Not the Alderney Crossing

An end of summer long weekend had been planned for several months. Loosely based on the old Starcross Fishing and Cruising Lads Trip where we would head for Alderney and if the weather and wind was good end up there, if not then end up somewhere.

Originally a crew of four, one had a better offer and decided he would sail another day, leaving the three of us.

Joe and I drove down on Thursday evening, called in for victuals and fuel then headed to the boat, grabbed a bite to eat and got some sleep.

Alex joined us on Friday morning and we set about passage planning and checking the boat.

Departure was planned for 1900 (UTC) just as the sun was setting, heading east to Prawle Point, then due east to the north east point of the Casquets Traffic Separation Scheme finally crossing the TSS and into Braye. A passage of about 100 nautical miles or 20 hours.

We slipped the pontoon and headed out into Millbay and started to raise the sails when the ship that was docked there announced her departure with a loud blast on her horn just as we were raising the mainsail, we hurried back into King Point to let ship get underway.

With the ship well out of the way we sorted out the main and headed for the breakwater.

Joe, Sandy and Alex departing Plymouth Sound. Credit: Alex Bowling

With the sun setting the crew picture was taken and we past the break water. I went below to start the passage log and was worried to see the battery monitor displaying 12.7 volts with a discharge rate of 0.5 amps with the engine running something was wrong with the electrical system; either batteries or alternator.

Sitting quietly at the navigation station I came to the decision to turn back as we had no way of recharging the batteries at Alderney as we would be on a swing mooring. Time to address the crew!

I climbed back on deck and explained the situation, Alex and Joe were disappointed but agreed with my decision. We turned the boat round and headed back to the marina.

My next challenge was a night berthing, with no wind in the marina no gelcoat was damaged and once tied up, plugged in and in the saloon we all poured a large drink.

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Alex Bowling, Joe North

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Weather: Issued by the Met Office at 19:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 6 Sep 2019

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: West 5 or 6, veering north and decreasing 4 for a time. Moderate, occasionally rough at first near Isles of Scilly, becoming slight, but smooth at times in Lyme Bay. Occasional rain then showers for a time, mainly fair later. Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: North 4 or 5, becoming variable 4 or less. Mostly slight. Fair. Good.

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Trip Stats: Distance: XX nm, Avg speed: X.XX knots, Max speed: X.XX knots, Under way: Xh XXm

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Mylor to Plymouth

After a lazy start to the day after tea and showers we did a radio check with the marina and cast off at 0930 UTC the wind blowing us off the pontoon, I do like it when it does that as it makes life a lot easier but I missed the channel out through the swing moorings so had to do a quick 360 turn round a boat, just to test the steering you understand.

We raised the main in a brisk F3 and headed down to St Anthony Head where we unfurled the genoa and headed out to sea. We were going to be spending the day sailing to windward with the tide against us.

Very quickly I realised that the hull was a lot smoother and on a beam reach we were getting up to hull speed, seven knots, without trying.

The sky was overcast and it was not as warm as the previous day so we added a few layers to tee shirts, I have this "ancient" Breton smock and it is brilliant at keeping the wind off while you do not get all hot and sticky as in some modern materials.

An enjoyable motor sail up the coast knowing we were sailing to windward and did not want to get in too late we motor sailed a fair bit, but for some reason we were going in the opposite direction to every other sailing vessel. This trip was to get Aphrodite back to her home berth in Plymouth. Everybody had wind and tide to their advantage and cracking along at great speed. I was very happy with the progress we were making.

Passing Dodman point I was quietly crossing my fingers and hoping the new impeller would hold, which it did, I really, really did not want a repeat of the westward journey. At least I knew where the spare impellers were.

Dodman does have a habit of being forever present along that part of the coast, it takes ages to get there, ages to pass and even longer while you see it over your shoulder.

A few miles of Rame Head I requested another radio check with the National Coastwatch Institute and was delighted that they could receive us and see us on AIS, the sparky at Mylor was a bit concerned about our antenna, but it is a Metz and connected differently to most.

