Love Sailing

Sunday 19th May

The forecast was north-northwest 4-5 for our sail back to Gillan.

We lifted our anchor at 1500hrs and set just the genoa to sail south down the Carrick Roads, the wind was due north and Elektra was logging 4-5 knots SOG into the 3rd hour of the incoming spring tide. It was lovely to sit back and watch the dinghy racing as we passed by.

Nearing Black Rock we saw another Sadler and took some photos. The wind died away a bit as we sailed pass Pendennis Point but once out in Falmouth Bay again the wind was back. We picked up our mooring at 1645hrs having logged 8.5nm.

Saturday 18th May

We like to anchor as much as possible, apart from most of the time we are anchoring for free, we also like finding new out of way places. Over the years we have spent over 250 nights on our anchor, our last yacht had a Danforth which seemed to hold very well most of the time. One time we had to move just before a gale because another yacht was to close, the wind already blowing force 7, we found a space and dropped again, our anchor dug in, in its own length and held though the gale.

But one night we dragged it into deeper water, it was the change of motion which awoke me and I got out to have a look, sticking my head out the companion way hatch I could see we were moving so quickly got dressed and started the engine before pulling our anchor back aboard. With Vicki on the helm we relayed the anchor, I watched for a while to check we were holding before going back to bed.

Elektra came with a CQR anchor and replacing it was one of my first jobs as we have seen other yachts drag them loads of times. This time we bought a Bruce claw anchor because I had seem them dig themselves in right down to the shank. This anchor had also held Elektra the 80 nights without any problems since we bought her in 2016. I normally have taken some transits to make sure we are not dragging.

We had dropped anchor on Friday evening just after high water and she had been fine though the night, still good though the day but on the evening high water Elektra dragged into deep water, I was sitting in the cockpit reading when I noticed I could see the first visitor pontoon which had been out of sight, looking around at my transits I said to Vicki “we are dragging” “are you sure?” “Yes!” After turning on the depth, chart plotter and starting the engine, I went up onto the bow but couldn’t pull chain aboard by hand so came back to the cockpit for the winch handle for the windless. The windless lifted the chain well and once the anchor was out of the water. there in the claw of the anchor was a huge rock. it was all I could do to tip the anchor to let the rock drop out.

It was easy to see now, the anchor had hooked the rock which didn’t let the anchor dig in so at high water and the offshore breeze the anchor must have slid along the bottom and into deep water. We like our Bruce anchor but never say never when it comes to talking which anchor type is best.

We anchored again for another night with out any problems.

Sunday 5th May

With a forecast of variable 1-3 the passage back to Gillan wasn’t looking that good. The plan was to leave at 1100hrs and we would have been on time if only we could have broken the anchor out easier, it turned out to be very good holding, a sort of clay/sand. After motoring over the anchor twice it broke free and came up full of bottom which then took a bit more dunking to clean. We got away at 1115hrs and motored south to try to get a good line to the Dodman Point in the wind which was from the south to start with.

When we started sailing in looked like we had a good line to the Dodman north of the Yawl Rock but unknowing to us at the time there was another area of mussel buoys on that line off Mevagissey, on reaching them we tacked to the southeast until we could tack again towards the Dodman on a line south of the Yewl Rock, we were logging 3-4kts but it seemed to take an age to get to the Dodman Point. We were met by a large sailing race (30-40 yachts all sizes) coming from west heading to Fowey. I was thinking the wind would be better west of the Dodman but this wasn’t the case as the wind moved around to the south-southwest, later into the southwest and was very light. It had turned very cold (colder than I had been since Elektra’s delivery passage in March 17) and I had full waterproofs to try to stay warm, Vicki had gone below to warm up by the engine box.

After a while I decided to motor-sail and when we reached the Roseland we rolled the genoa and motored, we got into Gillan at 1630hrs having logged 28nm.

We stopped aboard for a snack and coffee before heading for home and wood-burner about at 1800hrs

Saturday 4th May

After a lovely sheltered night at anchor and a lazy breakfast, the wind had swung into the east and small white horses had started to roll into the cove, the cove had started to get lumpy. Now nearing low water I checked the sounder which said we only had 1m under the keel, I decided it was time to move.

