After a lovely relaxing time anchored in Place on Saturday in great weather, it was time to head home for work on Monday.
Sunday 13th September
After a lazy start and brunch we weighed anchor at 1115hrs and sailed slowly back towards Gillan, picking up our mooring in Gillan at 1345hrs having logged 6nm. We then had to wait for high water (1430) to take Elektra up though the narrows into Carne Creek to a gale proof mooring due to strong wind forecast. That was the end of our second sailing holiday.
After a restful weekend away the plan had been to stay until Tuesday but we ran out of water so decided to go back Monday instead.
It looked like we were going to have to beat back into a southwesterly, having motored down the Precuil River our first tack took us over to Pendennis point, next tack out into Falmouth Bay before tacking back towards Swanpool. It was great sailing but then it started to rain and the fog decended! With not being able to see vary far I didnt want to sail back out into Falmouth Bay so decided to start the engine and motor south to Rosemullion Head and on across Helford River using the chart plotter. We got into Gillan 2hrs after leaving the Precuil River having logged 9nm.
A few days later our boat yard phoned and suggested we move Elektra into Carne Creek because of the forecasted strong northeasterly. This we did and there ended our sailing season with gales over the next 2 weeks followed by a weekend where Elektra was neaped (not enough water to float her). Then by the next weekend I had done my back in at work, which only left one weekend which with gales before the end of October, so our season was over.
After going home for showers and to get a few things we needed on Thursday, we had the rest aboard, we were on holiday and R&R was needed.
Friday 11 September
Just a little short sail over Falmouth Bay to Place was our next plan, we weighed anchor at 1340hrs, motored out of Gillan and set just the genoa for the down wind sail across the bay dropping anchor in Place just 6nm away at 1510hrs.
After a few nice days in Looe we had made friends with Rob and Karen, we invited them for drinks and a chat one evening and they in turn the next. It turned out we had been in the same anchorage out in Scilly at the same time back in 2018. It had been their first visit to Scilly and our fifth.
We had been informed by the Harbour Master that no rafting was allowed, so in the evening of the 7th went another small yacht arrived we told the skipper so. Not long after one of the Harbour staff came and asked us to raft as we were a group, which we were not! We had all been drinking and didn’t want to move, l said l was willing to let them raft to Elektra which is what happened in the end. In the morning the Harbour Master gave him a telling off for rafting! It would be good if the right hand knew what the left hand was doing!
Looe Harbour Entrance
Wednesday 8th September
We had decided to leave about 1130hrs, we would have said buy to Rob and Karen but the Harbour Master was on Elektra having a go at the other skipper at the time! Around 1000hrs shortly after Rob and Karen left another yacht came in, we explained about the rafting and they decided to moor to the wall ahead of us until we were ready to leave.
Working towards leaving, l left a line attached which we didn’t see until we had started to leave, there was a little bit of panic on my behalf but the tide was slow and with help of the other skipper all was well in the end! At 1100hrs we were free and heading for open sea.
Once out in the cove I set all sails and sailed out past the Cardinal Buoy off Looe Island, we were going to have to beat into the forecasted westerly force2-3, which seemed more like a south westerly, only after we tacked could we see for sure, Now heading due west at around 3kts. We continued a long the coast like this until we were north of Udder Rock and the wind died away so we started the engine at 1250hrs. We did consider going into Fowey but decided to find an anchorage instead, we looked at Polridmouth to the north east of Gribbin Head but decided in the south westerly wind wasnt very sheltered, motoring out again we past between Gribbin Head and Cannis Rock out into St Austell Bay. The wind was picking up again so let out the genoa and we sailed across the bay to Black Head. Our normal anchorage of Polgwyn Cove was looking very choppy so we motored south across Mevagissey Bay to Portmellon and dropped anchor for the night at 1515hrs having logged 19nm.
After the bright lights of Looe we had a wonderful quiet dark night an anchor sleeping well into the morning. There was no rush to get away because the tide stream wasnt with us until 1330hrs. After eating brunch we weighted anchor at 1205hrs and motored out around Chaple Point before setting all the sail. At first there seemed little wind but got better towards the Dodman Point, then we lost the wind under the point and motored out the other side where the wind helped us along again. Slow at first but the wind picked up and then the wind was great, keeping our SOG up between 5-6kts right back across Falmouth Bay into Gillan, we droped anchor off Flushing Cove for the night at 1700hrs having logged 18nm. We put our cockpit encloser up and enjoyed the evening.
