it in the boat yard skip! I bought a slightly under sized 7.5kg genuine Bruce anchor which we used for 7 season, we anchored 240 nights, it dragged 4 times. I have replaced this season with a 10kg Rocna which l am still uncertain about at this time, although it did dig in well during the last 24hrs of strong winds.

I walked around the anchorage today at low water, 11 years later 80% of yachts now have Rocna anchors, some still using Bruce anchors. And some still have CQRs but have problems and don’t realise that there are better anchors available.

After a good night’s sleep l awoke on Tuesday to a dry overcast day. The first thing l did was row ashore for a walk on St Martin’s.

After a good walk l got back to the beach, the sun was trying to break though the clouds, it was looking like a nice day 😀

Then it was back to Elektra for cooked breakfast, after the washing up we lazed in the cockpit until evening when l fitted the outboard on the tender and once ready went to the Seven Stones lnn  for an evening meal. These days Vicki isn’t able to walk far unaided, so l motored the dinghy around the point to the Tean Sound slipway so she didn’t have to walk too far. The climb up to the pub was a lot for Vicki but we got there after a few stops to rest on the way.

After a lovely meal and a couple of drinks we made our way slowly back to the dinghy. Where l found l had just pulled the dinghy enough up the beach, the water was lapping its stern! Back to Elektra for a night cap before bed.

On Wednesday we moved Elektra to Green Bay, Bryher on the morning high water. 4.5nm, took an hour. With about 10 other yachts there we picked a spot dropped anchor and it dug in first time. We moved here because the forecast for Thursday was strong west-northwest winds and its best to move early to get a good place. By the end of the day another 6 yachts had arrived. I had a few boat jobs to do and with them and a little more laziness in the cockpit the day driffed by. In the evening we had some cold cuts and cheese for dinner and played Scrabble in the evening with a bottle of red.

And on Thursday morning more arrived, the anchorage was certainly getting busy. Just as Elektra started to dry out Vicki and l headed to The Fragle Rock pub on Bryher for a pint and lunch. Again l like to get Vicki as close by water as possible, this means motoring the dinghy north to Hangman’s lsland and landing in the cove below the pub. Once we had passed the slipway for the ferry boats the sea started to get lumpy and the yachts on the moorings in New Grimsby Sound were bouncing up and down a lot and the sea was crashing onto the rocks at the northern end of Bryher, we were glad that we had found better shelter for Elektra. Entering the little cove took us into shelter of Hangman’s Island and the reef between the lsland and Bryher, so was calm. I pulled the dinghy onto the shore and with the tide still falling left at the waters edge.

We walked up to Fragle Rock and had lunch. Afterwards was a little more tricky leaving, with it being around low water, there wasn’t any depth quite away out and Vicki had to paddle out before getting in the dinghy, l pulled it a bit further out before getting in myself. Then we were blown into a big patch of floating weed, rowing out of there was like trying to escape from a treacle tart! But we got out in the end, before l could start the engine l had to remove the 20ft long seaweed trailing from the prop! Once done, l started the engine and we motored back to Elektra trying to avoid other patches of floating weed on the way. Just after landing, it tipped down with rain, Vicki walked as fast as she could to Elektra to get some shelter and l followed pulling the dinghy over ground after putting the wheels on. Placing the dinghy underneath the ladder gives Vicki the additional height needed for her to get on the bottom rung, l can get on the rung from the ground. As soon as we were aboard the rain stopped!

I opened up the cabin Vicki got in and changed and l went back down to the ground to check the anchor. I like looking at anchors and seeing how well or not they have dug themselves in. And so once l was happy with Elektra’s anchor l strolled around looking at others. It wasn’t long before l had strolled over to my friend Adrian’s cat and we started chatting. Adrian offered me a beer and so l climbed aboard and continued our chat. Needless to say Vicki was wondering where l was! She had made herself a hot chocolate and drunk it and gone to sleep before l got back!

That evening once the tide had come back the wind had picked up quite a bit more and anchor chains were tight. The evening had turned very chilly and we shut up the cabin and started the cabin heater. Watching the yachts swinging around was a little worrying until it got dark. We played Scrabble that evening and opened a bottle of red. In the early hours of the morning Elektra went aground again, aways nice in strong winds as there isn’t any way of dragging anchor once aground! The wind blew out sometime during the night.

On Friday morning after Elektra floated again l went ashore for a walk, the weather wasn’t over warm but walking helps with that. I must have 1000s of photos of Scilly as we have sailed here in 2009, 10, 13, in our last yacht a Hurley 22. And since then 2017, 18, 21, 23 and now 24. But l still take photos on my walks around the islands. It’s such a special place and every time we get here, it never fails to disapoint. Once l was back aboard, Vicki cooked brunch and afterwards l washed up.

