Love Sailing

Friday 7th September

With the chance of another weekend aboard, I had been out to Elektra on Thursday evening to fill up the water and top up the diesel. with a few home jobs in the morning of Friday and the tide out until 1145hrs.

After loading the stores it was 1345hrs before we dropped our mooring in Gillan having first pulled up the main, we motored out and set sail across Falmouth Bay. It seem a long time ago since we had had a proper sail, so it was lovely to get “Elektra” sailing well again. Just an hour to cover the first 4nm to Pendennis Point, then came the tacking up the Carrick Roads, we managed to sail north of St Mawes before our first cross tack. There were 2 other Sadler yachts sailing up the Roads at the same time, 26 and another 29, I was keen to know how we would fare against another S29, the answer was not very well but we were towing a dinghy and our hull is needing a good end of season scrub off.

The 2nd making tack took us north of St Just before we had to tack back across to Mylor, from here we were able to sail right up to Turnaware buoy before the wind died away and I rolled up the genoa, the time was now 1610hrs having logged 10nm. From her we motored up the river to the 2nd Truro River pontoon before dropping anchor on the side of the channel at 1655hrs having logged 12nm in total.

Sunday 2nd September

After a foggy/drizzle day on Saturday the sun came out for Sunday, the forecasters were giving SSE4-nil which didn’t look very good for sailing back to Gillan, low water was at 1628hrs so would be out if we rushed back on the engine.

We picked up the anchor at 1250hrs, pulled up the main and motored around Turnaware buoy and a little way down the channel before setting all the sail, we had quite a good line south past Mylor logging 2.5kts, all was good until south of the point where the wind died. Having tried to tack out to where others were sailing, we decided the engine was needed and motored back into some wind before stopping the engine again. Sailing again and logging 3-4kts we sailed over towards Pendennis Point but not on a line in which we would be able to sail pass without tacking again. This line took us into shallow water which was good as the bunkering tanker was coming into Falmouth and signalled to say he was turning to port after Governor Buoy, we were lucky enough to be over the shallows inside the buoy at the time so well out of the way.

After the tanker passed we tacked back out into deeper water and tacked again to pass Pendennis Point and out into Falmouth Bay at 1425hrs having logged just 5nm. Once in the bay we could let the sails out a bit and could sail the 4nm across the bay without tacking again. We finally gave up sailing as the wind died off August Rock Buoy at 1530, we motored into Gillan and picked up the mooring at 1545hrs having logged 9nm.

Not the fastest sailing but that’s how the sailing has been this summer, hot sunny days are nearly always windless.

Friday 31st August

After coming back from our last holiday aboard on the 13th August I had been busy at work and today was our first chance to go sailing again.

The forecasters were giving south-southwest F4-5 and so we left shelter of Gillan at 1315hrs on just a genoa thinking it would be a speedy sail but only logging 3kts we knew the main was needed so I hauled up with one reef but quickly shock it out as we realised we would need all the sail, with 6-8kts of wind. Not the quickest sail but enjoyable just the same.

Broad reach to Pendennis Point, goose-winged from there north of Falmouth, then broad reach north of St Just in Roseland and then goose-winged up to Turnaware point.

At St Just now low water I knew we should have sailed up the deep channel but I thought the shallow ground would be deep enough (1.02 above chart datum) and its a muddy bottom anyway! I was thinking least amount would be 0.5m under the keel. Our offset on our depth is set to allow for bilge keels going in deeper when healing, so 0.0 is really 0.3 when the boat is level. Well I knew it was going to be shallow but when the depth got to 0.3 I was getting worried, then it went to 0.1 and then 0.0 at 4.5kts! I was reading off the depth to Vicki as we went, then I said “its ok it’s getting deeper” Vicki asked “what is it now” I said “0.1” Vicki laughed! I am glad to say “Elektra” never touched the bottom but I expect she was very close! That’s when local knowledge can be a dangerous thing!

Now back into deeper water we were still goose-winged and heading for Turnaware Buoy, now the genoa was beginning to back so I rolled it away and sailing in on just the main, at the buoy we turned across the wind and I started the engine. Vicki on the helm now turned into wind and I let the main down before motoring in to anchor. We dropped anchor at 1530hrs having logged 8.5nm.

Monday 13th August.

We were out early and picked up our anchor at 0630hrs, we had a forecast of northwest 4-5 which looked good for our passage in a west-southwest direction.

We motored out of the Cawsands, there seemed very little wind, the tide was against us until 1100hrs so we continued to motor west, thinking it would give us a better angle to the wind when it picked up from the northwest. For 5hrs nothing but westerly 3-5kts, after 2hrs of motoring west we turned back onto our GPS heading for Gillan.

At about 1230hrs the wind picked up a bit from the north-northwest which allowed us to motor-sail. At 1425hrs we picked up the mooring in Gillan having logged 39nm.

Vicki made a hot choc-drink and something to eat, after which I fell asleep for an hour in the sunshine.

Sunday 12th August.

After a day of rest on Friday and then the gale though Saturday and Sunday morning, I need to get home for work, the forecast was looking good for Monday.

We decided to get out of the Yealm and over to Cawsands ready for an early getaway on Monday. Sunday the forecast was southwest 4-5, we waited for the gale to die away and cast off the mooring at 1520hrs, motoring into the incoming tide our SOG was just 3kts. Having got out of the river the swell was big but no white crests, we motored on until clear of the Mew Stone and then sailed to Cawsands.