Our plan had been to sail early from Fowey to Salcombe today but being in Gorran Haven there didn’t seem to be much wind so we decided to head to Looe.
Gorran Haven
The wind did fill in later but by that time the tidal stream was running against us again, it wasn’t a worry because the wind was anywhere between 5kts and 21kts at one point during a squall, we sailed the whole passage on just the genoa, to little sometimes but plenty of sail during the squall. We covered the 16nm in 4.5hrs.
On arrival at Looe it was just after low water so we dropped anchor and waited for the tide.
Also anchored off was Jemima another yacht with loads of fenders attached, l lower the dinghy and rowed over for a chat.
Rob and Karen gave loads of useful advice for going into Looe, Rob was going in at half tide but we were going to have to wait a little longer due to Elektra’s deeper draft. I had been to Looe back in the 80s by road but things had changed, the old shower block had been knocked down and we ended up the wrong side of the river with the tide pushing us in at 2-3kts, two U turns later we arrived in the right spot to moor up. I think l know how Boris feels now!
After 3 weeks of work and no sailing l was looking for another holiday before the autumn flush of grass.
Friday 4th September
The plan was to go aboard on Friday and sail to Fowey. But by the time we had collected all our stores together and got aboard to stow them we knew the tidal stream would be running against us. Not to worry l said, it will only be a knot or so.
I pulled the main up on the mooring because Elektra was facing the wind and we cast off at 1215hrs, running the engine just to get out of Gillan, l set all the sail, this wasn’t going to be a fast passage to Fowey but at least we were sailing. After 1.5hrs having only logged 4.5nm l started the engine again! Motoring on at a steady 5kts SOG, after 3hrs the wind picked up and we were sailing again around the Dodman Point.
Vicki then said how about going into Gorran Haven for fish and chips? It was a quick decision to change direction and we were soon dropping anchor at 1600hrs off Gorran Haven. From back in 2018 we found their fish and chips, we think them the best!
Elektra at Gorran Haven
After a run ashore for the fish and chips an evening of scrabble with a bottle of red that followed Vicki and l were getting into the holiday mood.
With a forecast of rain all day on Sunday Vicki and I decided to head home this afternoon to avoid getting wet tomorrow.
The weather turned good again and once out I was soon unzipping the sides of the cockpit encloser as the day warmed up. A lazy brunch in the cockpit and getting ready to leave slowly. We decided to leave the encloser frame up and see how it would be, if it was in the way when sailing?
I lifted and stowed the anchor at 1415hrs and Vicki motored Elektra slowly out of the Precuil River while I pulled up her mainsail, once out in St Mawes harbour we set all the sail for the first tack over towards Pendennis Castle, lots of traffic to avoid as we were on a port tack. Tacking and heading SE we might have been able to sail west of Black Rock but avoiding a yacht race coming into the Carrick Roads made this imposible. Once past Black Rock we could close up on the wind and head more SSE. It was a little lumpy, although still making 4kts SOG we decided to tack back towards Swanpool Beach for a smother sail. Almost over to Swanpool a racing J class yacht came in close and took our wind. So we tacked again, this time we were able to head S for a while before the wind moved and we were heading SSE again, then another shift and we could head south again. On nearing the Helford River entrance we could then head SW towards Gillan, we sailed on in past the Nare Point towards Gillan, when it looked like we would have to tack again, I started the engine and stowed the sails, motoring into Gillan and picking up the mooring at 1630hrs having logged 9nm.
Waking up Friday to a dull day which turned to rain in the afternoon wasnt so good but aboard Elektra with her new cockpit encloser fitted wasnt that bad at all!
It gave me some time to read back issures of Yachting Monthly (May and June), I get YM every month by post but never seem to keep up todate with them, I like reading YM because of the stories of where folk go. I dont like PPO because its reading about working on yachts not sailing them!
With a few running around jobs to do before getting back aboard, we were out on Elektra again by lunch time with more stores. We lunched before leaving the mooring, the forecast was varible 1-3 which could mean nil!
Heading out from Gillan atfter dropping the mooring at 1510hrs we were soon up to 5kts, it was looking like a good sail but sadly it was short lived with the wind dropping off to almost nil, then followed the slowest sail I think I have ever had on Elektra, if it hadnt been for the lovely weather we would have motored for sure. We covered the 6.5nm to the Precuil River in 2.5hrs
Love Sailing 