It's not been a great September. The Hickling Broad rally had to be cancelled due to a poor forecast. The diary dictates that October may well not be any better. This weekend had the potential to be a mini-cruise but yesterday's weather destroyed that prospect. So, today's sail was just a token of what might have been.
As wild as conditions were 24 hours previously, today they were almost benign. I had to row out of Whitwell Creek before there was any sense of a breath of wind. But then things picked up for a pleasant, if slow sail up the northern arm of the water.
5.5nm
So, it could well be that this is the last sail before mid November - but we'll have to see what opportunities open up.
Ten participating boats:
Coasters: Daisy II, Dewiniaeth, Kathleen
Dabbers: Lily, Teal, Bob'n'Annie, Blue Teal
Luggers: Rita May, Petrel
BC23: Kestrel
White track, Friday 31st August (12.0nm); Red track, Saturday 1st Sept (13.2nm); White track, Sunday 2nd (10.2nm); Total track length: 40.0nm
Friday 31st August - trip from River Orwell to Titchmarsh Marina, Walton Backwaters
Just because it was possible, I decided to launch over in the Orwell. Part of the fun of the Walton Backwaters is the trip across Dovercourt Bay over to the Walton Backwaters. Unfortunately, I hadn't planned the tides very carefully and ended up motoring against the flood down the Orwell and, once in the Backwaters, against the ebb up the Walton Channel. Still, it was a splendid sail across the bay from Harwich.
12.0nm
Saturday 1st September - cruising in the Backwaters, trip to Beaumont Quay
Daisy II leaving Titchmarsh Marina (courtesy of J. Peal)
Today, we left Titchmarsh soon after LW at 11am. Winds were SE F3/4. Sailing against the new flood out of the Walton Channel, we picked up the flood into Hamford Water. After a bit of to and fro', we reached Landermere Quay, anchoring for lunch.
Dabbers amongst us helped those that could to reach the historic Beaumont Quay, the western most point of the navigation.
Afterwards, with some flood still left, we sailed back down Landermere Creek, into Kirby Creek and across Horsey Mere, succeeding in crossing The Wade around HW at 4pm.
Bob'n'Annie in Hamford Water
Kestrel slipping along gracefully
Dewinaeth and Petrel
Blue Teal
Petrel
Bob'n'Annie
Kathleen
Dabbers moored at Beaumont Quay
Lily taking to oar-power
Beaumont Quay - stones laid in the 1820s, recycled from the old London Bridge
Drascombes departing Landermere Creek
Dewinaeth
Bob'n'Annie
Blue Teal and Bob'n'Annie
Blue Teal leans into Kirby Creek!
Kestrel and Dewinaeth in Kirby Creek
Dewinaeth
Bob'n'Annie
Lily
13.2nm
Sunday 2nd September - lunch at Stone Point; departures...
Rita-Mae
Today, a slightly reduced fleet repeated our trip along the Walton Channel, having another play in Hamford Water, before pulling up at Stone Point for lunch. Thereafter, the fleet departed its various ways, some back to Titchmarsh, others back to the Orwell.
Launching fees: £0 - using the excellent public facilities at Mount Batten, Plymouth
Car and trailer parking: £0 - on street parking
Marina berthing fees: £0 - why bother when you can spend seven nights in free anchorages?
This is my brand of cruising, and proves that boating doesn't have to be expensive. Anchoring isn't difficult and, in Drascombes which can take the ground, can be flexible and peaceful. I find it works best to avoid the 'known' anchorages since, what the guidebooks really mean is somewhere for a deep keeled boat to avoid grounding. Look for somewhere close in to shore, with a reasonably flat, non-rocky sea bed. Arriving at low tide helps one appreciate the lie of the land in this respect. In this way, one can find real seclusion.
Day 1: Plymouth to Salcombe
I actually trailed down the previous evening, slept aboard on the trailer on the road adjacent to the slipway and then launched early the next morning. Apparently, this slip can get very busy, and the 'free' parking can be difficult to find at such times. There were no such problems at 7am on a Tuesday morning. I did pop back the following Sunday just to check the car and trailer were still there, and the free parking was all being used. If you like, there is the option of paying to park on Mount Batten Centre land, but this is costly at £10 per day (£5 for car, same for trailer) and the car park looks no less secure than the open road.
There is a choice of two slipways, and both look good - the wider one looks good for all tide usage.
After launching, I popped over to Barn Pool to anchor for breakfast.
