2024 August 19th Days 5 - 11, Stuck in the Truro River. Again

Being updated as and when

It looks like I could be here for a week, a good job I left early!

The pontoon on Tuesday, wind gusting c 30 knots.
The two nearest boats appear to be here long term.

Noisy neighbour, it came back down two or three minutes later..

The forecast on Tuesday evening, I had thought of a short sail tomorrow, I think I’ll stay put.☹️

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Westerly 5 or 6 backing southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in west. Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west. Mainly fair. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and again later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west. Occasional rain or drizzle. Good, falling moderate or poor for a time.

Heading to Malpas for a shower on Wednesday morning. The
calm did not last long! Sancerre on the pontoon in the centre
of the picture. I have invested in a discounted 10 day ticket so
will hopefully have a few days left for the return trip or for
next year.

ECMWF @ Wednesday morning
With this much wind on Friday the sea is likely to be pretty ugly
on Saturday so I will probably not go further than St Mawes,
if that. More likely I will hang around here till Sunday or Monday
before heading for Fowey hoping it will not be too busy on the
holiday weekend.

It doesn’t get any better, from “Weather School” (Weatherweb) Wednesday afternoon.

Be prepared for gusting winds over the coming days. Regular 50mph+ over western and southern areas (red on charts below is above 50mph).

Particularly be aware of a spell of extremely strong winds for a few hours from the early hours of Friday morning, mostly affecting Wales and southern England. During this spell gusts could breach 60mph and damage to trees, fences and tents could occur.

And the inshore forecast Wednesday evening:

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 or 5 later. Slight or moderate at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later near Isles of Scilly. Rain or drizzle for a time. Good, occasionally poor for a time.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest 4 or 5, backing southwest 3 or 4 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough near Isles of Scilly, becoming slight or moderate later in east. Rain or drizzle at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

I had hoped to go to Tesco's in Truro but work on flood defences may make that impossible till Saturday or Sunday, I have fresh food to last me to St Mawes or Fowey but the choice at both is rather limited and at the latter expensive.

Saturday 24th, 11:00:

Still here with strong wind warnings for today and tomorrow and one heavy shower already this morning. The plan, such as it is, is to go up to the Tesco's in Truro tomorrow, hopefully I'll be able to get through; work on flood defences has closed the river for navigation for the last 4 days and it was due to open this afternoon at 3 o'clock but talking to the river patrol man they found heavy silting and are arranging dredging so a new notice to mariners is being prepared keeping the river  closed to navigation but I should be OK in the dinghy providing (as always) I go and return on the tide. I have run out of all fresh food apart from one pie for dinner this evening so I hope so!

The Ocean Cruising Club will be here for a rally over the weekend, coincidentally I was also here for last years, there may be some interesting boats to ogle.

The tide on Monday and Tuesday is not that good for going to Fowey in one hop from here as I would be against the tide to St Mawes and it would be an early start, so I will probably go to St Mawes on Monday afternoon, or Sunday if the conditions look OK, then to Fowey the next day leaving between 8 and 9 for a favourable tide all the way and the ebb in Fowey for easy access to the fuel berth. 

Fortunately the fee here for a berth on the mid-water pontoon is less than a third of the price I was paying at Portland marina earlier in the year, the shower is a 10-15 minute boat ride away but I can live with that!

The weather looks reasonable for the rest of the week to amble down to Plymouth and the Salcombe area but the models differ widely a week out (not unusual) with the European ECMWF showing little or no wind to get to Guernsey and the American GFS showing fairly brisk easterlies which can be a problem at St Peter Port, but both are likely to change before then so I will have to wait and see.

Approaching Truro close to HW.

Tesco's have a direction sigh just for mariners.

On to St Mawes and Fowey
 

2022 Celtic Circuit, Day 30 By dinghy to Truro

With high tide at 11:00 and no rain it was a good day for a late morning shopping trip to Truro, 3 miles up river on the last of the flood and back on the ebb. Conveniently there is a set of steps from the river right next to a large Tesco's who even have signage just for water users. 

Warning: I am advised by a local that it is advisable to lock the dinghy too something if possible and the engine to the dinghy.

A day off of a neap tide I might have made it close to low tide but especially in an inflatable it is best to be on the safe side, some abandoned metal work could easily cause a lot of damage and a helpful tidal stream is usually to be welcomed. 

The red circle bottom right marks Sancerre on
the pontoon.

It was sad to see a lot of abandoned and neglected boats on the river approaching Truro, I guess the moorings are free or cheap or they would most likely have been moved, it is surprising to some how many boats can be had, if you have the contacts, around the Solent for £1 to get them off the owner's hands saving mooring or storage costs, when I was ashore at Deacon's in July there were at least two such boats undergoing restoration by their new owners.

Tesco's on the left, landing steps opposite the motor boat
which is moored by the Harbour Master's office.

I almost made it back in one, but ran out of fuel about 300 yards short, necessitating a quick refill from the can and I made it back before the rain came again. Quite a long trip in the dinghy which did my arthritis no good, but I was now well supplied with fresh food, so it was curry night with fresh ingredients.

The slide show covers the trip there and back.

c 6 miles in a couple of hours.

Stuck in the Truro River.