Love Sailing

After being anchored in Cawsands for three nights, we had to leave for Fowey as l was the organiser of a CA rally there over the weekend. The weather running up to the rally wasn’t looking good, and a few had backed out over the last week. But what would it look like if the organiser didn’t make the rally?

I think we probably could have sailed to Fowey the day before as l don’t think that the forecasted southwest force 4 gusting 6 happened. It was a top end of force 4 max. But we stayed another day in Cawsands, and l was glad a good walk around the coast to Rame Head and back by the road.

Now Friday 19th, l pulled up Elektra’s anchor at 0840hrs, and Vicki motored her out of Cawsands to sea around the Day Stone while l was pulled up and set the mainsail and set genoa. There was quite a lumpy sea running off the Rame Head, but Elektra was logging 3.5-4.5kts SOG in about 6-7kts of southerly wind, with a bit of tide, so we continued to sail. But once clear of the Head, the sea calmed down, and Elektra continued to log the same sort of speed.

As we neared Looe Island, the wind started picking up firstly to 8-9kts, with Elektra picked up speed to 5.5kts. Before Polperro, the wind was blowing 10-12kts, and Elektra had started to round up, so l pulled the first reef into the genoa to balance the boat again, now logging 6.5kts She kept on like this past Udder way point, to with in a mile of Fowey when the sea started getting lumpy again, l started her engine. And we motored from there into Fowey and onto the town pontoon where Richard’s “Spirited” was already motored.  Elektra had logged 20nm in 4.5hrs, Richard took Elektra’s lines.

Vicki went and did a bit of shopping, Richard and I checked in the HM office to see which pontoon the CA had been allocated. Richard motored Spirited over to the pontoon and moored up while we topped up Elektra’s water tank. A few more yachts arrived, and a few more. Until the number 7 in total, which l was expecting out of the original 12, which had booked. The others had decided to come by road for the meal on Saturday at the RFYC because of the forecast.

That Friday evening, we all gathered in “Spirited” cockpit for drinks and nibbles and talking about boats and boating.

With the forecast of southwest force 6 gusting 7 for Wednesday and southwest force 4 gusting 6 for Thursday, we would be staying in Cawsands until Friday.

On Tuesday evening, Cawsands was quite calm, and before nightfull 3 other yachts came in and anchored. But the anchorage was fairly rolly on Wednesday and all, but one of the yachts had left by the time l got out in the morning. The other was only here for an hour or so before also leaving. The problem was with big southwest winds making a big sea which was crashing in around the rocky shore, then the waves were rebounding into Cawsands. But after what we had endured, the Southerly in the Yealm River on Sunday, we were quite happy with a little rolling. Which was only going to get less as the wind eased.

For some reason, l couldn’t keep my eyes open after brunch, so l climbed in the bunk and went to sleep and awoke again about 1600hrs. From then until 1900hrs l was dealing with a lot of CA emails

After dinner, we opened a bottle of red, and l do some blogging, which Vicki played games on her tablet.

Then, when we went to bed about midnight, l only slept until 0500hrs and got out at 0630hrs. I suppose, l should of expected a sleepless night after sleeping in the day, but it really doesn’t make it any easier. I needed to get ashore for a walk.

After brunch, l had to go ashore and get water from somewhere, so l took the dinghy and rowed in, landed on Cawsands beach and asked in the pub about bottle water, they suggested the Spar in King’sands. So l walked to the Spar, and they had large bottled water. I asked for a case, they came packaged in 8s, So l lugged 8 bottles of water back to the dinghy in Cawsands and rowed back out to Elektra. In my moment of madness, l tried to prime the water, l should have thought it wasn’t going to be enough to prime the pump, but l put in 6 bottles before giving up! We saved the other 2 bottles for hot drinks.

Then l went ashore for a walk. It was my intention to walk to Rame Point and back via the road. But l ended up walking the coast path to Rame and back by the road, which was a lot longer than I thought!

It wasn’t the best weather for walking, but a lot better than the drizzle of the last few days. Tomorrow, we will be passing this headland out at sea, heading for Fowey.

