One reef in the mainsail and poled out staysail achieved 4 to 6 knots as the SW wind reached F6 as forecast. We kept the jib furled so avoided the inevitable falling off of turns on the Wickham Martin and laying on the bowsprit to recover it all! This worked well with a starboard gybe 10 degrees off course, followed by a port gybe 10 degrees less than the course and we rounded Penlee point to a flat calm and gentle refracted swell.
Following a slightly vinegary Valpolocelli, opened in Lawrenny, on the other side of the Bristol Channel, Julie cooked a superb meal eaten to the hiss of the Taylor stove!
In sunnier weather, we broad reached past Salcombe, only to find a flat calm after Start Point.
We motored on to Brixham and tied up on the town pontoon, amongst large and small traditional vessels and a fair number of junks.
"Capraia" arrives at the pontoon The assembled fleetAfter a shower, we had a few beers at the very hospitable Brixham YC, enjoying the incomparable view over the harbour breakwater and towards Golden Cap in Dorset, with large gas carrying ships miraged, spectacularly, above the sea.
The Saturday was the hottest day of the year, so far and shorts were worn. Julie walked to Torquay, to complete that section of the SW path, from Salcombe. Soon after she left, clouds of black smoke were visible above Torquay. A large superyacht, that had taken on 8,000 litres of diesel, in Brixham, the day before had burnt to the water line, having, fortunately, burnt through her mooring lines and drifted out of the Torquay marina area. Most of the sea front was closed, forcing Julie to walk inland to catch a bus back to Brixham, where David had enjoyed a pleasant day drinking tea, washing up, repeat and doing a few odd jobs. She found most of the Gaffer contingent in "Arriana"'s cockpit with beers at 16:00!
Following a briefing aboard "Prospect", we were ferried to the Brixham YC and given a wonderful fish pie supper, before wandering back around the harbour to our boats.
Photo Mike Garlic
Sunday dawned slightly grey, with the promise of a little wind later. Shorts were stowed for another few weeks and we joined the throng in the shelter of the breakwater hoisting all sail. We sailed as best we could for the parade and eventually started the race, while the skipper had to answer a call of nature. Ralph, who had sailed his venerable, gunter rigged, twin bilge keel, Westerly22 from Torquay, had joined us for the race and regaled us with tales and anecdotes of yore. His boat, "Charlie Bravo" was identical to the boat I had crewed on, from Dartmouth to Audierne, while still at school. Eventually, "Susan J" was her usual third in class behind "Capraia" and "Miscief".
Ralph Bell aboard "Susan J"
"Minx" "Provident"
Mike Garlick in "Mischief" took some lovely photographs of Susan J under way.
Photo Mike Garlic
The racing was very pleasant and a real privilege to be able to sail amongst a variety of boats from the junk rigged cruisers, the bermudan sloop, "Falandia", restored and recently sailed around Britain by 14 year old Katie and her parents, larger yawl "Amyrillis"; to the two Brixham trawlers - "Vigilance", still sadly, as I write, awaiting full coding and "Prospect", already restored, both a lovely sight close to. All followed by a curry supper at the YC, prizes and more beer.
"Susan J" had to be back on her mooring, at Helford Passage, before a family camping trip in Dorset, so it was decided to do one long passage on the Monday, setting off in crystal clear blue sky and fair weather cumulus, while leaving "Mischief" to lunch en route and "Capraia" motoring off into the "sunset". By the time we had rounded Start Point, the clouds had gathered, the wind was rising and a squall, at least, looked likely. By the time the reef was in, the wind had dropped but with evening approaching, we left it in, had a pasta supper and plodded ever westwards into the night, which was spent dodging unpredictable trawlers, so brightly lit you couldn't see their lateral lights! By dawn, Eddystone Light was well astern and we continued to our mooring, for a late breakfast on Tuesday, before driving home.
So, in May, apart from two days ashore, we had been aboard for well over three weeks and covered approximately 840 Miles with four nights spent under way. Time for a break at home, before Falmouth Classics!
