Never trust a Cornishman! Suffice it to say, our night in Penzance was less than comfortable. The sea state may have been smooth (it was) but the underlying swell was relentless. The only way to describe it is if you imagine a boat sitting in a half pipe full of water with someone on shore holding a line around the top of the mast, pulling it over and then letting it ping free, again and again. A sleepless night, dozing fitfully between catch up episodes of Geoff Norcott’s ‘What Most People Think’.



'Perfectly fine'

Conditions had eased enough in the morning to allow us to get ashore, although launching and boarding the tender was an exercise in itself and after a lively ride all parties were relieved (some literally) when the sea finally spewed us ashore at the beach below the coast path between Penzance and Marazion for a walk towards St Michael’s Mount. The tide had retreated slightly by the time we returned but it was clear we were going to get wet trying to launch the dinghy back into the waves and we were grateful for the offer of help from a passer-by (yes, a Cornishman - earlier statement retracted) who helped steady the boat and give us a good push off.

We set off at midday for the final leg of our journey, from mainland UK across to the Isles of Scilly. Passing Mousehole and the Penlee lifeboat station the south westerly wind, touching a force 5, was stronger than forecast and we reflected on the tragedy of the lifeboat Solomon Browne, which was lost with all hands shortly after evacuating four crew members from a stricken vessel in 1981. Fortunately the wind eased as we cleared Mounts Bay and settled to a steady 10 knots. The first mate was desperate to stay awake for the scenery but the eyelids were drooping and was woken just in time to see Land’s End before we jumped off the mainland almost due west towards our goal.

The sun was shining and the sea state was smooth or slight, a perfect sailing day if we had been going in any other direction! But with wind still on our bow, fortunately the noise of the engine didn’t scare off pods of common dolphins which were curious enough to come and play and we were also accompanied from time to time by groups of Manx Shearwaters (if anyone knows the collective noun please share) - a first for all crew. To top it all, at the end of our voyage we were greeted by a lone seal - we like to think it was our old friend Sidney from Walton, come to congratulate us for completing our mission.

The Isles of Scilly are numerous and, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, can be particularly exposed in windy conditions. The trick is to move around its many bays and coves, finding shelter in accordance with the wind direction. With the wind settled in the south west, we were lucky to be able to motor almost straight ahead to our first anchorage, Watermill Cove on the north east side of St Mary’s. Tucked in for the night, we supped a well deserved beer before food and an early night.

Our stay will be as long as it is. We’re thinking 3-4 weeks until it starts to get busy once the schools break up. First impressions are favourable and we look forward to moving around and exploring everything the islands have to offer. Thank you for joining us on our journey and we hope you’ll follow along on our next expedition -wherever and whenever that may be.



Signing Off from Watermill Cove

So what happened with the water pump? Well, it just so happened that Skip had a spare in his box of tricks and had managed to fit it before the rest of the crew got back from their walk. A walk that was in itself eventful - one of the junior crew managed to cut her nose and, covered in blood, terrified a small boy into dropping his ice cream which instantly became a doggie snack! The same errant crew member then managed to trap herself the wrong side of a six foot wall. We were glad to be back on board after our adventures and after a superb meal from the Harbour Lights restaurant (Titchmarsh residents will appreciate the irony) we fell pretty much to bed.

The poorly pump was packaged up and sent off to Little Dave for refurbishment - new pumps for our elderly engine being like hens’ teeth. An online search found just one available - at €1100!

Leaving Falmouth past the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Landing ship Lyme Bay, which appears to have followed us from Plymouth, we continued with a south westerly wind - forever on the nose. Whilst the weather was bright, we could see a huge black cloud ahead and fortunately had the foresight to raise the cockpit canopy before a brief but thorough soaking.



The promised rain didn’t disappoint

Having left the Fal and its neighbour the Helford River behind, the First Mate entered new territory having never sailed this far before - although we had of course explored much of the coastline from the land over the winter of 2019/20. This almost became our undoing as, with the skipper down below, eyes were trained ashore reminiscing over a particularly spectacular walk and thereby completely oblivious to a looming lobster pot. A number of expletives later, the pot marker will unfortunately never be the same again but we did manage not to get ourselves attached to it. Lesson well and truly learned.