The rest of the day was spent laying in the cockpit sunshine. I had a little stroll around taking pictures of the anchors after the strong winds of the last 24hrs. In the evening after Elektra swung around and faced the Westerly breeze the sun disappeared behind the sprayhood so we moved into the cabin and opened a bottle of red 😀

After the last time we thought of going out to The Isle of Scilly in May the weather just hadn’t been good enough for long enough! Both Vicki and I love Scilly and are always looking for the weather to allow us to go but we know only too well that Scilly isn’t the place to be in bad weather.

The weather forecast seems to change on a daily basis these days, you can only trust them for one day at a time! Like l said,  l had been watching the weather for a window of opportunity to get out to Scilly. For better or worse the forecast seemed to present itself. The weekend was showing strong west winds but Sunday to Tuesday looks possible. At first we were going on Sunday but in the end Monday looks better  but we would have to motor all the way! We might have been able to sail on Tuesday but that would be another lost holiday day in Scilly. As it turned out Sunday was miserable drizzle and poor visibility which wouldn’t have been good crossing the shipping lanes. To be honest just getting the stores and ourselves out to Elektra on Sunday afternoon was bad enough 😕. This was followed by a sleepless night and it was as if we hadn’t ever been to Scilly either.

We cast off our mooring at 0830hrs on Monday 24th of June, l had pulled up the main but we expected to motor the whole passage as little or no wind was forecasted. A slight worry was we hadn’t used the engine much since over heating it when we had a coolant pipe burst after the SSOA rally in Fowey at the end of May. Vicki took the helm and motored Elektra east to the Nare Point while l got the tiller pilot out and connected up, once around the Nare, l set the pilot going to Manacle Buoy. Looking around there were quite a few other yachts heading our way at this time.

We used to go with the tide from Manacle Buoy to Wolf Rock but a few years ago l found out having planned to get to the Lizard Point for slack water, the inshore stream around the Lizard starts 1hr earlier, and as such we can get 7hrs of push towards Scilly. And with the advantage of arrival in Scilly around high water. With all these other yachts coming at the same time, many more skippers had also worked this out!

We would be against the tide from the Manacles to Black Head so our speed over ground slowed to 4kts, when we got to Black Head we were a little bit early so the tide didn’t turn until we were nearly to the Lizard Point. But the tide was definitely with us off Lizard Point as we touched 9.8kts SOG. The sea was very confused for the next 5nm but was behind us within a 1/2hr with the speed over ground. Once clear of the Lizard the sea calmed down to a gentle long Atlantic swells, possibly 4-6ft high and 50-60ft long. From there it was pretty boring checking the tiller pilot and hourly entries into the log. The only added interest was the ship which passed though our little gang of yachts on its way between the Lizard Point and the North bound shipping lane off Lands End, very skillfully executed by the captain l thought! I had seen her running slightly behind on a parallel course and had already thought she will want to cross our course somehow 🤔. The captain turned her into a line between Elektra and the 2 yachts about half a mile behind and gently steamed her between us on about a 20 degree angle without effecting our progress. The only other ship a cruiseliner passed across our coarse down the south bound shipping lane while we were still crossing the entrance to the north bound lane, so she didn’t affect us. At 1750hrs we arrived at our way point at the entrance to Crow Sound having logged 55nm, from there it was a slower careful motor north to one of our favourite anchorages south of St Martin’s, we dropped anchor at 1830hrs having logged 58nm. I had checked the engine a few times on passage, thankfully aĺl was good with it, now she has had a good test, l feel l wouldn’t worry about it again.

The plan was to leave Fowey back to Gillan with the good forecast of north-northwest force 4 on Tuesday as the weather for Wenesday was nil wind before the coming Low set to come in on Thursday, southwesterly force 5 gusting 7 with heavy rain. As our passage is in a southwesterly direction to Gillan, Tuesday’s forecast was a lot better.

On Tuesday the tide stream would be running our way 1240-1840hrs, so the wasn’t any hurry to leave. After cooked breckfast and washing up was done we slowly got Elektra ready to leave. We cast off at 1220hrs, Vicki motored Elektra out though Fowey entance and I set the genoa only and off we went at what seemed a sadate pace but in reality was a fast passage. At times would could have done with a little more sail but at other times just the genoa was plenty of power without being too much of a handful. An alternative sail patten could have been double reefed main and 1 reef in the genoa but would we have been any faster? We picked up her Gillan swing mooring at 1650hrs having logged 24nm in 4.5hrs without hanging on for dear life!

