Plymouth trip 3rd-5th June 2011 – report by Kath Liddiard

Trip on Pantalaimon, Bavaria 36, chartered from Liberty Yachts, Plymouth

Crew: Sue Fowle, Bob Hayes, Jane Jenkyn and Kath Liddiard, Bill Thomas (Skipper) and Sarah Williamson

The crew dealt with the inventory check, in the absence of the Skipper, who was held up on the M5 outside Exeter. He finished off the handover on arrival, which was completed by 1830 – allowing Liberty’s Simon Beeby to get away for his weekend sail to France. As it was nearly the top of the tide, we decided to sail over to the Yealm River and moor there for the night.

The sun was shining and there was a gentle South Westerly breeze, so we hoisted the sails and sailed close hauled out of the Eastern entrance of Plymouth Sound. Unfortunately, by the Mewstone, the wind headed us and died, so we motored on round to the Yealm. Kath was in charge of the pilotage and took us in over the bar, where we had 4+ metres of water under the keel. The visitors’ pontoon on the Noss Mayo side had a number of boats rafted up and although there was a gap, on the landward side, it wasn’t large enough to squeeze into. There was a mooring buoy available on the seaward side and we picked that up and enjoyed Jane’s delicious Fish Pie, which had been heating up on the way over.

As we were on high water at the top of springs, we looked carefully at the tide tables and calculated that there would be sufficient water at low water – 0200. The skipper checked and the depth was as per the calculation! The mooring was, as the Harbour Master confirmed next morning (when he charged us £16.50 fees), a bit on the small side for Pantalaimon, but all the yachts swung together when the tide changed and we enjoyed a quiet night.

Next morning, there was a good breeze blowing down the river. We had a good breakfast and motored out, over the Bar and hoisted the sails out in the Bay. We rounded the Mewstone and set a course for Fowey, on a broad reach. We seemed to be travelling well, but the log was reading only 3.5 knots. Kath, Sarah and Sue were taking fixes and marking up the chart, but it became evident that the log was under reading. When we got to Polperro, we used the measured mile to establish what was happening and the log recorded 0.6 nm.

The wind had gone around to the South West and then West and decreased. We hove to for lunch and then after lunch the wind died away completely and we motored the last hour or so to Fowey. Although we arrived at 1500, (threading our way through a very competitive race of Troy One Designs – all flying their spinnakers) the visitors’ buoys on the Polruan side were all taken. We radioed the Harbour Master and he advised us to raft up alongside something suitable. After being rejected once (which was just as well as they had 2 yappy dogs), we rafted up with a very handsome Najad 38. Bob had brought a bottle of gin and some tonic with him, so for the 2nd evening, we had a very civilised pre-prandial drink, in the sunshine. We then went ashore, on the water taxi and had an excellent meal in the Royal Fowey Yacht Club.

Sunday morning was overcast and the wind was light and variable. We had breakfast and slipped at 0900. We had decided to go round into St Austell Bay and have a look at Charlestown – the home of Squaresail, who run 3 traditional square-riggers from there. We went in close enough to check that there were no big sailing ships alongside, When we turned to come back up to the Cannis Rock cardinal, the wind filled in from the South and we were able to sail close hauled, past the 3 mussel farms in the middle of the Bay. We were able to sail for an hour or so and then motorsailed for a little while when the wind went light. More bearings and fixes were taken. We were able to sail again (slowly) for about an hour until 1230, just due South of Udder Rock, when the wind died away and we motored back to QAB, where we were alongside at 1640, having queued up to fuel at the fuel pontoon. Thanks to all the crew for their enthusiasm and bringing fish pie, home grown fruit, home made cakes and other goodies - a quiet (at least as far as the weather was concerned) but most enjoyable and well-fed weekend.