Return across the Bristol Channel - 50 hours at sea!

The force 7 winds and strong tides at Lawrenny had abated to some extent by Saturday and, in bright sunshine, we set the main and jib for a sail down the Cleddeau River to the entrance to Milford Haven.

 

The wind was in the SW around F4 and forecast to persist for 48 hours before turning westerly and near gale by Wednesday.  There was considerable swell in Dale Bay, so, despite the brilliant sunshine, the decision was taken to carry on back across the Bristol; Channel while we could.

Dodging various ships and ferries we returned through the east entrance passing the spectacular cliffs and pointed towards Lands End.  

We soon discovered that this was going to be considerably harder than coming the other way. The combination of west and southwest swells and close hauled into the south west wind, was taking us nowhere near Lands End. In order to make progress the engine was used to enable us to sail about 30 degrees under reefed mainsail alone and punch through the messy waves.  Being constantly stopped by the waves, meant we were hand steering on a, mainly, one hour rotation for the first 36 hours.

By sunset the clouds over Lundy were visible and the Island's lights remained visible on the port bow until well after dawn, by which time Hartland point was also visible.  Padstow was considered as a rest stop, but lack of  a pilot book, unlikely coordination of tides and the risk of being unable to leave when the wind increased from the NW,  put us off. 

Many schools of dolphins approached us, possibly because there were no other vessels around.  The sandwiches and meals prepared in advance, were supplemented by many cups of tea and even tinned soup to supplement the packets! It took the whole day to slowly creep towards Cornwall, making our closest approach at St. Ives, at dusk, fortuitously coinciding with the west and south tidal stream.

By midnight we were still motor sailing as close as possible to the wind, squeezing between a remarkably full shipping lane and the Longships.  While the expected lights from the chart were all found there were many smaller lit marks which confused us.  However as we bore away for the Runnel Stone, with  the wind on our quarter, the engine was stopped for a well earned rest and we gently sailed, staysail poled out and with "Raymond" the auto helm in charge, across Mount's Bay.  We arrived at the Lizard after dawn, gybed around and close reached in a strengthening westerly and heavy rain showers, back to our mooring.

Not our pleasantest passage but reassuring that we can survive more than 24 hours at sea.  It does confirm , however, "that gentlemen shouldn't sail to windward"!

The next day, sparkling sunshine and near infinite visibility enabled a rapid sail to Falmouth for 72 l of diesel, water and provisions, in the realisation that we now had time to make a late entry to the Brixham Heritage Regatta, after Wednesday's strong winds and rain pass!

Around Lands End to Wales

Winter 2021/2 was  fairly straight forward for "Susan J" and she was lifted in before Easter and back on her mooring in the Helford.  Several family events and persistent easterlies meant only a few short sails but more sections of the SW coast path, were achieved.  The few sails we did, have introduced our recently acquired dog "Molly" for her first sail and a more robust 12V supply to the AIS, now means that we are now visible.

 

After a meal aboard passage planning, we left our mooring early on Saturday, with little wind, motor sailing around the Lizard to Newlyn.  The first thing that struck us was the complete absence of ships "free parking" off Black Head,  presumably reflecting a recovering economy post Covid and need to ship in more oil and gas.

We arrived in Newlyn in time to go on the hammerhead and then a run shore to walk the rather tedious  SW coast path, from Newlyn to Marazion.  Julie has now completed the section from Mousehole to St Mawes, among several others!

The forecast was for wind and rain in the Isles of Scilly so we decided to try to go directly to Milford Haven, which looked as if it would escape the worst.  The little but favourable wind and with the assistance of the engine most of the way,  we were thus able to keep up with all the tidal gates. and were astounded to be making 7 or 8  Kts  over the ground on several occasions!

The weather deteriorated to cloud and rain and the SE breeze picked up.  We put two reefs in the main and for a while used only the staysail.  We arrived about 5 miles east of the Milford haven entrance, as planned, at about 08:00.  Two large tankers left the port but we kept inside the main channel, taking all sail off in the lee of the cliffs before Angle Bay.  We locked into Milford Marina for a well deserved rest.  Booking for two nights as the rain and strong winds did occur on Tuesday.

By Wednesday there was still a brisk south westerly and, being unfamiliar with the area we motored up the river, under the Cleddau bridge to Lawrenny yacht station, who had a mooring temporarily free.

From there we have undertaken two walks,

 

sampled the local beer and completed the laundry. Friday has been wet and has ended with F7 gale but we are secure and hope for a window to leave for Lands End on Saturday or Sunday. 

A post Covid cruise to Guernsey

By August, 2021, our daughter Fiona felt it safe enough to join us for ten days and we decided to pick her up from Dartmouth for a possible trip to the Channel Islands.   A rapid downwind sail to Salcombe, south of the Eddystone light, involved an early start. 

