11th August 2014 - The Fal, Helford and back to Plymouth

Living in the UK at anchor with a dog and a toddler - what can possibly go wrong?!
Jeff
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11th August 2014 - The Fal, Helford and back to Plymouth

Post by Jeff »

Been a busy few weeks!

We left Mevagissey and anchored at Turnaware to shelter from the storm, then tootled around the Fal before spending a week in the Helford, then back to the Fal for a while prior to a return to Plymouth via Fowey and Cawsand. I write this at anchor in Barn Pool, Plymouth Sound after spending two lovely nights up river sheltering from the tail end of hurricane Bertha.

We've called in for overnights and trips ashore at/from:

River Fal:
St Mawes
St Just in Roseland
Trelissick House (Channals Creek)
Trefusis Point (near Flushing)
Falmouth
Restronguet (anchored off the Pandora Inn for a quick trip ashore for a pint)

Helford:
Durgan (anchored here)
Helford (rowed here)
Helford Passage (rowed/walked here repeatedly)
Frenchman's Creek (rowed to it, then up it)

Other:
Looe (anchored off for a couple of hours to visit a friend)
Cawsand (stopped here two nights after coming from Fowey via Looe)
Barn Pool (stopped here before hurricane Bertha)
Up The Tamar

We've had super weather apart from the last few days, but shelter up the river Tamar was good and we made the best of it by going to the National Trust property up at Cotehele - a considerable way up the river which can only be done by timing the tides right. We also motored up beyond Calstock for a look about. Nice.

Helford and the Fal were excellent and the water's warm enough now that swimming in the sea without wetsuit is very pleasurable. I think we've seen record sea temperatures.

Everything's gone very very smoothly so there's not much to write about really. We've anchored every night apart from our one night in Fowey (£24.60!) and the only other time we've had to pay to park was at Turnaware Point - £5 for the night. Oh no, just remembered, we did a night on the pontoons in Falmouth because we needed to hire a car to head to Torquay for a baby scan (routine, all well).

We've sailed off the anchor, and anchored under sail, a few times now. Finally getting to really know the boat.

So stats on overnight moorings to date are approx:
105 nights total
6 nights on a pontoon in Darmouth (£64.80)
1 night on a pontoon in Falmouth (£29.00)
1 night on a buoy in Fowey (£24.60)
97 nights at anchor (£5)
Total cost: £123.40
Average nightly cost: £1.18

We're staying in Plymouth Sound now for at least three nights as it's the UK firework competition tomorrow and Wednesday. Three teams compete each night for the prize of best UK firework display team. They really push the boat out. I love it. The locals all head out into the sound to watch, and all toot their horns in appreciation. I'm quite excited.

Some photos from the last few weeks...

Bathtime
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St Just in Roseland Sunset - Magical place all round - the church/churchyard is very special
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Frenchman's Creek - Helford River - Nina unimpressed
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Anchored off Falmouth (short stay) to get gas
Incidentally - for those keen to save a few £ - if you anchor off Falmouth, or pick up one of their green buoys, and row to the marina pontoon, and don't stay the night, you can pay their short stay fee, which is charged at £0.50 per meter length of the vessel on the pontoon. Which is your tender! So we paid £2.50. This gives you access to their taps, their bins, their loos and showers and their laundry. It's also full access to good shops and takeaways. The burrito takeaway is now a favourite - right near the quay.
Image

Mothballed Ships Up The Fal
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Fowey Town Short Stay Pontoon (to fill up with water)
Image

Anchored Off Looe
Our crazy friend James just visible under the water
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Us In Looe - Towser In Background
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Sailing: Looe to Cawsand
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Lunar Surprised. Near collision with a local boat in Plymouth Sound. Don't think we damaged it _too_ much.
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Tamar Bridges Near Saltash
One of the few places to be able to easily go ashore to decent shops in the whole of Plymouth Sound and surrounding area, surprisingly, unless you pay to go in a marina of some sort.
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Anchored At Cotehele
Busy due to Cotehele being the end point of a large gig race that day (The Tamar Challenge).
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Above Calstock, Looking at Calstock
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Touching The Mud (just) at Low Water Springs, High Up The Tamar
While avoiding hurricane Bertha and while Rose cooked an awesome Sunday lunch.
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Yorkshires Up The Tamar!
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Lunar Sniffing Bertha
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Full Moon - Anchored North of Saltash
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

PS. Found us on the Tamar Bridges web cam - can you see us down there?

Image
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Discus
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Post by Discus »

Excellent stuff!. I have corrected one of your photo captions for you.......

<a href="http://s1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag2 ... 2492ee.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag2 ... 2492ee.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos"></a>

Luna admires the fine lines of a lovely local Tradewind.....and reports back that yes indeed it does have an anchor but doesn't seem to have had much use!


Cheeky monkeys you Towser lot :lol:
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Hehe.

Beautiful boat you have!

:D
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Discus
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Post by Discus »

Snap!

