Love Sailing

Having had very little time aboard and sailing in the past three weeks we found the weekend free at last.

The forecast was NNW4 and we left Gillan under full genoa and reefed main and we were soon logging up to 6kts across Falmouth Bay in a ENE direction, with the odd squall coming though which set the water running down the side decks and lifted our speed over 6kts, it was a great sail. At Pendennis Point we turned north now hard on the wind but halfway though the ebbing spring tide our speed over ground dropped to 4.5kts but still going though the water just as fast, we were enjoying ourselves. We were able to sail all the way to Turnaware Point before starting the engine. We motored into Channels Creek and dropped anchor, we had logged 8.5nm in 1.75hrs.

After three weeks had passed by where work had stopped all sailing, this weekend I had homework to do so on Sunday I decided to fit Elektra new stack pack.

In the late afternoon once the tide had come in we went for a sail, the forecast said force 4 but I have the feeling it was blowing much more. We were only sailing on our genoa and still making over 6kts. In just an hour long sail we covered 5.7nm. What was interesting was sailing up the Helford River with racing yachts (this is Falmouth week), carbon sails and full sail, 6-8 crew, we could keep up with them just on a genoa, point as well as fin keel racers with our bilge keel Sadler 29. I did enjoy myself! What fantastic yachts these Sadler,s are!

After Monday being a nice day doing the holiday things, pub lunch a bit of shopping in St Mawes, we knew Tuesday was going to be wet and windy from the east so had chose to say put and wait for the weather to change.

The forecast for Wednesday was SW4-5. Motoring out of the Precuil River I set a reefed main, after passing St Mawes I rolled out all the genoa and we sailed across Carrick Roads to Pendennis Point before tacking and heading south. We tacked again about a mile south of Pendennis and headed west again, we were making 5-6kts and healing hard so I rolled one reef in the genoa which never slowed us any but took away the hard healing. Just south of Swanpool Beach we tacked again to the south making 6-7kts and the hard healing was back, I estimated the wind to be SW5 gusting 6, water was running down the side decks as Elektra punched forward. Having reached the Nare Point, we didn’t want to tack again and decided motor the last 1/2mile into Gillan to charge the batteries. The GPS was telling us our fastest speed was 7.9kts. Elektra had covered the 8.5nm in 1.5hrs having slowly motored the first mile down the Precuil while I got the decks clean and main sail set.

On entering Gillan and trying to pick up the mooring, we got the pick up chain around the prop, seeing we were having problems a chap came over in his RIB to help but was unable to free it, he helped us attach a warp to another mooring to take the strain off. His friend was on the beach and had sub-aqua gear, so he went in for his help. We got busy with the jobs while we waited, sure enough out he came again with diver. It wasn’t a simple job but he was able to free it after a bit of work. I asked how much? The low amount he asked for, I gave twice as much with my thanks. Having sorted out the mooring and attached it to the right end of the boat, I started the engine again, that seemed ok but in gear we had a knocking noise. We are going to dry out Elektra and check the stern gear before we go out again.

Elektra was dried out on Tuesday 25th, our engineer inspected the damage, it was found to be a bent rope cutter which he managed to straighten the blade and fit two new barrings, apart from that no other damage had been done, “Elektra” is ready for sea again when time and weather allows.

After our Scilly holiday I had to work every day to catch up but now having done so we were away on Elektra for some R&R and a little sailing.

We dropped the mooring in Gillan at 1235hrs and sailed slowly NE goose winged making about 2.5kts, the plan was to head for the Precuil River, we were not going in the right direction but who cares when you  can sail, after about an hour the wind changed to the west and we could sail north to St Mawes.

Increasing gently we were soon romping along at a very nice 5-6kts, it was just great to be sailing again even for a short while. We sailed into the moorings before Vicki turned her into wind and I rolled away the genoa, barring away again we sailed up thought the mooring until the wind died away and we had to motor. we dropped the anchor at 1445hrs having logged 6.5nm and over 600nm for the season so far.

We had a lazy start to Saturday after the long day before but once out we got busy cleaning up all that Scilly sand, nice place but so much of the sand seams to get aboard!

The forecast was for a S1-3, we lifted the anchor at 1550hrs and having not been able to sail much this holiday we wanted to sail back to Gillan, this we did slowly covering the 6.5nm in 2.5hrs.

It would be back to work on Sunday for me with my memories of the fantastic Isles of Scilly.

The plan was to leave about 0900hrs, the tide would be with us around the Lizard Point between 1448-2048hrs.

I hadn’t been able to sleep very well and was up early deflating and stowing the dinghy. The forecast was NW4, W3 later, we were hoping for a nice sail back to the mainland. Vicki also got out and together we worked towards getting Elektra ready for the off, by 0745 we were ready, so we picked up our anchor and motored out of The Cove at 0800hrs. Outside the sea was like glass, we tried to sail but could only make a knot against the tide, it soon became clear we would have to motor.

I said to Vicki “the only reason we were leaving today was to get a sail and now we are motoring!” Vicki said “we could turn around” which we did but in the end we returned to our passage back to the mainland because the weather was so clear making the shipping easier to see. All the other yachts were also motoring and it soon became clear that we were not the fastest, something for the winter, a new three bladed prop for more thrust would be good.

