48 hours to Fowey and back!

 With NNW then NNE up to F6 and bright sunshine, conditions were perfect for a sail to Fowey and back.

   

With one reef and for most of the time half the staysail, while towing the dinghy, "Susan J" was fine reaching at 6 + knots SOG and 7-8 through the water.  We were on a "Fowey" mooring by 15:00 and ashore, seeking sustenance, by 18:00. 

  

We settled on the Lugger Inn on the Fowey side and enjoyed excellent pub grub, cheerfully served with the ubiquitous St. Austell ales.

 

 

A peaceful night despite the strong northerly in the rigging.  We were underway by 10:00 and on our mooring y 14:00.  This. despite two reefs in the main, as we were on a broad reach but full foresails for most of the way.  

There seems no doubt that, with less weight aloft and efficient topping lifts, "Susan J" is much handier, rolls less and is increasingly fast.  Of course, the flat sea made a huge difference.

 

Ashore again, we spent an evening with neighbours, using the flat, before driving home in the gathering gloom portended by the parhelion seen earlier. This led to a few wet, cool, dull days to catch up with paperwork and family in Somerset! 

The Helford Rally

 A pleasant broad reach across Falmouth Bay and back to our mooring and a run a shore to shower etc.. "Bonita" came and rafted alongside after lunch and a swim off Trebah beach.  

   

Deirdre had joined Justin and Mike and as "Susan J " had missed out on the shore side events, due to Covid restrictions and Deidre was only aboard for two days, we had a pint outside the Ferry Boat inn and all ate down below on "Susan J" .  With a "pot luck" selection of ingredients from both vessels, Julie rustled up a sausage and pasta dish, followed by cheese and biscuits and more malt.  As it turned out, the weather became cold and cloudy, so we might have fared better than at the BBQ!  None of the hostelries were serving indoors, again  because of staff Covid cases. 

   

Both crews spent the morning ashore.  Tying up at the pontoons near the ferry slip and walking around to the "Green Hut Beach" (Bosnan) and back via the village store.

With a 13:30 start, we were positioned fairly well and crossed with out loss of paint into a steady but light easterly, so no swell.  We tacked too far out to the first mark but in hindsight saved two tacks and considerable time.  For the final lap, Julie took the helm and we started catching up, overtaking the only other heard 28, "Cappria", who had not hoisted her topsail. We followed "Mary Ritchie" across the line.

 

Julie and I went ashore for a walk but gave up on a pint because of the long line waiting to order at the Ferry Boat.  A peaceful meal in the cockpit was just finished, as our outboard was heard , returning "Bonita"'s crew from the Portnavas Yacht Club dinner and prize giving.  Apparently, "Susan J" was second in class.  The prizes were duly christened with the remains of the whiskey, until after dark! 

 

Wednesday saw an early departure of Mike and Justin, to sail "Bonita"all the way back to the Swale, while Deidre stayed aboard before being driven to the station at Falmouth and return to London.  After a belated breakfast, we returned to the flat for Julie to try out her paddle board given to her by the girls at Christmas and the skipper to sleep and catch up on this blog!

Falmouth Classics and Parade of Sail 2021

Arrived at Helford Passage to grey mizzle, took stores aboard "Susan J" in the ferry returning to dry out at the flat.  "Bonita" (bonitayawl.blogspot.com) had spent the afternoon at Tremayne Quay and Alan, Justin and Mike joined us for a pint at the Ferry Boat, followed by a chile, ingredients sourced at Mawnan Stores and prepared by Julie, in the flat.

A steady WSW wind took both vessels to  their berths at Falmouth Haven in time to dress overall and revise the racing instructions under the watchful eye of thousands of police billeted in a Baltic ferry at the port.  Border Police were out in Force touring the pontoon berths in sinister black jet skis and paddleboards.  All in aid of G7 but any protests were good natured, fairly relevant and hardly justified the effort.  Burglars and would be immigrants up the line will have had a trouble free weekend!

   

Meanwhile, endless bottles of locally brewed beer and Choake's pasties were delivered to the various rafts of gaffers.  Bulging pockets for Friday's lunch were donated to "Minx", when she turned up late!

The weather remained dull but with sufficient wind for both races on Friday.  "Susan J" panicked at the afternoon start, being forced from behind to, possibly, cross, the, as yet ascertained, line too soon.  Turning around in panic, she was met by half a dozen bowsprits, between which she managed to retreat, with no loss of paint, to lick her metaphoric wounds and a pleasant cruise to Turnaware ensued.  The endless post mortem by the skipper has concluded that Sarah Lightfoot, as third crew participant, was the sorely missed element!

Early fish and chips at the Harbour Lights, saved a long wait later and facilitated the broaching of a malt.