We might have stayed aboard another day on anchor in Gillan but we were almost out of milk, so it was decided to leave Elektra and go home.

With the time availible for more sailing the plan had been to get Elektra loaded with water, diesel and new camping gaz bottle Friday morning over high water before I had some work to finish. We had problems with the outboard the last time we were aboard when I thought I had flooded it, it was stupid really, I was running up against time, having filled the water cans and filtered the diesel, I never tried the outboard having changed its sparkplug. When I got down to St Anthony, I thought it was better to try the engine first before loading the dinghy up. But it didn’t want to start and the tide was going out, I didn’t want to row the heavy ladened dinghy out to Elektra, so I drove back home having not done anything!

Then it was time to go to work, 3hrs later I was back home again. The first thing to do was to try to get the outboard running but without any success I finaly put it to one side and got the spare outboard out, this hadn’t been started since last season but had been laid up properly after last use and after filling up the fuel tank, it started 2nd pull. The tide wouldn’t be high enough to float dinghy at St Anthony until 1530hrs. So I helped Vicki with packing and had I a shower before I drove down to St Anthony for the 2nd time with the water ect. This time with a working outboard things went better and I was back home by 1700hrs to load pick-up with stores and gear for a week away. Back to St Anthony, unload the pick-up onto the pontoon beside dinghy, I then parked the pick-up in the carpark, walked back, loaded the dinghy and Vicki and I climbed in, it was another heavy load back out to Elektra by which time it was 1830hrs. With stowing the gear and stores we has already decided to stay on Elektra’s swing mooring overnight.

The next morning was Saturday 8th June, the tide would have been right for leaving early to head east but we are both owls (more awake at night than in the morning). So after a lazy morning and cooked breckfast we cast off the mooring at 1235hrs and headed northeast with a forecast of northwest force 4. I first set the genoa but thinking we needed more sail pulled up the main with 2 reefs while still underway (only possible because with the new sails last year we did away with the lazyjacks). It wasn’t a fast sail across Falmouth Bay but the wind picked up to a NW4 gusting 5 from the Roseland and Elektra was creaming along at 5-6kts between the Roseland and Dodman Point. We covered the 14nm to Dodman in 3hrs and were anchored off Gorran Haven at 1600hrs having logged 16nm against the tide.

We think Gorran Haven Fish&Chips are the best we have had in Cornwall, so having dropped anchor Vicki placed our order for 1730hrs. I lowered the dinghy and fitted the outboard and when we were ready we went ashore, as the tide was still coming I pulled the dinghy up the beach a bit and we walked to the chippy. We ate our food overlooking the harbour, Elektra did look nice at anchor beyond the harbour wall.

We went back aboard and having taken the outboard off the dinghy onto Elektra’s pushpit we decided to tow the dinghy. We pulled up her anchor and motored Elektra east out of Gorran Haven then northeast to Chaple Point and north to a anchorage we know called Polgwyn Cove. When motoring north I turned on Elektra’s cabin heater (it might be June but it was still cold). we motored in and dropped anchor at 1915hrs having logged 20nm today.

On Thursday 30th of May Vicki dropped me back in Fowey with a bag of clothes, water proofs and some stores. I also had 5lts of coolant, when l then dropped into the Harbour Masters office to pay for 2 more nights, Elektra had arrived last Friday and l was going to sail her home a Friday later. The forecast for Thursday was northwesterly force 6, but Friday had it easing off a little to a northerly force 4-5. As l crossed the river to Elektra in the dinghy, l was glad it was mainly down wind, or would have been very wet coming the other way.

I was glad to get aboard Elektra and the wind increased though the rest of that day, with white horses showing in the Fowey river. I refilled the coolant, Anthony said it holds about 5lts but l only needed 3lts to top it up, so it wasn’t completely empty. I started and ran the engine for a while to check it all out, everything seemed fine, ready for the passage home. The wind was forecasted to ease from 09-1000hrs tomorrow so my plans we’re to leave Fowey at around 1200hrs on Friday which would be against the tide until 1550hrs but near slack around the Dodman Point. I cooked myself some dinner and because l was feeling quite cold, went to bed early.