After arrival in Cawsands, dropping anchor, we went about our jobs, the cockpit enclosure needed put back up. Once that was done, Vicki went down to make a hot chocolate. It was discovered by Vicki that we had run out of water. The tap was on, and the pump was running, but no water was coming out. I switched the pump off on the main switchboard. Here we were just come from a port where water was readily available to an anchorage where it wasn’t and now discover no drinking water. What’s more, we didn’t have any receptacle to carry water in! When we were in Scilly, l had a 25lt can in the in the hanging locker, but with the fire, it got removed with all the rest of the gear and wasn’t now aboard.

We talked as to what to do, Vicki could drink milk and l coke, but we wouldn’t be doing any washing. A nice-looking Sadler 29 had just arrived and dropped anchor near us, so l took the kettle over and said hi! Invited aboard. l asked if James could fill my kettle, and we sat and talked a while about our 29s. Eventually, l returned to Elektra, where Vicki had gone for a sleep in the bunk.

With the rain forecast tonight, l thought if l put the washing up bowl under the back of the cockpit enclosure, we could collect some some rainwater. This ploy was very successful, and by morning, the washing up bowl was half full of rainwater. But the lack of any amount of rain over the next night, meant we had to get some from ashore.

I rowed ashore in the dinghy and after asking for water was directed to The Spar Shop, there I found 2lt bottles of water in the cooler. I asked the shop keeper, how many was in a pack, and they were packed in 8s. So I bought a pack for about £10 and then lugged it back to the punt, and then rowed back to Elektra.

Once we get to Fowey on Friday we will be able to get water and fill up her tank.

Once back from our showers and Vicki was aboard, l removed the outboard from the dinghy onto the pushpit and then attached the davit lines before climbing aboard myself. I then  pulled the dinghy up onto the davits. Removed the cockpit enclosure and stowed below. I started the engine and switched on the instrument. I was quite expecting it to be quite nasty out  in Wembury Bay after the winds from the last 2 days. The wind was meant to die off to a southwest force 4, but l still thought it was going to be nasty getting out.

When we were ready, l went up on the bow to drop the mooring, and Vicki untied the tiller. Vicki motored Elektra out through the mooring until we turned towards the red can buoys marking the end of the bar. I then pointed out the 2 swimmers, which Vicki couldn’t see because she wasn’t wearing her glasses. So l took the helm from there. And l motored Elektra out between the swimmers to the red can buoys and out around the end of the bar. They ahead of us was the 23-foot yacht, which l had seen leaving about 10 minutes before us. Also coming in was a motor launch, so l moved to starboard to give him a chance to line up on the leading transit.

The chart plotter on the chart table was bleeping because of the incoming motor launch AIS. So l gave Vicki the helm again so l could turn the alarm off.

I got back into the cockpit and zoomed the chart plotter out so we could see the outer way point. But Vicki couldn’t see because she didn’t have her grasses, so l took the helm again. I think I would say  Wembury Bay was rough but not as rough as l was expecting. We caught up and passed the 23 foot yacht and carried on towards our wat point off the Mew Stone. From there, l turned Elektra west towards Rame Head, still motoring. Once west of the Mew Stone, we could sail to Cawsands.

To start with, l only let out about half the genoa, but it soon proved not enough! So l let it all out. Out from Plymouth East Entrance came a tall ship under power (no sails) for a little while we were on a collision course. But l think that the ship could see we were heading for Cawsands and altered to pass us port to port (not exactly correct), but we would be close on the wind to Cawsands and l didn’t want to pass her to starboard.

After that, l altered the sail a bit, and Elektra picked up speed, logging 5kts SOG towards Cawsands. About halfway across, l stood  up to see Cawsands better. Then l could see a tug towing an RN ship out to sea. They were passing across our bow. We were still south of  Plymouth breakwater. It was then l noticed an RN ship north of the breakwater heading for sea. We would be crossing her bow! At the time, we were logging 5kts+, and l didn’t want to slow for her to pass in front of us! Before she turned south out of Plymouth, we had crossed her bow into Cawsands. Even then, it’s a little unnerving seeing her turned to port while Elektra was still in front of her! But she continued turning to port and passed behind us as we sailed into Cawsands.

We motored into Cawsands 1.5 hours after leaving the Yealm River mooring, having logged 7.5nm.

