Our aim is to get to Padstow and go straight in without anchoring – the wind and waves are not right for anchoring anyway.
We started at 0600 from Newlyn to get the other side of Lands End with the tide, and pick up the tide going up the north Cornish coast. Positive tide did not run out until well past St Ives. This gave us a problem later as we approached Padstow too quickly! With high water at midnight in Padstow, our earliest approach up the Camel was 2130. In then end we hove to a couple of times around Trevose Head and delayed our entry to Padstow Bay until 2100.
This gave us the best dolphin sighting of the trip. A whole pod crossed our path
With Wendy on board we set off for Falmouth. Conditions were good for sailing out of Plymouth and we sailed well with one reef in the main to Dodman Point.
At Dodman, we put the second reef in. Later near St Anthony Head we developed an engine problem – it stopped and after we restarted it it was clear there was only a small amount of cooling water in the exhaust. Conditions were not suitable for further checks at sea, so we stopped the engine again and made our way for the relative shelter of St Mawes Bay.
As we were debating what to do, we were fortunate to encounter the harbour master in his launch. He was looking for the ‘yacht with an engine problem’. We told him it was not us, but as it happened we did have an engine problem. He arranged for another yacht to take us in tow to Pendennis.
RYA training yacht ‘Orca’ turned up (at speed) and took us in tow line astern; switching to alongside tow behind the shelter of the Queens jetty in Falmouth Dock. Finally landing us on the Port Pendennis outer pontoon – exactly where the berthing master had originally allocated us!
We are very grateful to the skipper and crew (two day skipper and two competent crew candidates) of our rescue boat.
After a couple of nights on the outer pontoon at Pendennis, we decided that the weather was not good enough to move on. The port moved us to their lovely sheltered inner to wait until the weekend.
11 July 2024
We took the ferry over to St Mawes for the day.
12 July 2024
In preparation for the trip to Newlyn tomorrow, we have moved back to the outer pontoons at Port Pendennis. The berthing master got us into a remarkably tight space! We celebrated with another pasty for lunch – this is Cornwall!
We made an early start to get around Start Point and Bolt Head with the tide, as the wind was against us.
Start Bay was calm and there was little wind, however it was ‘on the nose’ after that into Plymouth. We put in a few tacks and motor sailed mostly. We arrived in Plymouth Sound (passed the breakwater) at 1225.
We are now back in the Mayflower marina waiting for the next crew and better weather!
6 July 2024
Kate and Simon are on the boat this weekend, so we went for a blast (the wind was fresh) around the sound, and then up to the bridges and back.
We waited for the perfect tide around the Bill for our return across Lyme Bay. This was an early start, and in calm water we were able to take the inside passage and full advantage of the tide.
Another glorious day for our passage to Portland. We arrived by the end of the afternoon, and we will wait here until the tide and weather are both good for Lyme Bay.
25 June 2024
Jo took the train back to Bristol to take our cat from the cattery to the vet for her monthly arthritis injection. I stayed to do boat jobs. We were treated to a glorious Portland sunrise and sunset today.
See our gallery of Molia sunrise and sunsets here.
We left Lymington mid-morning as there is no way of avoiding the tide-against in the Solent today. It does not really matter; it is a short leg to Gosport where we will moor in the Haslar Marina for a few days (this is a sister boatfolk marina to our home port – Portishead).
Molia tied up in Haslar Marina. Good facilities and a short walk to the Portsmouth ferry.
Next stop on our eastwards voyage is Lymington. We have not been here before either; just to catch the car ferry to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.
The channel into Lymington is well marked, and we stop in the first marina: Lymington Yacht Haven. This is a small distance out of town, but it has good facilities including an on-site chandlery that also sells beer, bread and milk.
After some wet and windy days in Portland, sailing weather has been restored, and we are off on an exploration eastwards to the Solent. First stop is Poole – we have not been here by boat before.
We had to skirt the army firing range (just east of Lulworth Cove) with a small diversion south to 50 degrees 34 minutes. They were using the smaller northern part of the D026 range (see your chart).
Jo is a big fan of Old Harry’s Rocks off Studland. She spent childhood holidays in Swanage nearby.
The narrow entrance to Poole harbour has a strong current at peak tide flow and comes complete with a chain ferry to dodge! However it is by no means as fierce as it sounds; and the channel is excellently marked.
Molia tied up in Poole Quay Boat Haven which is located right on the town quay in Poole.
The Custom House restaurant (slightly west of the marina) is highly recommended.