Lizard Point

As we rounded Lizard Point (the southernmost part of the UK mainland) a change of course gave a nice point of sail but the wind had died away and, try though we did, our speed dropped below 3 knots. We motor sailed for a while and eventually the wind crept up again and we were able to maintain 4-5 knots without the engine. Not ideal, and it did stretch our ETA a bit, but we had nothing else to do for the afternoon. It was a good decision as we gradually increased speed and by the time we turned into Mounts Bay we were cruising nicely.

We had hoped to anchor at the foot of St Michael’s Mount but conditions weren’t favourable - it being inadvisable with an onshore wind. We’d read that the visitors’ moorings outside Penzance Harbour just across the bay were uncomfortable but the Harbour Master told us not to believe everything we read and that they would be perfectly fine with the forecast overnight. You have to trust local knowledge, especially as he specifically said he would not be coming out to take payment, so he had no skin in the game. Picking up the mooring was not easy as we were bouncing about, and so was the mooring buoy. However, we managed to snag it at the first attempt and were soon safely attached. The calm water we had been promised was not yet in evidence but the wind was forecast to die away and we looked forward to a cosy night with a great view.



St Michael’s Mount

Falmouth – Penzance
6h08m 34.1NM

Fowey was lumpy before and it was lumpy this time. Note to selves - Fowey is always lumpy! The swell comes in from the sea and unless you head way upstream is near on impossible to avoid. Pontoon Pilates was definitely out of the question.

Heading out of the river in conditions rather more windy than forecast, it was clear we were not going to have a particularly relaxing voyage. Wind was south westerly (yes, right on the nose) and the sea was choppy. Our boat may be old but she's heavy and made light work of the chop, for which we're always grateful. It was surprisingly cold again - we almost contemplated long trousers but made do with a dog blanket over the knees - oh, the glamour of it all!



Fowey - Mevagissey ferry enjoying the chop

About halfway through our passage the skipper went below and, on hearing the engine cover being removed followed swiftly by 'bo***cks', the ever astute crew realised it probably wasn't good news. The engine water pump seals had started to leak. The skipper was confident that the pump would get us safely to Falmouth but the first mate (whose glass is always half empty) spent the rest of the passage trying desperately (and unsuccessfully it transpired!) not to show a fear of impending disaster.

Changing course slightly around Dodman Point, we had hoped to be able to sail but unfortunately it was too close and we motored on. We did however, get a final half hour of peace as we turned to enter the Fal, pot-dodging along the way.



St Anthony Lighthouse at the entrance to the Fal

Our friends will know our feelings towards Cornwall, when we spent a very arduous winter here three years ago. Having then been incarcerated on this very river for a further four months, sailing into the Fal evoked some very unexpected feelings in the crew. It's true that the lockdowns will have some very long-lasting and perhaps deeply buried effects for many people.

All was soon forgotten as the skipper performed two excellent close quarters manoeuvres, firstly onto the fuel pontoon and then the boatie equivalent of a handbrake turn into a visitor's berth at Falmouth Yacht Haven. This latter manoeuvre received numerous nods of approval and even verbal congratulations from the audience of skippers already settled and enjoying their obligatory beers.

Now a doggy walk, time to let the engine cool down and then see what can be done with this pesky pump.

Fowey - Falmouth
4h35m (including refuelling) 22.7 NM

Well, our stop didn't work out quite how we expected! Along with our friend Tim, the skipper headed off from Plymouth to Roscoff to help friend Tony with a yacht delivery across Biscay (although Tim did nearly miss it as he was operating a day in arrears). Fiona, jumping ship in Roscoff and arriving on the return ferry en route to Portugal, temporarily joined the crew of Astral Loot - do try to keep up - and made a valiant effort helping to test out the local hospitality venues. With the weather in Plymouth glorious, it was a completely different story across the channel and setting off on passage was out of the question. So, having exhausted all the hostelries in Roscoff and its environs, the boys came back on the ferry to Plymouth - Timmy heading home to Bristol, Tony flying off to join Fiona in Portugal (where she had hoped to be met by her yacht and crew!), leaving Astral Loot with its rightful skipper and crew. Got it?