Arriving in Cawsands and dropping anchor at 1700hrs, the anchorage was very rolly but I am glad to say it eased though the night and I got a good nights sleep after going to bed early.

Thursday 9th August.

No rush to get away on the Thursday we waited for the free flow to start after 1300hrs, the plan was to sail back to the Yealm River to meet up with Alison (Molly’s mother) and have a meal at The Ship Inn.

We cast off at 1450hrs with a forecast of northwest 4, motored out of Sutton Harbour and into Plymouth sound, once out we set just the genoa for what we expected to be a downwind sail but found the wind to be more like southwest 5, after two tacks in Plymouth sound Molly was getting worried and upset with the tippy yacht so I decided to motor the rest of the passage. Outside Plymouth breakwater the sea was rough with white horse’s with the wind more like west-southwest 5 gusting 6, not a very pleasant sea to be in. Vicky had gone down into the cabin to comfort Molly, I wasn’t really dressed for this rough weather, shorts, sweatshirt and lifejacket, more than one wave crashed over the cockpit.

It took less than an hour to motor from Plymouth breakwater to the Yealm transit but it seemed a lot longer, as the waters calmed down after entering the Yealm River Vicki came and told me Molly had been seasick.

We knew there was a gale forecasted for Saturday and planned to stay in the Yealm River until Sunday, the lower pontoon was full so we motored on past to the second visitor pontoon which was also full, I asked one skipper if we could raft but he said they were leaving early in the morning, so we picked up a empty swing mooring instead at 1650hrs. A little while later the harbour master turned up and said we were ok there, I paid £42 for three nights, Molly was now feeling better and asked to pay the HM with my money, he played along and asked Molly how much change should I give you from £45, Molly quickly said three pounds.

The table in The Ship was booked for 1930hrs so I had to pump up the dinghy and put on the engine. I could take Molly and Vicki right up the river to The Ship but had to take the dinghy back down the river to the ferry steps because the tide would be out after our meal.

Wednesday 8th August

On Wednesday we were booked into Sutton Harbour Marina for the night to celebrate the Sadler& Starlight Owners Association 40th Anniversary by the West Country Branch with the fireworks to follow in the evening.

The forecasters were giving southwest 3-4 so with a downwind sail  we decided to just sail the 3-4nm on our genoa to make things easy at the other end. It was a nice downwind sail getting faster the nearer we got to Sutton. We were early so we locked in before the free flow.

We nearly never use a marina and love to anchor as much as possible to avoid any costs using the money saved for meals ashore instead where possible. So to pay the £44 for one night in the marina was a shock. So we used the showers, walked ashore for shopping and hooked up to the shore power (the last time Elektra was hooked up to shore power was during her delivery in March 17).

In the evening with the SSOA 40th we met up with a lot of our Sadler, Starlight and some Hurley friends from the past for a drinks and nibbles party before the fireworks.

Monday 6th August

On Monday after showers we cast off from the pontoon and motored out of the Yealm River over the bar and out to the Mew Stone where we set all the sail for Cawsands.

We thought Molly would like sailing as she had done a year ago but she didn’t and soon got bored and went back into the cabin to play games. We sailed slowly across Plymouth Sound to Cawsands arriving there 2.25hrs later having logged 7nm. In the afternoon Molly managed to get Vicki and myself in for a swim! I always say “if you see me in the sea around the UK I have fallen in” but this time I hadn’t. Vicki found the cold got to her quickly and had to get out but I did a few laps around “Elektra” before getting out and jumping off the side again and again!

In the evening we motored the punt into the beach for fish&chips, not as good as Gorran Haven but filled a gap. We had ice creams before returning to Elektra for the night. Molly then had a sleepless night and Vicki had to comfort her.

We stayed in Cawsands at anchor for two nights, next day we took Molly ashore to play on the beach and in the sea but I didn’t go in again. After another ice cream we went back aboard Elektra and Vicki went for a sleep. So I took Molly out for more rowing, she had really picked it up quickly and this time rowed us over to a Sadler 34 “Calisto” also anchored off the beach. It was my turn as Molly put it to row us back to Elektra.

 

On Sunday we were picking up our granddaughter Molly (10) for a few days aboard, this turned out to be a full on few days and as much as we love her I think we were both glad to see her go back to her mother on Thursday evening.

Molly makes friends easily and was soon pointing out the mullet to others around the pontoon, fishing rods came out but none were hooked. Then it was swimming to the shore to collect sea shells with another swimmer. After that came learning to row the dinghy which Molly picked up quite quickly but getting me very wet with the paddles in the process, good job it was a nice hot sunny day. Then came trying to use the outboard which Molly had real problems with so she decided not to learn that.

In the evening before bed we played “Uno” with Molly for a while.

 

Saturday 4th August

The tide was early for our passage east to the Yealm River, I had set the alarm for 0730hrs and we picked up the anchor at 0755hrs and we motored out of the cove setting all the sail we were logging a steady 4.5kts in the northwest 3, this continued for 2 hours. During this time we passed another yacht which must have been a mile in front of us and left him a good mile behind before the wind died away and we had to motor.

We motored on in a flat calm, still motoring as we crossed Plymouth Sound entrance we had to give way to cross channel ferry entering from the south at about 1300hrs, just a 1/2 mile detour instead of being right in his way as he entered past Plymouth breakwater. We moored to Yealm River and moored to the lower pontoon at 1405hrs having logged 29nm.

 

In the evening we went to The Ship Inn for a dinner (we like the food here) slightly pricey but good helpings and very good quality food. Well worth a visit if you like good food.