We picked up the anchor at 1130hrs and motored out of the cove past Black Head towards Polkerris. we knew there were mussel buoys in the centre of St Austell Bay but we didn’t know what area they covered. The wind turned out to be from the southeast, no wonder Polgwyn Cove had got lumpy.

Arriving at 1215hrs having logged 4nm and anchoring of Polkerris a RIB zoomed out of the cove and said there was going to be a paddleboard race starting and could we move 20m to the north, so we did as asked.

We went ashore in the dinghy before the race started. Polkerris was one of those places we always had planned to visit but this was our first out of 14 seasons of cruising. What a lovely place with a nice inn serving food and also a Sams fish house, we looked at the menus, not being very fishy we booked a table at the Inn for an evening meal and sat back and enjoyed a lunch time pint.

Back aboard Elektra I fell asleep in the cockpit, it being quite hot in the sunshine out of the wind. The wind blew from the north about force 4, three more yachts had arrived when I woke up. one left again soon after. A bigger yacht possibly a fin keeler moved out to deeper water which off Polkerris was a long way out. We were still floating with about 0.5m under the keel at low water

After a lovely meal ashore we came back aboard and started the engine to start the cabin heater, still cool in the evenings, once the heater was running hot the engine was stopped and we opened a bottle of red and played Scrabble.

Friday 3rd May

Now with time to go sailing again the plan was to sail to Gorran Haven and the following day to Polkerris in St Austell Bay.

We were on Elektra stowing the gear and stores ready for the passage when Dave and Sue arrived and said they were also heading our way for the weekend. There would be no way to keep up with Dave’s Hunter 31 (more modern, longer waterline) and Dave got away about 5mins before us anyway.

The forecast was northwest 3-4 so we left with full sail and Elektra was quickly logging 5kts SOG, this being our first sail of the season, we were loving it. The wind picked up a bit and with it our speed, between 6-7kts. Around Gull Rock I decided it was time to put a reef in the main and genoa, this never slowed us any and the wind continued to pick up, looking towards the land there were white horses everywhere, nearing the point I pull the main down. Just the genoa now and still logging 6.5kts, we had covered the 15nm to the Dodman Point in 2.25hrs, we sailed close into the Dodman and motored the last bit into Gorran Haven and dropped anchor.

Nice and sheltered here, I quickly got the pump out to blow up the roll-up dinghy, all done and engine on the back we headed into the shore for Fish&Chips, Vicki and I think these to be the best we have found anywhere on the south coast of Devon and Cornwall. Everything here is cooked to order so we had a little wait for our order, which we took and ate looking out at Elektra sitting at anchor in the sunshine.

The forecast was for the wind to go northeast overnight which would not be any good in Gorran Haven so once back aboard we lifted anchor before dark and motored the 4nm to Polgwyn Cove for a sheltered night. We tucked Elektra will in because of the forecast and anchored with about 1m under the keel at low water.

We had run the cabin heater on the way to the cove as the evening are still cold, so once finished the jobs on deck we retired to the warm cabin and opened a bottle of red.

The next week I saw and talked to Dave, without reefing they covered the 23nm from Gillan to Fowey in 3.25hrs, his fastest passage, he said I would have reefed before leaving if he knew it would be like that!

I wanted to go for a walk so after coffee but before food I climbed into the dinghy and rowed ashore leaving the petrol gen running to charge the phone and the batteries.

I walk though the woods and fields to Place and back was lovely, blue bells lined the path most of the way and the river was still like a mill pond.

Rowing back to Elektra after my walk I could here the gen was about to run out of fuel so once aboard I stopped it. Vicki was ready with cocked bacon eggs and beans on my return.

After washing up Vicki and I spent the rest of the day enjoying the sunshine and reading until it was time to head for home.

At 1555hrs I pulled up Elektra’s anchor and washed the decks, pulled up the main while Vicki motored us out of the river towards the sea. Out in the entrance to St Mawes it seemed we could sail so sails set and engine stopped we were making 3kts SOG but it was short lived as the wind died away towards Black Rock. With no wind the only thing we could do was start the engine again! At 1730hrs we motored into Gillan Harbour and picked up our mooring for the 1st time this season having logged just 13nm for the weekend. On the plus side the engine and the engine charging was working ok now.