As we'd booked our berth in Plymouth for a month, we hung around for a while and had fun on the beaches and coast path with the shipmutts, teaching them to paddle board and exploring the Tamar valley (the River Tamar being the boundary between Devon and Cornwall). Making use of the local ferries, we even ventured across the county border.



Crew enjoying Plymouth Sound and the Tamar Valley

Keeping up with our social life, we managed to catch up with another of our old shooting friends, a new, slimline version of Steve - yet another Essex emigré. Only a couple of pints in his local but it was great to catch up after a good few years. And by coincidence, we were honoured to be invited to visit Philip and Cathy, who ran the shoot where Steve was gamekeeper, and who we last saw in Salcombe, at their 'new' home in the middle of nowhere. In the middle of major renovations, it was kind of them to show us round, even if they had only expected one of us to turn up when the invitation was first extended! After a tour of the house and a look at their stupendous view across Dartmoor, we ended up in the pub. Who would have guessed?

After a while in the luxury of a marina berth we were keen to get on and, although we had paid up until the end of the month, we decided that making progress towards the Scillies was more important. And so, after taking a huge delivery from Morrisons, we set off at 11 this morning to head into Cornwall proper.

With only a hint of wind, on the nose, we motored out - noting that the QHM signage was in need of an update - past Plymouth Hoe and Drake Island and into Plymouth Sound. As we got nearer to the open sea the wind began to increase and turning to approach Rame Head we hoisted the sails. No sooner had we done so, the wind dropped away and our estimated remaining journey time increased from 2.5 hours to 5.5 hours. So, engine back on but we were able to sail again for a short while further along the coast.



Drake Island, overlooked by Plymouth Hoe

Passing Portwrinkle, Looe and Polperro it was surprisingly chilly even only half a mile out. After days of it being too hot to want to move, the junior crew took advantage of the cooler weather and decided to play for pretty much the whole passage. It was while distracted by their antics that we came perilously close to a lobster pot marker. Despite the ridicule for being unseamanlike, it appears a call of 'Oh, quick, buoy!' is sufficient to alert the skipper to the impending danger, which was deftly avoided. Having safely negotiated an underwater unexploded ordnance dump just outside Plymouth, it would have been embarrassing to fall victim to a marine crustacean!

The remainder of our trip was thankfully uneventful and we turned into the River Fowey at Polruan, picking up a berth on one of the visitors' pontoons just in time for the rain and to watch the departing 'National Geographic Explorer', an expedition ship formerly of the Hurtigruten fleet. We took comfort in the fact that they probably paid an awful lot more for their berth than we're about to!

Plymouth Yacht Haven - Fowey

4h15m 23.2NM



Polruan on the River Fowey

As expected, we lingered for quite some time in the Yealm, lured once again by its beauty and the prospect of 7 nights for the price of 5! Normally, after several days without shore power, the skipper breathes a big sigh of relief for the ship’s batteries when we are finally plugged in. However, the new solar panels have done a sterling job, making life aboard much more relaxed so we were happy to take advantage.

Once inside, the river forks giving three options for landing your dinghy – Newton Ferrers side, Noss Mayo side or along the coast continuing west. The two villages are connected by pedestrian causeways accessible only at low tide and known locally as vosses. We spent our time further exploring the South West Coast path in both directions and for a change we took the bus into Yealmpton, arriving at the bus stop 45 minutes early at the skipper’s insistence (‘just in case’) and walked back into Newton Ferrers.



South West Coast path towards Wembury Beach

Our social life seems never to have been busier and we met up with Tony and Diane, old sailing friends who moved to Devon from Harlow some 20 years ago (where did that time go?) for a meal and a catch up in The Ship - one of three pubs locally but the one that is most renowned for its food and also for the parking, which floods at high tide. Much entertainment to be found for those not arriving by car. Those travelling by dinghy have the opposite problem as the river completely dries out. We took the coward’s option and went on foot!