I awoke suddenly at 0500hrs on Friday and thought, l might as well leave with the tide since l was awake. So l got out and made Elektra ready to leave, the tide was with us from 0352-0952hrs. I cast off the mooring at 0600hrs and pointed Elektra towards the sea, l unwrapped the mainsail and motored out the entrance but just set the genoa on coarse for Cannis Buoy. Elektra was only logging 3.5kts to the Buoy, but as we left the shelter of Gribbon Head things soon hotted up! With the need to help the tiller pilot keep Elektra on coarse, l need to reef the genoa once, then twice! Elektra was on a broad reach to the Dodman and then a beam reach from Dodman to Gillan, with just a piece of genoa she was logging over 6kts most of the time! The slow parts of the passage was from the mooring to Cannis Buoy and crossing Falmouth Bay at the end of the passage, over the last hour when the wind eased and l should have let more sail out. The fastest speed recorded on the GPS was 7.5kts. Elektra had covered the 22nm from Cannis Buoy to Gillan in 4hrs. And the whole passage from the Fowey mooring to anchored in Gillan, 24nm in 4.5hrs.

I motored Elektra slowly in and dropped anchor off St Anthony to get a bit of shelter as our swing mooring was open to the wind and swells. I had already called Vicki to say l was on the way and called her again to say  l had arrived. Vicki drove down from home later in the day and we spent the weekend at anchor there in lovely sunny weather.

The Sadler and Starlight Owners Association Rally was set for the bank holiday weekend 25-27th May, Vicki was going to be away with family and I was thinking of sailing to Fowey to the rally if I could get all my work done in time. Apart from a few problems with my brush cutter, I got though the work in time. The weather forecast for the following week was poor so I thought I could do a day with the brush cutter then.

On Friday 24th of May, I was aboard by 1030hrs having done a little shopping first. This was a bit of a first for me, I had done a lot of day sailing alone but never sailed before in 18 years of cruising to another port alone. The forecast was for very little wind, west-northwest force 2-3. I pulled up the main on the mooring and cast off at 1125hrs, set all the genoa and set course for The Dodman Point 14nm to the northeast. Having logged 2.5nm in 1.5hrs I decided it was time to start motoring! I was heading east against a west flowing tide which didn’t help, but I knew that would be the case and I didn’t want to wait until 1620hrs for the tide to be going my way. Now motoring northeast Elektra was making 4.5kts on 2500 revs, once we started to cross Gerrans Bay the wind picked up from the north and Elektra was motorsailing at 5kts on 2000 revs. Once we got to the Dodman Point the wind died away and we had to motor again. Motored in and picked up a swing mooring at 1630hrs having logged 24nm. Robert very kindly invited me aboard for a beer when I was ready and Mandy made a sausage sandwich.

Next morning, l motored Elektra over to the pontoon which had been reserved for the Sadler Rally, Miles and Julia were there to help me with my lines. Robert and Mandy came in and moored up aft of Elektra about a half hour later. The rest of the Sadlers, Starlights and interlopers (the SSOA are quite happy to take money from and yacht owner to come on rallies) arrived at the end of the day after a good sail from Plymouth direction. The plan had been to have a pontoon party wind music and singing in the evening but heavy rain came in soon after they arrived. So the chilly which Chris had made was taken back and eaten in cockpit enclosures around the pontoon. I was invited aboard Chris and Julia’s SL39 and a great evening of talk, stories followed.

The next day Chris had organised a walk to Gallant to a beer festival, food and later music. It was quite a walk and l think a few found it a little too much. In the evening a lot of them went to an Indian restaurant for evening dinner but Mandy Robert and me felt we had had a good feed at lunch time, so we stayed had a few beers and chatted.

On Monday the plan was for us all to head home but Robert and Mandy were also heading east with most of the others. Which left only me to head southwest against the forecasted was west force 4-5, becoming southwest force 5-6. The tide wouldn’t be with me until 1500hrs but I didn’d want to wait that long so planned to leave about 1200hrs and hoping for slack water around Dodman Point. It was quite easy to slip lines but Robert and Mandy were still there and able to help. Motoring Elektra into wind in the harbour on tiller pilot, I pulled up the main with two reefs and headed towards Fowey entrance, with all the fenders and lines to stow I hadn’t seen the steam coming from the cockpit locker until we were going though the entrance with other yachts by which time I thought we would soon be sailing. Soon after that I pulled out the genoa with 2 reefs and stopped the engine, I soon found I needed a bit more sail so let out one of the genoa reefs. There was a lumpy 4ft swell and Elektra was getting stopped a little by the swell, logging 3.5-5kts, she was going quite well in the conditions but my best heading was due south. What played on my mind was the engine, what if I need it later? After 1.5hrs heading south, in the end I decided I would be better turning around and heading back into Fowey, which is what I did. The sail back to Fowey was very quick, now on a broad reach, my problem came sailing though the entrance against the tide, with Elektra’s speed dropping off to 1.5kts, it took a while to get though! I was trying also to keep clear of the racing dinghies but not without getting a mouthful from one of them. When it looked like I was going to be in the way of the finshing line, I chanced starting the engine and motoring out out of the way and onto a swing mooring. I had logged 10nm in 3hrs.