 

Once there, we were put on a mooring well above the Bag, where we were joined by Patrick in “Capraia”.  And enjoyed a meal aboard.  Despite being singlehanded, when “Capraia”’s stainless steel tiller shaft sheared, he managed to stay in control until towed to Salcombe and was now awaiting a tiller repair or replacement.  

The repaired tiller arrived in time for "Capraia" to depart for Helford the following day, while we planned to walk to the Sharpitor museum, postponed from 2018, due to engine fuel failure on arrival, in the midst of local dinghy races! The house and museum are long closed but the NT gardens are delightful.  We then walked out to Bolt Head and back and looked down onto the speedboat "contrails" in Starhole Bay.  

 

Avoiding the crowds ashore, we ate aboard again, before refuelling on our way down river and a pleasant, if rather grey, sail around to Dartmouth.  An evening was spent in the Dartmouth Sailing Club, waiting for Fiona to arrive and our food!  A more relaxing day ashore in the rain and early supper aboard, was followed by a rather messy departure from the pontoon with the increasing ebb behind us in worsening visibility.

The imminent north easterlies, which were to continue throughout our trip, precluded Alderney and left just St Peters Port as our port of Covid clearance.  We were able to see enough in the dusk and mist to clear the mouth of the Dart. 

           Leaving Dartmouth                       Dolphin mid channel (Fiona Patuck)

 The wind was sufficient for damp motor sailing and, after numerous dolphins and phosphorescence, dawn saw the wind pick up and we arrived off the NE coast around lunchtime.     

Visualising our first mark, Platte Fougere, just before a prolonged heavy rain shower obscured the Little Russell completely, not ideal on our first passage to the Channel Islands! Fortunately I had earlier supplemented a position at each turning point, to the waypoints left over from the Shaw’s stewardship and we had no option but to sail from waymark to waymark – at least we had the tides right!  We arrived off the harbour as the rain stopped and took down the sails before motoring to the pontoons.  We were put on a convenient walk ashore pontoon that led to a big marquee, where we were Covid screened, using the Guernsey app, which, with a little help, worked well.  We had to purchase a kit of lateral flow tests for each of us and do them every second day but there was no means to advise the local authorities of the results!  Any way we were now free to explore the island and the rest of the Bailiwick.

 

 What we would have seen, taken from Herm!     Safe in St Peter's Port

We had a pleasant Sunday ashore, visiting the Guernsey Museum and listening to a concert in Cande Gardens, completed our laundry and stocked up at the convenient M&S Food Hall, there being, disappointingly few, if any, local food outlets, open or closed. 

Rested and victualled, we left for the relatively short passage to Sark, seeing the channel we had come through much more clearly.  We anchored at Grande Greve under a massive cliff leading up to La Coupe to Little Sark.  A little rolly but otherwise peaceful, we spent the next day exploring Sark on foot, swimming and climbing a lot of stairs! 

 

    Grand Greve                                          Sunset le Grand Greve Sark           

                                                         Fiona at helm returning to Guernsey

We then moved back to Guernsey, in the hope that the bays to the south were more sheltered from the NE wind and swell.  While this was the case and we had the anchorage at Petit Port, in Moulin Huet Bay, largely to ourselves after the day trippers had gone, it was still quite rolly, but swimming ashore and access, via more stairs, enabled us to spend several days exploring.

    

      Under Jerbourg Pt Guernsey                            More steps!   

                                                                                             Petit Port Guernsey                               

We then had a short sail to Herm and anchored south of Rosiere Steps for one night, exploring the whole Island on foot, before enjoying breakfast at the White House Hotel and sailing back to St Peter Port, for more laundry, victualling and a Sunday bus journey around the whole Island on our last day.

  

       Off Rosiere steps Herm                         Sunset from Herm    

Bank holiday Monday, had us all prepared to cross back but it was grey with a stronger wind but fair for Plymouth.  Leaving at about 1 pm we cleared over the sill and, as we rounded St Martin’s light at the SE corner of Guernsey, the sun came out and a very pleasant broad reach took us along the south coast and past Les Hanois light house, off the SW tip.  From there we hardened up to a close reach and took our departure from Guernsey and into the sunset.

   David at helm reaching south of Guernsey        

“Susan J”, carried on with two reefs and no jib, at 4 knots and, well before dawn, we had sighted Prawle Point and the Eddystone.  By 08:30 we were tucked up in the Mayflower, ready for an end of cruise breakfast at Jolly Jack’s, before Fiona caught the train back to Bristol and the skipper did some routine maintenance, while Julie visited her ancestors at Forde Park.

                    A happy crew!                                  Breakfast at Jolley Jacks

Cruise to Plymouth and anchor anxiety lessons learnt!