A couple of days later we met up with Pete & Lin, more escapees from Harlow. Maybe there’s something in this? We spent a lovely day together, with a walk in the woods - very steep, sorry Lin! - and lunch, again at The Ship. We were able to cross from Newton Ferrers to Noss Mayo via the two vosses but had to walk the long way back as the lunch and company was far too good to hurry.



Voss just before low water - still passable if you’re happy to get your feet wet

Downtime in the Yealm is never boring. The glorious weather continued and the paddle board came out, mainly to facilitate a couple of shopping trips. And watching the various visitors come and go, some successfully and some not so much, is entertainment in itself.

With a marina berth booked in Plymouth, we had to finally move on for the short trip around the Great Mew Stone and into Plymouth Sound. We had a boat rafted up alongside us and as soon as he moved off, at around 10 am, we followed suit making best use of the tide, which runs quite strongly in the river. Very little wind again and the skipper was all for heading straight to the marina but was persuaded to drop anchor in Jenny Cliff bay, on the eastern side of Plymouth Sound. After a lazy lunch we headed past the Hoe and Drake’s Island and into the Cattewater at the mouth of the river Plym.



Shipmutts taking their watch rota very seriously - even on the shortest of trips

Plymouth Yacht Haven is set to be home for a few weeks as the skipper heads off to Roscoff in Brittany to help a friend take his yacht across the Bay of Biscay. The marina is on the Mount Batten peninsula, a short ferry ride from the city and with easy access to the coast path. We may go quiet for a while but will be back soon. Thanks for keeping up with us so far.

River Yealm - Plymouth Yacht Haven
4h10m (including stop) 7.5NM

To be honest, we've never really warmed to Salcombe before but it is a handy stop to break the journey between Dartmouth and Plymouth. However, this time, we absolutely loved it and not just because it's the cheapest overnight mooring we've had so far! The town is most definitely geared up for tourists, shops promising you 'all the gear but no idea', but this time of year it's not too busy to enjoy it. And if you actually have a boat, rather than pretend to have one like many of its visitors, it really is a very pretty place to stop.



Good morning Salcombe

We celebrated the skipper's birthday during our stay, which of course necessitated the sampling of all the local hostelries, but as usual we also spent a lot of time on the coast path, first of all eastbound where we stumbled upon draught beer being sold from a van (well, you just have to don't you) and then a more strenuous and precipitous walk westward with some friends from back home - our first meet up since they moved down here 18 months ago. Despite living in Devon, they still had a journey of close to 2 hours to get to us so we felt very humbled that they had made the effort and even bought us lunch. Thank you so much Cathy and Philip - we had a lovely day together, and I hope the ferry and 'tractor' ride made it worth your while!



Precipitous walks and a four-legged photo bomber

Despite not having had shore power for several days, things have been relaxed on board as Skip is delighted with the output from his new toy, a 'portable' solar panel (stretching the definition of portable a little too far in the crew's opinion). So this season's neurosis has taken a different form - ticks are the new scurvy for the lower ranks of crew. They are absolutely rife this year and we are constantly trying to catch them before they latch on. Fortunately, up to date doses of Frontline are doing a sterling job for those we miss.

A couple of days later than planned, we finally slipped our mooring and after filling the water tanks at the town pontoon, headed out of the bay with not a breath of wind. Rounding Bolt Head, the wind had built to about 10 knots and we were looking forward to a decent sail. We quickly got the sails hoisted, as did a fellow yachtie alongside us, only to be both becalmed. Engines on then!

Later on the wind did start to build again and, although it was in the wrong direction (when isn't it?), conditions were so perfect we decided to put in a couple of tacks in order to continue west. By the time we reached the River Yealm the wind had reached a force 5, time for a reef, but by then we had reached our destination and we furled the sails away completely.

The entrance to the Yealm is interesting and off-putting to many. There is a sand bar to avoid and the way is not obvious but it is well marked with buoys and leading lines. Once inside, the river is flanked by the villages of Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo. It's pretty as a picture and one of our favourite places. We'll probably be here for a while....

Salcombe - River Yealm
3h35m 19.3NM



The Yealm entrance and its notorious sand bar - vessels keep between the shore and the red buoy.

The red and white boards are leading lines - when they line up it is safe to turn towards the river entrance





Once inside it's worth the effort