Has Luna had a clip? She looks a bit, well, clipped!

The picture had us both laughing - after I worked out it looked a bit like ours.

Cunningly hidden amongst the other shots!


:P
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

:)

She's lost a lot of hair due I suppose to the weather. Dustpan and brush nearly worn out! No canine coiffure involvement.

I have other pics of your vessel including Some with it in focus. Will post when I get 5.
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Jim
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Post by Jim »

Super photos again Jeff

You did the right thing by staying outside Looe as there is hardly any room in there , besides drying out at LW. The only 'visitors'
accommodation is alongside a rough stone wall at the 'scrubbing off berth. and if you occidentally chugged past it you'd find things very
confined and not much room to turn around.
OK for my tiny boat as I can go under the little stone bridge and unship the mast in a moment to get under it.
All is peaceful perfection beyond the bridge - hardly any boats, no one to collect money, plenty of space and scenic.

Impressed by you going up the Tamar beyond Calstock Did you anchor there or borrow a buoy? Not many big boats get beyond
Weir Quay, it's really just for us tiddlers .

Best

Paradox Jim
Terry T
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Post by Terry T »

Jim wrote:Super photos again Jeff

You did the right thing by staying outside Looe as there is hardly any room in there , besides drying out at LW. The only 'visitors'
accommodation is alongside a rough stone wall at the 'scrubbing off berth. and if you occidentally chugged past it you'd find things very
confined and not much room to turn around.
OK for my tiny boat as I can go under the little stone bridge and unship the mast in a moment to get under it.
All is peaceful perfection beyond the bridge - hardly any boats, no one to collect money, plenty of space and scenic.

Impressed by you going up the Tamar beyond Calstock Did you anchor there or borrow a buoy? Not many big boats get beyond
Weir Quay, it's really just for us tiddlers .

Best

Paradox Jim
K
HimJim
The visitors berths are before the scrubbing grid on the port side . There are now excellent new showers and toilets . There is also a mini mart and a good traditional pub within a 100yards from the quay . As an ex Looe boy well worth a visit IMHO . There are hefty new wood piles for boat protectionand the river bed is hard sand .
As you say Jim a dinghy trip up the West Looe River to watergate (and beyond if the tide is right)is not to be missed. Plenty of places for a stop off for a BBQ too.
BTW Jim trawlers turn all the time in the higher part of the harbour off the fish quay . The down side is the tide runs at 4-5 knots at springs !! :o

Regards

Terry
Jim
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Post by Jim »

Thanks Terry.

.When I last went in there it was with the very early flood on a spring tide, which carried me up river at a good speed - almost too much speed for me to get my bearings and work out where to moor. I did consider going alongside the quay just downstream of the scrubbing platform but couldn't really see how I could tie up there as the top of the quayside seemed very much higher than I could ever be able to reach.with ropes . I thought of going onto the concrete platform and using the nice steps there to get ashore, but couldn't work out how I could get back down to the little boat again after moving her along a few yards down river.

So gave up with that plan and lay to an empty mooring buoy for a while to give me time to work out what to do next. I noted a small pontoon on the eastern side just below the stone bridge and considered asking permission to go there but thought later that I wouldn't be welcome as it was sure to be reserved for a local boat.
The little harbour seemed very crowded to my eyes and those upside down table things - for keeping boats level as they dry out - are intimidating to a stranger

I can unstep my mast in a minute so that's what I did. Sculled under tghe bridge and sculled /drifted on with the rising tide- with the bottom scraping the sand, past the police station and the railway station and onwards into the wilds. Had a brilliant night.

Is there a feasible passage for a small boat to go between the mainland and Looe Island and anchor there in good weather?

Paradox Jim
Terry T
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Post by Terry T »

Jim wrote:Thanks Terry.

.When I last went in there it was with the very early flood on a spring tide, which carried me up river at a good speed - almost too much speed for me to get my bearings and work out where to moor. I did consider going alongside the quay just downstream of the scrubbing platform but couldn't really see how I could tie up there as the top of the quayside seemed very much higher than I could ever be able to reach.with ropes . I thought of going onto the concrete platform and using the nice steps there to get ashore, but couldn't work out how I could get back down to the little boat again after moving her along a few yards down river.

So gave up with that plan and lay to an empty mooring buoy for a while to give me time to work out what to do next. I noted a small pontoon on the eastern side just below the stone bridge and considered asking permission to go there but thought later that I wouldn't be welcome as it was sure to be reserved for a local boat.
The little harbour seemed very crowded to my eyes and those upside down table things - for keeping boats level as they dry out - are intimidating to a stranger

I can unstep my mast in a minute so that's what I did. Sculled under tghe bridge and sculled /drifted on with the rising tide- with the bottom scraping the sand, past the police station and the railway station and onwards into the wilds. Had a brilliant night.

Is there a feasible passage for a small boat to go between the mainland and Looe Island and anchor there in good weather?