Breakfast at Barn Pool
It was just after HW, and there had been gales over the previous few days so, despite winds being light and southerly, there was a punishing swell beyond the Plymouth breakwater -in fact, seas were breaking over the breakwater. As ever, photos don't do it justice, but it was a bumpy trip, mostly with the tidal flow up to Salcombe. Initially, I was tempted to turn back and wait for promised better weather later in the week, but was glad to stick with it, rewarded by a challenging sail and much relief once I'd rounded some very confused tidal races off Bolt Head, anchoring in the relative comfort of Starehole Bay for a late lunch at low water.
Great Mew Stone looks untroubled and the camera does a good job of flattening the sizeable swell.
Anchored for lunch in Starehole Bay.
After lunch, a comfortable sail over Salcombe bar into the harbour brought back memories of a previous holiday here over a decade previously. I found a safe holding anchorage, waiting for the tide, off Halwell Point at the end of the main Salcombe moorings.
I was waiting for sufficient water to take me further upstream to Kingsbridge. The reward was a lovely quiet anchorage on a falling tide - Daisy II dried out on seaweed and all was still until the tide returned the following morning for breakfast!
Perfect evening anchorage, drying out overnight, opposite the lights of Kingsbridge
28.5nm
Day 2: Salcombe to Dart
The swell hadn't diminished overnight. In fact, winds the previous afternoon seemed to have whipped up the seas even more and, again, I was tempted to give in but persisted. Once beyond Prawle Point, I felt comfortable setting sail in F4 southerly winds. The promised tidal races off Start Point, intriguingly, hadn't yet set in and, having given it a wide berth, I followed a catamaran across the projected position of these races into the welcome comfort and shelter of Start Bay for a very pleasant run along some splendid shoreline along to the River Dart.
Again, the camera has flattened some challenging seas off Start Point.
Entrance to the River Dart
Kingswear Castle guarding the eastern shoreline of the entrance to the River Dart...
...and Dartmouth Castle guarding the opposite shoreline
Dartmouth is an impressive and busy place for mariners. I motored carefully through the initial parts of the harbour, picking a safe passage amongst the many chartered boats and ferries. I was aiming for a known anchorage just off Dittisham Mill Creek and, tired from previous exertions, was content to stop there mid-afternoon into the evening, remaining afloat.
25.9nm
Day 3: Exploring Dart and return trip to Tor Bay
The trip upstream to Totnes was charming, if windless. Totnes is something of a pilgrimage for Daisy II marking her return to the site of the factory at which she was built in 1997. The factory has long since disappeared since the demise of the old Honnor Marine business in that same year. I understand the original factory was somewhere on the bank beyond the ferry in the picture below.
Public moorings at Totnes. Daisy II was 'born' here 21 years ago...
Totnes is a charming place, not least since there are free moorings close to the town centre. This was a welcome opportunity to restock the ship's larder at a nearby supermarket, and also to make use of an independent deli, filled with all sorts of treats.
Leaving Totnes behind, the next stage in the voyage involved a splendid sail, in a southerly breeze, round the Mew Stone, marking the eastern entrance to the Dart, along the coast to Tor Bay and the 'English Riviera'.
East Blackstone marking the turn of the coast NE to Berry Head
Berry Head and the entrance to Tor Bay.
Whilst in Tor Bay, winds shifted to an easterly direction, which would have made for uncomfortable anchoring. So, after a brief glide past Brixham and Paignton, the decision was made fire up the engine and return to The Dart for the night.
Mew Stone on the return to the River Dart
Dried out for the night off Gurrow Point
37.7nm
Day 4: Dart to Salcombe
Bow Creek, which has a handy pub with moorings - not utilised on this trip but noted for future
HW was later in the morning, so it was good to explore further the upper reaches of the Dart, before taking the ebb downstream and out into Start Bay.
Delightful shoreline shapes in Start Bay
Afternoon anchorage off Slapton Sands
The return to Salcombe involved close encounters with sea mist, and with the Black Stone off Start Point, on which I managed to scrape the centreplate. Another near miss... Once back in Salcombe, I returned to the previous anchorage on the shoreline opposite Kingsbridge.
36.2nm
Day 5: Salcombe to River Yealm
Day 5 began with an incoming tide, and the opportunity once again to explore the upper reaches of an estuary. So, Frogmore Creek beckoned. It's another creek at the end of which ought to be a pub but no evidence was seen. Row/sailing was employed with the ebb when returning to the main channel of the estuary, including a pleasant beat along the reach up to Halwell Point. At this point, the wind was shielded by the hills around the estuary, so engine was deployed to begin the long trip round Bolt Head and back down the coast to the Plymouth area.