This was the clearest crossing we had ever had, when Lands End came into view we could still see Scilly and as Scilly was left behind with Lands End to the north Lizard Point came into view. On we motored until 1430hrs we decided to try to sail, after 1/2hr we had covered 1.5nm so back to motoring again. As we rounded the Lizard at 1645hrs we tried sailing again but only making 2.8kts SOG with 1.5kts of tide we were soon motoring again. We motored on to Manacle Buoy when the wind allowed us to sail so we headed to the Precuil River for the night. Dropping anchor at 2025hrs having logged 62nm.

We awoke to thick fog on Thursday which cleared by 1000hrs. After a restful day on Wednesday on Thursday we headed over to Tresco in the dinghy for shopping followed by lazy pub lunch in the “New Inn”, in the pub they were saying that Lands End airport was fog bound with no flights. The forecast was saying NW4 for Friday with S1-2 for Saturday, not wanting to motor home again we decided to leave on Friday for the mainland.

By 1430 we were back aboard “Elektra” picking up her anchor a heading back to The Cove for a easer get away on the Friday, we arrived there after at 1530hrs having cut the corner inside the Spanish Ledges motoring on a flat calm.

 

Around midday we lifted our anchor and motored out of The Cove, St Agnes and headed for Green Bay, Bryher. The sea like a millpond we motored in thought St Marys Sound, north across St Marys Road to Nut Rock and north into New Grimsby Sound. Being that it was 2hrs before HW we expected it to be shallow so slowed the engine down to 2kt and made our way up the channel which in places we only had 0.8m under the keel, plenty really but we didn’t know if it would get even shallower.

1.5hrs later we dropped anchor in Green Bay, there we met our sailing friend “Aden” who had sailed his Cat over in April for the Gig Racing and was planning to stay until the end of July, we invited him for an evening meal.

After we were happy “Elektra” was holding we went ashore for shopping and drinking water. Just as we were leaving the shore for the shop David and Sue arrived on their yacht which is also

moored in Gillan Hr near us, we found out later they had motored all the way from Gillan that day due to lack of wind.

The Isles of Scilly we the place we had been trying to get to since the last time we went in 2013 but each year the weather had other ideas. Now this season with our newer bigger yacht we were determined to go, the weather was looking good for the Monday 3rd July, I had to work until afternoon of Saturday 1st.

We had planned to, spend the Sunday loading ready for a early start on Monday but looking at the weather again in the early evening said that Sunday would be the better day. This meant we had to rush around getting things ready and loading the car. Down to the beach and two trips out by punt to “Elektra” on her mooring meant it was nearly 2200hrs buy the time we were loaded and stowed. The tide stream was with us between 0415-1015hrs which meant we had to cast off at 0300hrs so it was early to bed. I didn’t sleep well and then over slept!

We cast off at 0450hrs and motored in the flat calm until we rounded Manacle Buoy at 0530hrs, over an hour late. I had text my shore contact on the way out the river with our plans. From the Manacles we sailed well until we got to out waypoint off the Lizard Point at 0710hrs. We then turned to the west for Scilly 43nm away and into a light head wind and started motoring, it was a quite lumpy sea off the Lizard but soon calmed down as we moved west. We knew before we left it would be a light head wind but with the draw on the Isles of Scilly we were going on holiday. When the CG shipping forecast came on they were saying force4-5 west of the Lizard, the internet forecast I had said force 3, f4 later. An hour after rounding the Lizard there was no wind, we were motoring in a glassy sea with a big swell from the wind the night before, as we motored west this swell fell away.

Just after 1000hrs we were joined by a huge pod of Common Dolphins which stayed with us for nearly an hour, they were lovely to see.

At 1215hrs we past the Wolf Rock lighthouse, 2hrs later than the plan, a big container ship had passed between us and Lands End 1/2hr before, apart from that we didn’t see any other ships between Wolf Rock and Scilly. At 1500hrs we cleared the shipping lanes and the Dolphins joined us again this time riding the bow wave.

The sea was now like glass with no swell and we decided to head for The Cove, St Agnes for our first night, now just 11nm away. At 1600hrs and just 3nm from The Cove the wind increased to a west force 4, we just motored on. We arrived at The Cove at 1640hrs and dropped anchor having logged 59nm. There were three other yachts anchored there.

Then in the cabin I fell asleep for two hours before inflating the roll-up dinghy and going ashore to find mobile signal to text my shore contact with safe arrival, my SC had not heard anything from me so had contacted the CG. Once back aboard I contacted Falmouth CG on the VHF to say we were safe in Scilly.

It was early to bed that evening and I slept solid for 10 hours before waking to a brite new day.

Saturday I had scrubbed Elektra bottom as she was dried out in Place Manor, I also had a good look at the anchorage and the best places to drop anchor, took some transits for next time. There was a wedding at the Manor and we enjoy evening music and fireworks with front row seats!

On Sunday being spring tides we had decided to stay until we floated again in the afternoon, we went aground at 1100hrs and floated off at 1500hrs.

At 1510hrs up came the anchor and we motored out the river and set sail, reefed main and all the genoa making 5-6kts, we only had to tack twice and got into Gillan at 1730hrs