After only one night on her mooring in the evening Monday I moved Elektra back up Carne Creek because more east wind was forecasted for Tuesday.

After a lie in and a cooked breakfast it was to start on some more jobs, refitting the blinds was interesting, I think we worked out how to do after a few tries! Just need to remember how to fit again next time. Then came the washing up but we had forgotten the washing up sponge and the liquid had gone solid over the winter!

Next came the checking of engine overheating? I took the impeller out but it looked good, I opened up the water filter but it was clean, I checked to see if the water was flowing into the filter (it was), and I checked to see if the water was getting to the impeller (it was). The only thing I could do now was start the engine again, which it did and the water flowing though the engine really well now (I am not sure what the problem was but it seams ok now)

As for the battery charging, all seemed ok now!

Vicki hadn’t been able to start the oven so I had a look, it lit ok but just went out when I let go of the control knob, after starting a few times I was holding the know in and looking around the cabin something to hold it in. I must have been doing so for 5mins, when I did take my hand away the oven was working on its own.

One problem I did have was the mobile in car charger wasn’t working but I did have the shore power charger, with poor mobile signal but good internet we use the mobile to make a hot spot but this meant running the petrol gen to charge the mobile phone which seemed a bit of a waist but it was charging the batteries as will. The petrol gen was low on fuel with only fuel aboard for the outboard motor, so we had to use wisely.

After sorting all this out it was time for a rest, so with coffee and slice of cake we sat down in the cockpit and enjoyed the sunshine, after I fell fast to sleep for an hour or so.

In the evening Vicki and I went via dinghy to St Mawes for an evening meal and some beer. Then on out way back to the dinghy an ice cream, holiday mode. Back aboard Elektra in the evening we opened a bottle of red and played Scrabble.

It was Good Friday, it was spring tides and as always with the first night aboard we had loads of gear, bedding and food to get aboard. The morning tide was going to be to early for us to get sorted before the tide would be gone so we decided to leave on the evening tide.

I got out in the morning to take some food and gear to “Elektra” before the tide went out. When I arrived down at St Anthony there was almost now swell left from the east wind, the tide was falling fast, I decided if she was still afloat I would move her out of Carne Creek and anchor off St Anthony to allow as to get away a little earlier. Arriving at Elektra in the punt I checked the depth which was reading 0.2m, so just enough to get out. Without stowing anything I started her engine and went to the bow to pull up her anchor. The chain came up easy but the anchor was well dug in after the weeks of east wind but in the end broke out, which I pulled up but left hanging from the bow ready to let go. Motoring out of the creek slowly the depth went to zero at one point but never stopped her, in the channel now the depth was 0.3m and then 0.5m until we got to the narrows and the depth went to 1.2m. Motoring slowly over to St Anthony I knocked her out of gear and walked up to the bow and let the anchor go, laying out the chain then making off to the cleat which brought Elektra to a stop as the anchor dug in. Once there I could stow the gear and which I had taken with me, I waited until she settled down and then headed for home.

Being Good Friday it’s normal for the locals to collect Cockles from the shores in and around the Helford River, so the area will be chocker blocked in an hour or two. We had to get everything ready for the weekend, the tide would be coming back to Elektra soon after 1500hrs but we expected parking to be an issue. When we did get back to St Anthony it was, we just stopped in the road and unloaded and I went to park where I could.

I took the punt down to the water line and we loaded the gear and waited for the tide to come up a bit more before I pushed off from the shore and loaded them on to Elektra before returning for Vicki with an empty punt. Now to stow the stores and get ready Elektra for the off. I had to motor Elektra out a bit because her rudder/skeg was bouncing on the bottom in the slight swell. We pull the anchor up and motored out of St Antony at 1615hrs hoping to sail I raised and set the mainsail but the was no wind!

The first weekend aboard is all about getting Elektra set up to go sailing and finding out what we have forgotten! It would have been nice to have a sail but motoring across Falmouth Bay it didn’t seem that bad, it was nice to be out on the sea again after the winters lay-up.

We motored in past St Mawes and up into the Precuir River and anchored at 1800hrs for the weekend, after arriving there seemed some sort of problem with the batteries/charging and also the engine cooling, something to look at tomorrow! Time for a rest!