Love Sailing

Monday 16th September

After two days with no wind the forecast for Monday was northwest 3-4, Vicki and I had decided to sail to the Yealm River, the tide stream was early between 0500-1100hrs, on Sunday I when around and checked the nav lights, all were working except the steaming light, pondering on what to do, we decided to leave a little later.

I set the alarm for 0600hrs, it was nice to see the full moon light when I got out on deck, getting ready to leave I started the engine and switched on the nav lights, this time the steaming light decided to work! We picked up the anchor and Vicki motored “Elektra” slowly out of the river. I pulled up the mainsail as we turned into wind and motoring on until we could turn south out of St Mawes. Pulling out the genoa and stopping the engine we were logging 4.5kts south to St Anthony light house, I took the helm as we goose-winged south out into Falmouth Bay a little. Then we turned and set course for the Mew Stone off the Yealm River, quickly picking up speed to 6kts, we thought this is going to be a good passage.

This speed was short lived and we were soon slowed to less than 3kts having only covered 7nm, we were thinking we would have to motor all the way! At this point I decided to turn around and motor back to Falmouth, we hadn’t gone far before deciding to go to Fowey instead.

So turning around again and heading for the Dodman Point motoring on a calm sea, then we were treated to three pods of Common Dolphins, the 3rd pod were very playful and decided to ride our bow wave which was a first for us and we were delighted to see them. The Dolphins had picked up our mood and after rounding the Dodman Point the wind filled in again and we were able to sail into Fowey. We picked up a mooring in Fowey just before 1200hrs having logged 23nm.

We very quickly both went to sleep, waking again around 1530hrs, in the evening we went for showers and evening meal ashore.

Friday 13th September

With some work needing to be finished and collection of items needed for going away I was up early, work finish I was home again by 1030hrs and unloaded the kit ready for the run around jobs collecting meat, pills, car battery, camping gas, pasties and deliver petrol for mums car. The pills ordered on the internet but order never turned up their end so had to be re-ordered.

Back home I showered and picked up the stores for our week away and headed for St Anthony, the time was now 1500hrs, I took Vicki and stores out to Elektra and left Vicki to stow before heading back ashore and drive to St Keverne for the pills, It was 1615hrs before I returned to Elektra. Then got her ready to set sail, dropping the mooring at 1640hrs, I set all the sail but it soon became clear there was no wind! At which point the engine was started and we motored across Falmouth Bay and up into the Precuil River arriving and anchoring at 1745hrs having logged 6.5nm.

It was a lovely evening and having done our chores having arrived we sat in the cockpit enjoying the sun with a can of drink, I went straight to sleep! It was only Vicki heading down into the cabin at sunset that woke me.

The plan for the week was to head for the Yealm River on Monday with the wind forecasted to go into the northwest and sail back to the Falmouth area on Thursday, a bit of sailing with R&R mixed in.

Sunday 8th September

The forecast for Sunday was variable 1-3. We motored out of Channels Creek at 1245hrs setting all the sail for what turned out to be a head wind with us tacking south down the Carrick Roads at about 2-3kts. Lovely warm day seeing how far we could get on each tack, by the time we got to Black Rock we had taken 2.1/4hrs to cover just 7nm (4nm as the crow flies). It this point we decided to motor back across Falmouth Bay and charge the batteries.

We picked up our mooring in Gillan at 1545hrs having logged 11nm.

Friday 6th September

Having not done much sailing in August we jumped at a chance to get away once more. Fridays forecast was for westerly force 5-6 with the wind easing over the weekend.

Having had a good week at work I didn’t have to work on Friday so we had a lazy start leaving St Anthony in our punt at around high tide, we then left our mooring at 1130hrs, not bothering to start the engine and just setting the genoa, slow at first but once out of the shelter of the Dennis Head we were off across Helford River at up to 8kts. The wind eased again crossing under Rosemullion Head but picked up again crossing Falmouth Bay (see video).

We did the first 4.5nm in 3/4hr, then thing slowed as we sailed against the tide steam north up Carrick Roads, in hind sight we would have been better off with the mainsail as will in the Carrick Roads but I was thinking any time now it will blow harder! We sailed on into Channels Creek and dropped anchor while still under sail having logged 9nm in 2hrs.

Sunday 25th August

Our plan had always been to stay out on Elektra until Monday but mower parts had arrived on Thursday and I had a 5hr repair job which needed doing so after a very restful day Saturday on Sunday we needed to head for home.

With no rush to get away I lifted the anchor at 1220hrs and Vicki motored Elektra slowly back down the river to St Mawes Harbour and I set all the sail. The forecast was westerly force 2-3 but crossing the Carrick Roads towards Black Rock the wind was more like southwest force 3, once out in Falmouth Bay it was more like southeast force 3! So our first tack took us across to Black Rock and south of Pendennis Point and in the end tacked onto a starboard tack just north of Rosemullion Head. Then heading east for 2nm before tacking again towards Gillan until the wind died away and with it our speed to 1.5kts so we motored the last 1/2mile into Gillan picking up our mooring at 1420hrs having logged 8nm.