Rame Head from the west. Credit Garry Lester

Turning into Plymouth Sound as it started to cool down we furled the genoa away and just of Asia buoy dropped the main. Just the "parking" to do and we would be back on our home berth.

With a following wind I turned the engine to neutral as we entered Millbay. With wind and tide we were doing just over two knots as we entered King Point, a hard starboard turn, then hard to port and another hard to port and we had arrived - Garry stepped onto the finger and attached the mooring warps. No gelcoat was damaged and no sudden bumps as we arrived at the berth.

It being almost 1900 UTC we tied up, plugged in the shore power and headed to the restaurant in the marina for a meal. Followed by a good sleep after all that sea air.

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Garry Lester

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Trip Stats: Distance: 49 nm, Avg speed: 4.90 knots, Max speed: 8.10 knots, Under way: 10 h 00 m

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Weather: Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore 07:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 3 Aug 2019 to 07:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 4 Aug 2019

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: East or southeast becoming variable, 3 or less, increasing 4 at times. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west. Showers, mainly in west. Moderate or good.

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Copper Coated and ready to go...

Leaving the boat for a month while the family went off and did some other things was interesting. As an engineer and active in the maintenance of the boat I like to know what is going on, with us in France while Aphrodite was worked on I was unable to see the progress and that was disappointing, but I knew it was the best use of time.

There had been a few emails and phone calls while the work progressed and all was in progressing as planned. On Wednesday 31/07/2019 I received an email to say all the work was completed, but due to the time of high water at Mylor Aphrodite was being launched at 0700 UTC and there was no way that Garry and I could get down for the launch.

The original plan was to get down to Mylor, inspect the hull, check the mast, do a modification to the windex then watch her being launched; not that I am paranoid but like to be present when the boat goes back in the water. Having watched one boat launched and slowly sink when the skipper failed to check all the through hulls! But that was not to be, time and tide wait for no man person.

I had arranged to meet Garry in town and drive down to Plymouth, from there to pick up the train and complete our journey to Mylor by taxi.

At Turo I picked up a message on the phone to say that Aphrodite had been launched, but they had spotted a leak. Sat on the train about half an hour from the boat with a message that did not give much information about where the leak was, what the ingress was like and unable to do anything until we got there was somewhat disconcerting. So disconcerting we missed the call for Penryn and only realised when we left the station heading for Falmouth. The train crew were very understanding and we sayed onboard for the return journey. Gathering my thoughts I call a local taxi company to be collected from the station.

We arrived at Mylor to see Aphrodite afloat, not in strops and looking good. Popped up to the office for a coffee and meet Spike for a handover and an update on the leak which was not as bad as I thought.

Having got on board we were shown a weeping seacock on the cooling water input and were happy to accept the boat as is.

The hard work started of getting boat back ready for sea, sails had to be bent on and after the usual mistake of winding the furling line the wrong way and having to drop the genoa and start again. After a couple of hours all was complete on the sail front and it was into the cabin to move everything to where is should be.

After a few hours thirsty work we adjourned to the bar for a well earn't pint of beer, dinner and a long catch up on a warm summer's evening.

Bow ready to be Copper Coated. Credit Mylor Marine Team

Bow Copper Coated. Credit Mylor Marine Team

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Garry Lester

Plymouth to Mylor and dry dock.

06/08/2019

The long-planned trip to take Aphrodite to Mylor so that the hull could have Copper Coat applied was at last here.

I collected Alex from Plymouth railway station at 1945 UTC and we headed off for a bite to eat before an 0700 UTC start in the morning. I'd not seen Alex since the trip from the Exe to Plymouth via Falmouth back at the end of April 2018 so we had lots of news to catch up on and finally got to our bunks at 2300 UTC.

The morning arrived faster than usual, we surfaced and headed for the showers, prepped the boat for sea and slipped the mooring at 0730 UTC with a slight breeze from the northwest. I was trailing a technique for single handed departure with a bow bridal and am convinced it will work with a bit of practice.

