Homeward Bound - but slowly!

We may not have made the Azores, as we had intended, but we have been to some fabulous places, eaten great food, met lovely people, and, after the ‘rain in Spain’, it’s been wall-to-wall sunshine.

When you escape from the Solent, sailing changes. No longer is there a mad panic to get to the marina just to get a berth. No longer do you hear the long-suffering Coastguard respond to yet another radio check. No longer are you constantly dodging ferries, coasters, power boats and yachts. Life slows down. Calm returns. Even nature seems more relaxed.

Certainly heading west from Dartmouth is cruising heaven. There are so many rivers, coves, and bays to explore, sometimes in the company of another cruising boat, often just with the locals. We made the most it. We stopped first in the tranquil Yealm, it’s halcyon waters reflecting all above. We too, shared it’s mood, and sipped a glass of wine.



We found ‘Tashana’ tied up mid-stream in Fowey, and gave David a cheery wave as we passed close by. He was there for Classic Week. We caught up with old sailing club friends Chris and Kathy, now living in Looe, and shared a meal whilst enjoying the sun setting on the river.



One of the joys of cruising is looking around the places you go to, enjoying the walks, views along the clifftops, and visiting the sites of times long past. Falmouth has a lovely atmosphere. It has it’s fair share of trendy seaside shops, but it has managed to keep it’s quaint and quirky local ones too. There’s also a healthy sprinkling of interesting galleries and shops all mixed in with the traditional local shops that you would expect in the high street.

Keeping a ‘watch’ on everything we do on the water is the Coastguard, and, whilst walking around the headland, past Pendennis Castle, it was good to find Falmouth Coastguard Operational Centre (CGOC) still perched on the cliff overlooking the sea and Carrick Roads unlike poor Solent Coastguard, the only National Maritime Operations Centre, who only see trees now they have been moved inland!



Time is running-out and soon we must turn East and head home. The Helford River is always a pleasure, but we slip out and head a few miles further south down the Lizard Peninsula, and drop the hook in Coverack Cove. The harbour clings to the rocks on the southside; it’s water draining out each low tide. Rocks are strewn around the tiny entrance, and many more litter the small beach, but in the cove the water is turquoise, and crystal clear. I watch as a cloud of sand puffs-up as the anchors drops the five meters to the sea floor.



The sun has just crept over the horizon to illuminate the bay. The chain rattles and the anchor resists leaving its soft sand bed. It’s time to turn East – to head homewards. As we leave the bay, the dolphins come to play…..

Farewell and Hello

We had enjoyed beautiful anchorages, and sailed the stunning, rugged, coasts of North and South Britanny. Sometimes we ghosted along in the merest of zephyrs, occasionally we sailed in a good breeze. We had anchored in secluded bays, in turquoise water, amongst tiny islets, and off wonderful beaches, in beautiful weather. At Audierne though, the clouds built-up and blotted out the stars. The night went dark, then the rain hit like a hail of bullets, the rigging sung to the wind, and we felt the anchor snatch repeatedly, lightning flashed, and thunder clapped, the thirty knot gusts swung the boat through 180⁰ and back again! Then, as quickly as it came, peace and quiet returned.

It had been a cracking week. Munch and Zoe, were always impatient to sail, and sail we did. Avocette’s sails were tweaked and cajoled to get every fraction of a knot out of the light winds as we headed back up the Channel du Four. In truth though, it was the engine that had to do most of it. Night fell as we passed L’Aber Wrac’h, and we counted off the many lighthouses on the Brittany Coast. Watches changed and the miles slipped by. Finally Guernsey hove into view. It was time for them to return home, their week at an end. Thanks guy’s, you’re welcome back anytime.

It’s always nice to hear from friends, and a txt ‘Do you need any crew?’ from Clive & Denise, saw us heading out early the next morning to catch the tide down to Jersey to meet them from the airport.



We woke to fog, and the clanking and grinding of cranes loading a coaster on the next dock, so slipped out of St Helier into the merk, and headed for the secluded bays, and car-free roads of Sark. There are four way’s of getting around Sark – walk, cycle, horse and cart, or tractor. Not able to hire bikes, or a horse and cart, in the secluded anchorage, we walked - then hitched a lift on a passing tractor!