Saturday, was an all together better day, with more wind than forecast and bright sunshine.  With the arrival of Tim, Mike lent us Alan, an experienced "young" gaffer if there ever was one, from "Bonita".  A much more relaxed race ensued, with some catching up after another poor but at least safe and legal start. All washed down with beer and cake.

  

With Covid-19 outbreaks aboard the police ferry, the RCYC and Harbour Lights confirmed, the sit down meal at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club was cancelled.  Clearly eating ashore was becoming unlikely and hazardous, so most crews rustled up supper from stores below and had socially distanced, "pot luck" suppers on their coach roofs, entertained by a great jazz band.  As the, now northerly, wind persisted, the contrast of temperature for our sunburnt skin drove us all below, in our case, to "Cappria" a relatively new and practically turned out Heard 28, who we last met on Bar beach at Helford and later at Coverack a few years ago.  Patrick and Rose were very hospitable and, joined by Mike, we put the Old Gaffers to rights!

 

The eventual outcome for "Susan J" was 9th overall out of a field of 16 in "K" class, for the series of three races, of which only two were finished.

Sunday dawned bright hot and almost wind less.  Clear blue skies and by 10 am a gentle breeze to push us around the Carrick Road s course at the obligatory 4 knots.  Lots of photo opportunities as we sailed past the VIP's aboard the "Party Boat" normally and more prosaically taking a handful of tourists up the Helford twice a day!

   

 

We returned, briefly to the Haven to take on water, chat to a few crews we had missed and leave them sorting "Annabelle's overheating problem. A night at anchor up at Turnaware Point was blissfully peaceful and conducive to a lie in and late start for Helford Passage and the Helford Rally.

All in all and despite on going Covid-19 restrictions it had been a welcome return to near normal behaviour after a stressful 15 months.  All credit to the organisers for having the courage to go ahead! 

First local cruise Turnaware and Porthallow

With a few days between visits to our first grandson, Alfie, in Poole we had a few days to aboard "Susan J".

  

A strengthening easterly with associated rolling at the mooring prompted a retreat to the more sheltered Carrick Roads. 

While tossing up and down in the Helford entrance, hoisting the mainsail, David noticed that the new bolt holding the goose neck to the boom had lost it's nut and washer and was nearly out.  Hammered back in place, the sail was dowsed and a tedious motor across a choppy Falmouth Bay ensued, amply demonstrating the benefit of a hard sheeted main sail when motoring, even straight into the wind!

Once inside the headlands, we broad reached all the way up the channel to Turnaware point reaching 7 knots, at times, under staysail alone - the delight of smooth water!

A couple of nights anchored, peacefully at Turnaware Point, saw the repaired auto bilge pump reinstalled and wired, the small fuse box for "always on" circuits fitted and various other early season jobs done.  The bolt securing the boom to the goose neck, with two penny washers was clearly to short for the "Nylock" nut to be effective. With one less washer and blue "Locktite", the problem was solved , at least until longer bolts have been ordered.

Using the dinghy and outboard we motored to the King Harry jetty from where we could access Trelisick National Trust gardens for a sultry walk and a cup of tea and cake. 

   

Having checked on the moored ships, just the Limassol registered P&O ferry remaining laid up, we returned to Turnaware to take a few photo's of "Susan J" in her new rigging!

The Thursday was more clement with a return of SW breezes. We spent the day short tacking down the Roads and across the bay, in preparation for the Falmouth Classics and Helford rally.  This gave us an opportunity to get used to the modified backstays and develop a rhythm for tacking with just the two of us.  It was so calm and clear that we anchored off Porthallow for the night.  A run ashore revealed that the Five Pilchards has changed hands but has a reasonable pint outdoors.  There were no tables, so after a steep walk, from where we could see well beyond Fowey we repaired aboard for another of Julie's excellent dinners and a drop of malt!

   "Bonita" had been spotted on AIS off Rame Head and in Fowey but by Thursday evening appeared to be be headed around the Lizard.  In fact they were alongside in Falmouth, after a late arrival, to release Justin to the railway, having made a single passage from the Swale to Fowey, to take advantage of the now defunct easterlies.

We had started the day by swinging the electric compass and adjusting the heading sensor reading, using the chart plotter.  We then had a splendid run across to Falmouth under full sail, with Julie now much happier keeping her right before the wind.  By early afternoon we had tied alongside "Bonita" aat Falmouth Haven nd used the opportunity to top off fuel and water as well as enjoying a sit down meal at The Grapes, a splendid breakfast at Fuel on Saturday morning and catching up with Mike Beckett, who now had to wait for crew on Sunday before practicing further for the races.

With increasing drizzle becoming heavy rain, we returned briskly back to our mooring and Somerset for Dentist and car appointments on Monday.