2024 May 2nd Day 34. Back to Newlyn.

It was still looking good for a Friday departure to Milford so I left St Mawes at 07:30 with zero wind, 10 minutes later there was a fresh northwesterly so up went the sails and I made good progress until past Coverack when the wind went light and I switched on the engine to get past the Lizard overfalls close in at slack water. The wind then filled in again but right on the nose and with a foul tide, even a day before neaps it would have taken a very long time to get to Newlyn so I continued under engine arriving at 14:30 to anchor off, now tenable with the offshore wind despite some left over waves from the SE wind that quickly dies away.

As I posted on Facebook: Lots of boats turning up at Newlyn after all the bad weather. I suspect the pontoons are full (there is reduced availability as there are still fishing boats from mousehole in). It could be quite busy at 03:30 / 04:00 tomorrow with boats heading west and north.

I was right, it was busy, I subsequently found that next morning 3 boats wanted to leave and were ready at 04:00 but boats were so crammed in that it took quite a awhile to extricate themselves having to move boats out of the way - which probably did not please the occupants.

For the 2nd evening on the trot I was able to sit out, this time for quite
 a while, one could get used to this 😀 Looking towards Penzance.

This large yacht went into the harbour but then came out to anchor
Probably not wanting to raft on a fishing boat or lie against a wall.
A good move as next morning we were the only ones to get away easily.

Another close in passage - only do this in very benign conditions
There is no “inshore route”

Caught rounding the Lizard in a very long range shot posted
To marinetraffic.com, copyright as shown.

32 miles in 7 hours.

Click here for Milford Haven.

2024 April 24th Day 26, To Newlyn Gwavas Lake and Harbour

 A 07:30 start to round the Lizard at slack tide and for favourable tide from there on. It started off quite warm with little wind but it clouded over as I reached to Manacles under engine. The wind stayed very light until 20 minutes short of Newlyn so I motored all the way, naturally the wind headwind went from 4 knots to about 7 as I went through the Lizard over-falls, with 6 knots of boat speed and 2 knots of tide, rather more than I expected even on a spring tide, there was 15 knots of cold wind over the deck and I went from shirt sleeves when I left to a fleece and a down gilets.

I had hoped to spend a night at Mullion Cove but the wind was blowing straight in and could go to Force 5 so decided against it, a shame as, along with Chapman's Pool (St Alban's Head), its one of the few recognised anchorages along this coast that I have not been too. So in the end I anchored in Gwavas Lake, close by Newlyn harbour in a gap between loads of pot buoys and at low water the clear water allowed me to plant the anchor in clean sand, missing the patches of weed.

40 pot buoys in Gwavas Lake, more to seaward.

My plan to go into the harbour on Friday remains intact although I really could do with a shower so I might change my mind in the morning.

33 nautical miles in 7.5 hours.

Update: it’s now Sunday the 28th and I and 3 other boats, all but one single handed, might get away on Tuesday.

I didn't click here for 2 steps forward and 1 back - to the Fal

2023 June 21st, Days 69 & 70 Carbis Bay to Newlyn & Gwavas Lake

Leaving Carbis Bay required care as I counted at least 30 Lobster pot markers within sight, again no wind:

No wind as I motored towards Pendeen

Pendeen, abandoned tin mines ashore and lots of dolphins offshore.
The ripples on the water are largely down to tide not wind.

Here are just 2 of several videos of Dolphins of of Pendeen, they are hosted on Flikr as it is too big for Blogger The first is almost 2 minutes long, the second 59 seconds, both will play full screen on a large screen:

Common Dolphins

 

"The Longships"

I had thought to go inside "The Longships" but the water was rather turbulent so I changed my mind and went outside, that was probably a mistake as I went east from "The Lonships" the sea looked calmer inshore. Not dangerous but uncomfortable:

Over-falls south of The Longships, with less than 5 knots of
wind, one day from a spring tide but not at it's peak.

The Scilionian on route to Hugh Town, St Mary's in calm water,
you can see the edge of the overfalls just this side of her. 

Mousehole

I went into the harbour and was lucky to find the inner berths full but several spaces on the outer fingers so there was no pressure to go and double park there which is tricky with limited space and water. Soon all of the outer berths were full and most had 3 boats in each bay but the third in "mine" being a big boat had tied up to the other boat rather than to Sancerre.

I was surprised to see another boat flying the RAFYC burgee, actually one designating one of the club officers (know as in most sailing clubs as a "Rear Admiral), chatting with them I found another boat was due in and later we all sat down for a drink. One boat was, like me, heading back to the Hamble the other heading for the Isles of Scilly. During the cruise I spoke to club members on three other boats and saw another, remarkable considering there are only a couple of hundred boats flying the club burgee.

After a shower, shopping and a visit the the laundrette in Penzance I moved out next afternoon to anchor in Gwavas Lake for another night before heading off, saving a nights berthing which is rather expensive for what you get.

Newlyn harbour from the Gwavas Lake anchorage.

That evening there was another RNLI "shout" to witness as the All Weather Lifeboat (they also have an "Atlantic" class inshore boat) went out of harbour at high speed to return fairly quickly in company with a dive boat. A diver had suffered "the bends", trained crewmen assessed him and the casualty was taken to Penzance Heliport and flow by a Coastguard helicopter to Plymouth where they have a decompression chamber.

The Penlee Severn Class Lifeboat returning from the shout, the original lifeboat house and slipway is visible by her bow from which the "Solomon Browne" launched to the aid of the "Union Star" in December 1981 - that resulted in the loss of the boat with it's entire crew and that of the ship and all on board, some of whom had made it to the lifeboat. There is an RNLI account here also an excellent BBC documentary available on YouTube here: penlee lifeboat diaster - cruel sea

32 miles in 6 hours

Click here for St Mawes