Now it was time to find out what was wrong with the engine. The impeller casing was cold, so water coming thought there but there wasn’t any coolant in the top up bottle, must be a broken pipe. Then I remembered the the steam coming out of the cockpit locker, I lifted the lid and investgated the area of the stream, there it was a split pipe about 30mm from the end, it was an easy fix but without any coolant and it being a bank holiday, I wasn’t going to get any until tomorrow and with strong southwest winds forecasted for the next two days, I wouldn’t be going anywhere until Thursday.

So I decided to ring my wife Vicki who was on her way back to Cornwall from Lester and ask for a lift back home, she agreed and expected to get to Fowey about 1830hrs, I had a little time to tidy things away and when the harbour master came by I paid for 2 nights and said I exspected to be back Wedensday and would sort out with the office when I knew what I was doing. At 1745hrs I left Elektra and motored the dinghy over to the town pontoon, found a space, picked out my bags and walked to the carpark where I had agreed to meet Vicki. As normal the satnav which Vicki was following bought her down the wrong side of the river, it might have been the shortest route but took longer and cost £5 more to use the ferry to cross the river, shortest isn’t always the best route!

Now Elektra was back on her mooring, l wanted to go sailing again, so on Sunday l was out early and down to St Anthony before the tide went out, it was a lovely day but the forecast was for light winds.

At around 0845hrs I pulled up her mainsail on the mooring before mooring her out and setting all her genoa, sailing north across Helford River at about 2kts, when we neared August Rock buoy, l tacked her and we headed southeast, now doing 3-3.5kts SOG with I expect a little tide helping. It was lovely to be out sailing in what seemed like the start of summer in shorts and poloshirt. Sailing on southeast until the wind died away, so I turned Elektra and we headed north towards St Anthony Light House, logging anywhere between 0.8-3.5kts, all other yachts were motoring. But I continued to sail Elektra, Almost to St Anthony Lt, I then turned her south-southwest for Gillan, arriving back there at 1345hrs having logged 11nm in 5hrs!

After our plans to go to Scilly were aborted because of a bad forecast, we had come back from a weekend away and moored Elektra on her gale/east wind trot mooring in Carne Creek. The forecast turned out to be wrong, there had only been one windy wet day not the three-to four days. But we still couldn’t go sailing because Elektra was neeped until Saturday. On Friday I used the day to try and seal up a leak we still had from a U bolt fitting on the side deck, I had resealed both port and starboard fitting during the winter but only the starboard U bolt sealed.

On Saturday I needed to take a template of our alterered bow roller for another S29 owner, being that it would be easier to do while Elektra was high and dry, I went to her early around 2.5m of depth I rowed out from St Anthony to the narrows and up the channel to where Elektra was aground, I pulled the dinghy up the side of the bank and made a cardboard template of the bow roller. The tide was coming in but being neep tides, quite slowly. I climbed aboard to find a line for the dinghy, attached the line to the dindhy painter and made the other end off to Elektra, then climbed aboard and started getting Elektra ready to leave. It was going the be very little spare depth to float Elektra, I normally think we need 4m for her to float here, but of course depth is afected by bar-pressure, today the high tide was 4m and the pressure 1012, so I was hoping we had enough water to get out! She sinks into the botton a little when she dries there is floating, but we need enough to clear her over the bottom, to mover her. I started her engine half an hour before high water, the ground ahead of her is slightly heigher, so I needed to reverse her out into the channel. I linked the two buoys togerther before dropping the bow mooring strop, then pulling aft with the stern strop I dropped over the side and put the engine control lever in reverse. Elektra was moving astern but her port side bilge keel grounded, so she turned to port, turning her bow towards the channel, so I moved the control lever to forward and gave her a blast of forward, she quickly moved into the channel and the sounder was showing 0.3m, I had managed to get her out.

I had thought a sail would be nice but I hadn’t made her ready, so I motored her out to her swing mooring thinking I would pick up the mooring and then get her ready before leaving the dinghy attached to the mooring. But when I arrived another yacht was on our mooring, the skipper was aboard, I explained it was our mooring. I said he could stay but could he take my dinghy and attach it to my mooring as I was going for a sail. Then I pulled up the mainsail and went sailing for 2hrs before returning to the mooring as I needed to get home