 June has been a busy month, with every opportunity taken to reinvigorate the sailing senses after such a long and dreary, lockdown, winter.

With the next gaffer event just a few days ago.  We were back aboard and re victualed, before enjoying a meal aboard "Minx", with Paul and Penny Jolley. 

The following morning, "Susan J" departed towards Fowey, followed by "Minx", with "Annabelle" and "Cariad " leaving soon after from Falmouth.  A forecast brisk NW breeze, wasn't as strong as forecast and the one reef was shaken out within an hour. Passing close under the Dodman, "Susan J" reached Fowey on one tack for the second time in a fortnight.

A 09:00 start meant we were followed in to the harbour by a cloud of sails, mainly white but "Minx" s tan amongst them. 

All four crews, were therefore able to meet at 18:00, for supper at the King of Prussia, ashore. Apparently under new management an unusual menu and flowing Tribute was enjoyed on two separate tables of four to meet the Covid rules.

Some decided to spend a day in Fowey, while "Susan J" cast off at 09:00 despite the light easterly forecast, this seemed preferable to a NE 6+ and "yellow" rain. The engine could rest 6 miles from Rame Head and a couple of tacks saw us passing close inshore and once borne away sailed splendidly up the Sound, around Drake's Island and in to the Hamoaze. 

There are always several sinister RIB, police launches etc around the dockyards. On this occasion one such vessel came up to our port quarter.  We hauled the mainsail in to slow down wondering what we had done wrong, 6.8 knots SOG seemed fairly conservative in the Sound!  We were delighted when they said they had just come along side to say what a lovely sight we had been, following us into the Sound. They then left us to thread our way through all three Torpoint ferries and on to the mouth of the river Lynher. 

We had arrived rather too soon to take the tide to Dandy Hole but another inflatable appeared on our port quarter bearing Rob Brown. Still running at 3-knots he tied on and spent 20 minutes discussing the forthcoming event, which Rob has organised. We drifted under Brunells bridge and turned into the ferocious mid tide.  Dowsed the sail and ferry glided between the trots to up tide of "Heron", where hopped back into his flubber, until Monday at QAB.

Once in the Lynher, with a reducing tide under us we cautiously motored, following Cunliffe's advice, loosing and recovering the paper chart in the process!

We identified the boudaries of Dandy Hole and dropped our anchor and, gradually 35 M of chain, digging as we went, or so we thought, after two attempts despite needing to be at St. Germans Quay at 1900. 

We were met by Julie's school friend, Elizabeth, who, delightfully, insisted on driving us up to her cottage in the village and served us fresh bbq'd steak, chicken etc etc. We set off back a couple of hours after high tide with a gorgeous red sky highlighting the railway viaduct and Sailing Club Quay.

 On our return aboard, "Susan J" seemed tucked closer under the wooded cliff.  Julie insisted on starting the instruments.  We were going to dry out! A long discussion about length of chain ensued. Shortening to 25 meters moved us back into the middle of the hole but she was still swing around in the ebb. 

Further grating caused several trips above but by 0230, sorrounded by mud banks we remained well afloat. Despite fatigue, the menu of our venerable C120 plotter revealed an anchor alarm, with this deployed we rested until mid tide and dawn. It was clear from the very detailed track of our movements that we had dragged into the upstream, upwind end of the "hole". 

As the tide turned so did the rode and once established, the flood had caused further dragging and the chart plotter confirmed this.  Because, the now 20 knot wind and tide were in unison we were merely dragging along the "hole" so had plenty of water under us.  Letting out another 10 meters held us, at least until the tide turned. 

By 0800 we had had enough, the tide was slacker but the wind was rising and the forecast worse. With the help of the engine we recovered the chain for the sixth time, on this occasion bringing the anchor above the surface. In addition to the statutory clump of seaweed, there was a small pierced oyster shell a good cm up the tip of the CQR. 

Lessons learnt: you really do need, at least, three times your depth in chain. 

Scope, as illustrated on the close up chart plotter, makes a huge difference. 

Setting the rudder to starboard to stop the chain fouling the inner bobstay, caused Susan J to be broadside in the strongest part of the tide and increases the dragging force. Leave rudder centred to minimise resistance, in strong streams. 

When raising chain, to reset, raise it another half meter, so the anchor is above the surface and can be inspected. On the sixth occasion the cause of our sleepless night became blatantly obvious!

Our ancient chart plotter tracked our dragging and with the 0.01 M alarm was reassuringly effective. The downside is the 2.5 Amp battery drain. Acceptable in these circumstances and probably less with newer electronics. 

The upside of our earlier departure was a hammerhead at the Mayflower and eggs for brunch just before the onset of four hours of "yellow" rain. 

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!