We arrived in the Yealm River on Friday, 5th September, and now it was Friday 12th. There had been almost end to end gales since Sunday. We knew this would be the case as a week ago, as the forecast was bad, but we had accepted that we would get stuck somewhere. But now, a week later, the forecast was still bad! With no signs of much calmer weather for another week.

We could get out of the Yealm River overnight Saturday, and Tuesday looked a little calmer, but where would we go for the next gale was the question? So now the next escape was looking like Thursday, 17th.

As l said, today was Friday and was looking like a nice day for a walk. It was a windy but sunny day. Vicki and I went for showers in the morning, and l paid for another 3 nights’ moorings in the Yealm River. After we got back later, l spread the towels around the cockpit enclosure to dry. Then, I went for a walk to Wembury.

It was a lovely walk, but l didn’t go down into Wembury as l knew l had to climb back up the way l came to go back to the Yealm. So, walking back the way l came, l got some more photos

Once back, we settled down for another evening aboard, Vicki cooked dinner, and after we had eaten, we played Scrabble and opened a bottle of red. Later in the evening, the wind got up. It was knocking Elektra onto her side so much so that we had to hold on to our glass of wine and even hook back the cutlery draw to stop it sliding out! We went to bed during this and woke up to a more settled day.

We went food shopping and a pub lunch at the Dolphin Inn, now Saturday. We have now had a chance to try all the Yealm River pubs and YYC for food. If we go again, it will either be the Dolphin or the Swan, both had good food and reasonable prices. The Ship Inn is living on past repetition and is overpriced for not especially great food. We went to the Yealm YC last Saturday evening, a little bit of food on a big plate, and after 2 courses, we were both still hungry.

The dinghy run out from the Dolphin Inn to the HM office was wet with spay due to wind against tide. We were glad once we were into the sheltered waters of the main river. Once back aboard, we sat and slept in the cockpit until evening. Then, as the night came in, we opened a bottle of red and sat Vicki playing games on her table and me catching up on CA emails.

After a quiet night and a good night’s sleep, the forecast for Sunday was for the wind to pick up southeast/south and then southwest 25 gusting 40kts with heavy rain. The outlook for Monday was westerly 25 gusting 30kts with the rain to clear by late afternoon. So l walked up to the co-op while it was still dry to get some shopping before the rain set in! I just made it back before the heavy rain started. Once back, Vicki started cooking brunch, and after we had eaten, l did the washing up. It’s exciting this cruising life!

What followed that day can only be described as horrendous as the southerly wind dumped into the river and turned the calm moorings into something resembling rapids! We haven’t moored anywhere in such conditions before. Most of the time, Elektra was lying over at 20 degrees heal, and at one point, l was fending off the Westerly Storm 33 yacht on the next mooring as she came in to attack!

The forecast was for the wind to move into the west, but this didn’t seem to happen until just before dark. Our dinghy had spent quite a bit of time upside down with the engine on, but l couldn’t do anything about it in the conditions. It was just too unsafe to try to get into the dinghy, to save it!

The wind did finally move around to the west just before dark, and we had a quieter night, excluding the banging noise from the mooring buoy. We didn’t get out of the bunk until 0830hrs. The harbour master to see if we were OK and l paid for another night. I asked if he knew anyone who could strip down and clean out our outboard after it was upside down a few times yesterday. They gave me a name and number, but it was too short a notice,

So l decided to have a go myself, Vicki helped me get it into the cockpit. I wasn’t exactly quick, but l was, but I took my time and did it right. Even then, l wasn’t 100% sure my efforts would work. Eventually, l had put the motor back together, ready for trying. So l rowed the dinghy over to the shore and tipped the rainwater out, then back to Elektra, and Vicki helped me get the motor back into the dinghy. Safely clamped on the back, now came the moment of truth. I attached the kill cord, opened the fuel tap, and air vent. Then, l pulled the recoil 4 times, and it fired, l pulled once more, and the engine was running, l fiddled with the choke to keep it running until l was happy. Then l let go of Elektra and put in gear. There was a bit more fiddling to do with the choke as the dinghy moved forward, but the engine was running fine, so l gave it a blast for 200 yards and back,  the engine was running fine. Back to Elektra and stopped the engine, picking up the rubbish, l then did a run over to the HM office to bin our rubbish, both trips the engine started and ran fine.

