Sailing with Tim Sandford on “Dehelerious  ” – report by John Robinson.

Dave Lloyd and I had planned to join Tim and Sarah on their boat Dehelerious to take part in the L’Aber W’rach race from the Helford River across to Brittany.

Dehelerious is moored on the Hamble, and Tim and Sarah had spent the week bashing up the coast, aiming to arrive in Falmouth on the Thursday to do the race on the Friday 27th  . The weather had been miserable with the wind on the nose, and it was all turning into a bit of a slog rather than an enjoyable 2 week holiday, so they decided not to do the race, and to just have a leisurely cruise back to the Solent after a bit of exploring round Plymouth. Dave and I joined them on the Friday evening, and as it was such a horrible wet evening, we went to the Dolphin to cheer ourselves up.

The next day we sailed out of Plymouth to head for Fowey, but decided against that, and went up the Yealm to have brunch. We negotiated the bar across the mouth of the estuary following the transits on the east side of the bay, then up into this delightful sheltered haven, with the woods coming down to the shore, and herons and the occasional fish jumping. We decided to head for Salcombe, aided by a south westerly breeze, and arrived in the early evening. Went ashore and had beer and food, and got the ferry back to the boat which was moored on a pontoon in the “Bag” (£18)

Next day we sailed back to Plymouth, making good time, and arriving at Mountbatten at 1 pm-ish. Went to the pub for lunch, and then came home. Lovely sailing on one of the best weekends so far this summer.