Friday 23rd August

This was the first chance of a sail in August, with the granddaughter down the first weekend, then a storm the next weekend and strong winds the weekend following, we were looking forward to getting out again.

The forecast was for easterly wind on Friday and Saturday with the wind to go into the northwest from Saturday evening for the rest of the week. We were keen to get out sailing again. Leaving from Gillan at 1135hrs close on the wind on a starboard tack across the Helford River slowly, we then tacked again and headed southeast at up to 5kts under full sail keeping up very nicely with a modern looking 32 footer. Low cloud or fog was starting to roll in and blot out the view as we neared the Manacles and thinking we had gone far enough in the conditions we went about.

Tacking back towards St Mawes we seemed still to be hard on the wind but now going very well and logging up to 5.8kts. There were two ships anchored in Falmouth Bay, the one we were intending to cross the bow of had the bunkering tanker along side, as we neared (0.5nm) the tanker reversed out from along side and the ship looked as if she was making ready to depart but no pilot boat yet (normally the pilot boat sits off the bow as the ship lifts its anchor, so we know to keep clear). As we crossed her bow of the ship the pilot boat had just dropped off the pilot and was heading towards the bow, then we could hear the anchor chain being hauled aboard. We were glad Elektra was going well at the time and were able to get out of the way quickly!

Still going well as we sailed in past St Anthony Lighthouse, there were quite a few yachts coming in from Fowey’s direction, we worked our way in though them as they headed towards Falmouth. Then the wind picked up a little more as we headed into St Mawes, pushing Elektra over so the water was running along her side decks. Before we got into the moorings Vicki took the helm and I started the engine, rolled the genoa and let the main down. We motored slowly up the river and dropped anchor at 1400hrs having logged 10.5nm.

Saturday 27th July

Having had a good bit of R&R with a little sailing mixed in, now work was looming and it was time to get back to the real world.

I lifted the anchor at 1305hrs and Vicki motored Elektra slowly out of the river and set all the sail to cross Falmouth Bay with a forecast of northwest 4. The wind turned out to be a little stronger and the gusts a little to much with all the sail up but Vicki held her nerve at the helm and we sped across the bay with Elektra on her ear at times. It was all over all to quick and we picked up our mooring at 1420hrs having logged 6.5nm.

Having had a week aboard we were both well rested, we had had a little sailing but only logged 45nm in total but the sailing in the main had been very good and we had not paid out for visitor moorings with the money saved we had meals ashore.

Friday 26th July

The forecast was for the wind to go into the northwest which wouldn’t be very good in Restronguet Creek so we decided to move back to the Precuil River.

We were in no hurry and lifted our anchor at 1215hrs, there was a nice southwest 4 for our sail south, the wind was so good we continued out into Falmouth Bay for a bit more sail. Maybe we should have continued on out (we are normally are going somewhere and don’t day sail) but thinking we were going out of our way we turned and sped back into St Mawes, sailing on up the Precuil River on just the main and anchoring at 1415hrs having logged just 8.5nm.

Wednesday 24th July

After another rest day and with falling internet phone data left we decided to go home for showers and use the internet.

I lifted the anchor at 0840hrs and Vicki motored Elektra out of the river, I set all her sail and we headed south-southwest across Falmouth Bay in a south-easterly 3-4, we picked up our mooring at 1015hrs having logged 6.5nm Now high water we needed to get back home, do our jobs and back aboard before 1430hrs.

This was plenty of time and we cast off our mooring again at 1355hrs, it was nearly a dead run back across Falmouth Bay so I just set the genoa knowing that a mainsail as will would only take it’s wind. We were logging 5kts the other yachts heading towards Helford were well reefed being hard on the wind.

The passage back to Restronguet was quickly over having logged  7nm in 1.75hrs but the tide was out so we dropped anchor with 0.5m under the keel until there was enough water to get into the creek. We had dinner before lifting our anchor and motoring into the creek at 2000hrs and dropping anchor again, having logged 14nm total.

The next day was for more R&R a overcast day and not very warm but I took some photos and we had a pub lunch at the Pandorra Inn.

Monday 22nd July

After a restful day at anchor and Sunday evening meal at The Pandorra Inn. The forecast was for the wind to move into the southeast so we decided to move to the Precuil River which has excellent shelter from the east.

We were thinking of sailing in Falmouth Bay for a bit but there was very little wind so we tacked south into the southwest 2-3 until we could enter the Precuil. 1.75hrs later we dropped anchor having logged 6.5nm.

We love the Precuil River, we are very lucky to have this anchorage so close and easy to get to from our mooring.