On Tuesday, we decided to leave the Yealm River before the next lot of strong southwest winds came in. The wind was due calm down to a southwest force 4 in the afternoon. So l did some shopping early, and Vicki cooked brunch, and then we washed up before going for showers.

On Sunday evening, after we moved from the rally pontoon to a swing mooring, we were much happier. Apart from the feeling of being at anchor, here I also had a mobile signal. I was able to catch up on my online stuff and update my blog.

We knew before we left Gillan that we were going to get stuck somewhere, even back then, the forecast was showing strong southwest winds. We could have gotten out of the Yealm River, but we would have to shelter somewhere else, and the Yealm has everything we need, shops, pubs for meals out, plenty walking for exercise. We had always liked the Yealm River but never had the time before to explore very well. This week, we would get of chance.

Monday was a lovely day, and l kept myself busy with a run ashore with rubbish and then along the road to the co-op for shopping. Once back aboard, Vicki had cooked brunch, and after washing up, we went ashore for showers. I hadn’t ever seen the tide, so low. Only the outside of the pontoon was still floating, and we could only land upstream of the pontoon because the downstream side was just mud.

After our showers, l when for a walk on the path towards Wembury, l didn’t walk all the way but had a nice walk anyway

In the evening we went to a pub meal at the Ship Inn. This used to be our favourite Yealm River pub, but having changed hands, the Ship Inn isn’t as good as it used to be. But the Swan Inn wasn’t doing food on Monday.

Tuesday came in wet and windy, nether of us left Elektra all day

Wednesday started much the same, but we needed more shopping, so l went ashore for a walk and then to get shopping, the rain stopped and the sun came out for a bit, but I hadn’t been back aboard very long before another heavy shower came though. But in the evening it came nice again so we went for a pub meal at the Swan Inn.

Safe is one thing, but comfortable is another. During the night, the wind was howling into the Yealm, the mooring pick-up chain was grinding away on the bow roller, and the standing rigging was vibrating. It kept me and Vicki awake, and in the morning early, l was out padding to bow roller. When the harbour master came along late in the morning, l asked him if there was a more sheltered swing mooring available. He said, l expect so, and he came back later to tell us where. So we moved from the mooring we were on 25kts to  a more sheltered 8kts, almost wouldn’t know it was windy.

The forecast wasn’t showing much calm weather for another week, we didn’t have to leave, but we needed to get to Fowey by the evening of Friday 19th September for the CA rally which l had organised. This day, being the 11th, we had time on our side.

Thursday wasn’t a bad day, some nice hot sunshine with a few thundery downpours. Each time we thought of leaving Elektra for a walk or to go for showers, the heavens would open, and maybe we won’t bother.

On Friday, a week after we first arrived in the Yealm River, it started sunny.

To be continued……

When we arrived in the Yealm River on Friday, there were already 2x Starlight 36s and a Sadler 35 moored to the pontoon. There were plenty of folk to take our lines. Thank you, Suzie and Sally.

It was long before we were invited on to yachts for a drink because they wanted to know about Elektra’s fire. By now, the story had been all across the SSOA Facebook group page, and they were keen to know the details. These days, l was quite happy to chat about it.

Later in the evening, the beers came out for a pontoon party, and later still after eating, we went aboard Cornish Gold for chat and more drink. It was decided, and then a good walk the following morning would be good. We returned to our own boats before too late and did our own things until we went to bed.

Next morning, l was out at 8am and made coffee. Then, l lowered the dinghy into the water and attached the outboard. I then went ashore to the co-op for shopping, and once back, it was nearly time to go on our walk. I hadn’t eaten, but really, l wasn’t bothered. We set off ashore in 3 dinghies, Vicki and Suzie didn’t come.

We headed for Kilpatrick Steps and the Carage walk around Yealm Head. We fiddled around, tying on the dinghies and attaching the line to the steps railing. By which time, David had a head start, but David had gone ahead because he knew he would struggle walking up hill, with his lung problems. It  wasn’t long before we had caught David up, and it was obvious that he was struggling, even if he was determined to do it. My ex farther in law only had one lung, and l leart then that l needed to walk at his pace and not rush on ahead. So l walked most of the way with David. It wasn’t a race.