Paradox Jim
Hi Jim

I had an "up turned table" :lol: for my yacht ,locally called a cradle :wink:

Seems you went up the East Looe rivers Jim
, not half as pretty as the West Looe river combination of woods and fields .

There is plenty of water between the island and the mainland at half tide . Keep to the island side rather than the land side . Usually the water is crystal clear . If I could leave my mooring ,which was on the first row down stream of the bridge, then there was always enough water in what is locally call island roads .
The best anchorage by the island is to the east of the island beach (on the north side )
Hope it helps Jim . Let me know if I can be of any further help .
Regards
Terry
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Thanks Jim!

We only drifted about a bit above calstock. Didn't stop there at all. Just literally went up for a look after visiting cotehele, while waiting for the incoming tide to slow, rather than bash down against it.

Did wonder about overnighting at anchor off the island off looe, where you describe terry looked pretty sheltered despite some swell coming in from the west.
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Post by Terry T »

Jeff wrote:Thanks Jim!

We only drifted about a bit above calstock. Didn't stop there at all. Just literally went up for a look after visiting cotehele, while waiting for the incoming tide to slow, rather than bash down against it.

Did wonder about overnighting at anchor off the island off looe, where you describe terry looked pretty sheltered despite some swell coming in from the west.
Hi Jeff

Did you overnight at cotehele ? Just for info the boatyard at calstock has deep water visitors moorings . If you phone before going and give eta they will meet you and do all the yucky rope work for you . Very helpful bunch .

Looe bay just off the beach is excellent holding . No need to anchor out past the headland to the west . The fishing boats in the dim and distant past and present mass there if the tide is out on their return from the grounds . Don't bother if there is any east or SE in the forecast though. The harbour master is very helpful but Looe sadly lacks visitor dinghy moorings or landing and no dogs allowed on the beach may to sept . If you do visit again best place to land in a dinghy is "little beach" which is just inside the river at the end of the banjo pier but not near the lifeboat slip .Hope this helps anyone thinking a visit. Sadly the place is bypassed by most sailors going up and down the channel cos it's a bit of a detour from Rame to Fowey/dolman .

Does your friend live in Looe?. .

Regards

Terry
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Post by Jeff »

Hi terry.

No. We thought about it but the charted hole just downriver of it seems to have lost some of its depth.

Calstock visitor moorings good to know for an emergency but I have an allergy to spending money on moorings! :)

Good info re looe. We rowed in and asked a fisherman where to leave the dinghy and were advised to tie it to the wall and climb a ladder. I dropped off r and n and did as directed. James is now living in looe yes. Working in a local foodery.
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Post by Terry T »

Jeff wrote:Hi terry.

No. We thought about it but the charted hole just downriver of it seems to have lost some of its depth.

Calstock visitor moorings good to know for an emergency but I have an allergy to spending money on moorings! :)

Good info re looe. We rowed in and asked a fisherman where to leave the dinghy and were advised to tie it to the wall and climb a ladder. I dropped off r and n and did as directed. James is now living in looe yes. Working in a local foodery.
The allergy ........ Ah yes forgot about that :lol:

It's a nice place to live we lived two minutes from the boat mooring and had several " free" moorings above the bridge from my dear friend who owned the boatyard just above the bridge. Sadly he has now retired and his idiot boy has taken over the reigns .

You should have drifted up the west Looe river (that's taking a left just passed the boatyard keeping trenant cottage and it's little jetty ,under the trees to stbd)with the tide you would have been spell bound it's very very pretty.

Regards

Terry
Jim
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Post by Jim »

It's great to have a local with expert knowledge here, thanks Terry.
Looe.
I saw the 'little beach' as I drifted in with the rising tide. Lots of youngsters launching their racing boats there. Thought of landing there but was sure that I'd be in the way if I left the boat and besides I'm very fond of piece and quiet. Not bad where I ended up - near the railway line in open country... I'.m like Jeff as I dislike having to pay and be gawped at a public quay...much prefer to anchor up a remote creek in solitude.. Next time I'll try where you suggest up the west side of the river. I do land for a stroll when I can get to a firm beach but only go alongside a pontoon normally when I 'have' to get ashore for shopping etc.

Sadly I don't have a large scale chart of the Looe area. Not included in the 'folio' of charts for the Cornish coast that I bought donkeys ago as -like you say - it's not on the usual 'yachting' itinerary.
The channel between the island and the mainland. Does it dry out to clean sand?

Calstock.
Ok if you don't need to land for some reason. The landing stages all have bugg#r off/ no landing here notices, but I've used the inside of the tripper boat landing stage to get ashore to the village shop without anyone jumping on me. The foreshore is very soft mud/ooze...;-).
.Anchoring. . The noise from the village pub near the waterside is unbelievable, but I've spent a night at anchor a 1/2 mile upstream of there. Not too bad but the tide at springs runs very fast which makes my little boat swing about a bit.

Best

Paradox Jim
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