Craggy rocks guarding the western entrance to Salcombe Harbour
The seas, for the return trip to the Plymouth area, were much calmer. Gone was the residual swell from previous storms. Unfortunately, gone also was the wind altogether and the outboard was deployed rather more frequently than would have been wished.
Intriguing caves on the shoreline between Bolt Head and Bolt Tail.
Hope Cove - memories of previous beach holidays here...
Burgh Island
The target was to reach the River Yealm - a delightful smaller estuary, almost entirely devoted to leisure boating.
Entrance to the River Yealm. The white triangular navigational markers evident, mid picture, amongst the trees help sailors navigate a passage avoiding the sand bar which stretches from the northern shore across a substantial part of the entrance.
The River Yealm is another absolute delight. I found a covenient evening anchorage to dry out in mud off Shortaflete Creek.
27.1nm
Day 6: Rivers Yealm to Lynher
The first job today was to explore the delightful River Yealm.
Public pontoon with facilities on the River Yealm. The harbourmaster was happy for me to stop here for 20 minutes, which was handy, amongst other things, for recharging my water supplies.
It was pleasing, today, to return to Plymouth and explore this wonderful estuary prior to pulling out. Working my way round the Great Mew Stone I had intended to explore Cawsand Bay on the western side of the breakwater. However, a good F4 south easterly made a lunchtime anchorage on the other side a more sensible proposition.
Passing through the eastern channel, I could see plenty of yachts anchored in Jennycliff Bay, and as I headed towards them, I was hailed over the VHF by the skipper of Drifter 22 Puffin, who had initially advised me on sensible launching locations for this trip. I pulled up alongside for lunch and a pleasant chat.
It was then time to part company. Initially, I wanted to check that the car and traiiler were still ok, having been abandoned six days earlier in a public place. Fortunately all was fine.
The public jetty at Mount Batten makes a very convenient place to go ashore for short periods. Pulling up on the inside, here, one avoids the regular ferry running between here and other parts of Plymouth.
The next area to explore was the Hamoaze area, taking a good look at the extensive naval facilities at Devonport.
In the foreground, a submarine is moored. We don't see many of those on the east coast! Interesting to note the depths just off Barn Pool on the entrance to Hamoaze which are in excess of thirty metres.
Finally, I headed up the Lynher River for another delightful anchorage in the lea of Ince Castle.
23.3nm
Day 7: River Tamar, then return home
The plan, today, was to head as far up the River Tamar as tides would allow. In the event, whilst the tide was favourable, winds were very light and I indulged for rather too long at low speeds prior to resorting to the engine.
Still there were some splendid scenes, particularly of bridges.
Calstock is, I understand, well worth the trip but, in the event I only reached as far as Cotehele Quay which, nonetheless, made for a very pleasant lunch stop.
Cliffs off Weir Point, near Cargreen
Lunch stop at Cotehele Quay
After lunch, I encountered the coaster Dewinieth with its wonderful high peaked main sail. It looked a bit of a handful - not sure I'd want to be working with that much sail, but a real picture, nonetheless, and very effective at working upwind.
Coaster Dewinieth beating south towards the Tamar Bridge.
Fortunately, Dewinieth's skipper took some return pictures of Daisy II!
Finally, I worked my way back along the Hamoaze, before passing through the Drake Channel and returning to Mount Batten, and the long dive home.
28.3nm
Finally, a bit of video taken throughout the trip:
This is a log of sailing activities aboard Daisy II, a 22ft Drascombe Coaster No.280. Formerly named Aquarius, she was built in July 1997 by Honnor Marine(UK) Ltd of Totnes, Devon. The original Daisy, a Devon Lugger, was purchased in 2005 following an unexpectedly early opportunity to realise a mid-life crisis! Daisy II, with cabin, afforded more scope for overnight stops, and was purchased at the end of 2006.
For several seasons she was moored at Pin Mill on the River Orwell, Suffolk. More recently, the trailer sailing option, utilising a versatile ‘roller coaster’ road trailer, has extended the sailing range. Over the years, we have sailed from various locations off the south coast from Cornwall to Hampshire, a number of inland reservoirs and the Norfolk Broads. However, her key stamping ground is the east coast, usually based around the Harwich area and reaching destinations ranging from North Kent up to Southwold, whilst also launching on the North Norfolk coast at Wells next the Sea. Most recently, a trip from Harwich to Whitby has served only further to whet the appetite: perhaps, one day, Daisy II might complete her journey, in small stages of course, around the UK!