It was a lovely walk which I had done before in not very good weather, and it was nice to do it again in better weather.

A last little climb up a track away from the cliff path was tough on David, but with a rest or two, he made it, and from there was level or downhill. I stopped walking part way down the path and looked at the weather on my phone app. Vodafone wasn’t a great signal in the Yealm River, l had just changed my provider from EE. Vicki had EE and full service, but Vodafone had no signal at all. I thought great. Here l am away from home with a Cruising Association Rally to finalise in Fowey in just 2 weeks time, and l had no signal!

We went to the Swan Inn for a drink and some food, a bit more chat. I thought l should look to see how far the water was from the Voss(a concrete path across the creek bottom) when l looked there was about 4ins before it would be covered. Which l reported back, now or walk around! It didn’t take David long to get up and start heading for the door. We all made it across it time just!

Then there was just a walk along a level road back to the dinghies

Once l got back, we needed to get some washing up done, Vicki was wondering where we were, and l said had told her it was 1.5hr walk but l think we might have taken twice as long and then stopped for a drink/food. It  wasn’t long before more drink was on offer, and after that, it was off to The Yealm Sailing Club for an evening meal. After a lovely meal, we were invited on Cornish Gold for more drinks, but Vicki and I decided to retire to Elektra for a rest.

The next morning, after a good night’s sleep, the others were all going to leave. The forecast wasn’t good. There had been a southeast blow yesterday. The forecast for Sunday was southeast force 4-5 going south 5-7 and then southwest 4-5. The Yealm River entrance is open to southwestly winds, and the pilot book suggests not attempting entry in such conditions. In the end, they all decided to wait until the end of the day. So after the stronger winds had passed, they all made their getaway.

The harbour master came again for more dues, and l asked for a swing mooring, and after a radio call to the office, he said we could use A114 down by the other pontoon. So we also left the pontoon and picked up a swing mooring and what a difference that made to my mobile signal,at last I could use my new phone again. I spent the rest of the afternoon updating everything online. We knew before we set off from Gillan that we would get stuck in the Yealm for a week, but both Vicki and I love the Yealm River, so it’s no hardship.

On Friday 5th September, we had a forecast of west/southwest/south force 2-3. I was quite expected to have to motor to the Yealm River, but once out of Fowey, the engine got turned off, and we were sailing under full sail. We had dropped the mooring at 1030hrs, motored south back out the river, and set sail at the entrance to Fowey. Our friend Kevin Mitchell was just ahead of us in his Sadler 26, and as we sailed passed l took some photos. Sadler 29s might only be 3 feet longer, but they almost carry twice as much sail area, so we sailed past quite quickly. Kevin was on passage for Salcombe, and l think he got there about 1930hrs.

This really was an excellent sailing day, and we were logging 4-5kts most of the time, we got to the Mew Stone way point off the Yealm River at 1515hrs, having logged 23nm. Then l rolled away the genoa, and we sailed into the Yealm entrance before motoring in around the bar. I lowered the mainsail in the entrance between the moorings and the bar. Before turning and heading in, we moored to the top pontoon at 1600hrs.

On the pontoon, there were 2 Starlight 36s and a Sadler 35. This was all who were coming. Everyone else had chickened out because of the forecast for the coming week!

Ever since starting cruising 20 years, we have always been limited by time. Because of my job, l could only take a week long holiday at a time, and after 3 days heading in one direction, we needed to turn around and think about heading back. As such, our sailing was limited to about 150nm of coastline between Torquay in the east and The Isles of Scilly to the West.

Yesterday, we completed 10,000nm on that short piece of coastline without doing any major crossing apart from out and back from Scilly nine times, and our 2 day delivery passage from Poole to Helford back in March 2017. It almost seems silly to have done so many miles on such a short piece of coastline. But we have done just that!

We had planned Ireland this season, but Vicki needed medical treatment in June, so that idea got cancelled. So this season, we managed to get past Dartmouth and north around Berry Head to Torquay for our first visit. But it’s really still only sailing the same 150 miles of coastline.