Once out in Millbay we raised the main and motor sailed out of the western entrance to the sound, several other yachts also making their way out and lots of small day boats with keen sea anglers already fishing. Sunshine and bright skies welcomed us and the vista of the Cornish coast lay before us.

Leaving the marina. Credit: Alex Bowling

With light winds we realised that today would be more of a motor sail rather than a sail and with a still badly fouled hull progress would be slower that usual. Looking back at the passage figures we lost, on average, a knot on this trip and the Eddystone Pursuit on the figures we were having last year with a freshly antifouled hull (even though it did look like the surface of the moon). Clearly the speed will improve with the hull being stripped of all the old antifoul and copper coat applied. There are other advantages about the change of antifouling, the primary one being I don't have to spend hours and hours antifouling the hull every year. A couple of scrubs a year should keep the hull clean and smooth.

We finally had enough wind about 1200 and turned the engine off; always a moment of pure magic. With the genoa unfurled we made our way past the coast a few miles offshore spotting several pods of dolphins along the way always a thrill. At one point I dropped a paravane over the side to see if there were any mackerel about for lunch. As usual for me not even a bite.

St Anthony's Head Lighthouse Credit:Alex Bowling

At 1700 we were off Dodman Point with about 20 nautical miles to run and the wind died. On starting the engine, I did my usual check over the side and was quite alarmed so see no water coming out of the exhaust! Sprinted below and switched the engine off. Last time this happened a plastic bag had covered the intake, so I closed the seacock, undid the clips, pulled the hose and opened the seacock - water gushed out. So that was not the problem. Next check was the impeller, that looked OK, no spines missing. There must be a blockage further in system. Unclipped and pulled the hose past the impeller and blew. That worked! Went back to the impeller and decided to remove it as I pulled, I spotted that the rubber part had come apart from the metal hub perhaps that is the problem. Next get the replacement impeller - now where are my engine spares they had been moved over the winter and I could not remember where they were (Note to self: put the engine spares back in there usual place) all this while Alex was coaxing the boat out to sea in very light winds. Finally I found the spares and replaced the impeller, started the engine and was delighted to hear Alex say we have water and a huge thumbs up.

Post impeller drama. Credit: Alex Bowling

Given the time we decided to motor sail to Mylor and turning into the Fal was greeted by a F6 whistling down the river! I called the marina, let them know we were on our way if a little later than planned, and pleaded for an "easy berth" which was duly granted. We headed up river while sorting out mooring lines and fenders. Having done the pilotage and dropping waypoints onto the chart plotter navigation was easy and not as scary as the chart suggested, a rather narrow channel between moored boats for the final run in. We spotted the berth and eased ourselves into it (quite well I thought). Thankfully, the marina is well sheltered from the wind that was belting down the main channel.

We finally arrived at Mylor at 1900 UCT and after tying up and sorting the boat out we went ashore for a pint. A rather fine pint of Porthleven. Alex had agreed to meet his family who are local, and we parted. Time to get back to the boat, supper in the oven and sleep.

07/07/2019

I woke at 0600 and listened to the radio while making that first pot of tea. A busy day ahead was planned: remove the sails, extract the mast wiring, sort out the running rigging, deflate the dingy, tidy the boat, leave the keys and get myself back to Plymouth.

Aphrodite at Mylor

The first sail down was the genoa, it had been on the foil for a good nine months and I was expecting a struggle but no! Loosened the halyard and down she dropped, a tad faster than expected.

Next was the main, Frank and Mac had devised a clever attachment for the sail bag, some sail material that goes under the foot and that too was an easy release.

With both sails folded I popped them in the cabin and set about the other small jobs I had to do on the boat before dropping the keys off with the marina and walking the three miles to the station, hopping on a train and getting back to Plymouth.

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Alex Bowling

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Trip Stats: Distance: 43 nm, Avg speed: 3.80 knots, Max speed: 5.50 knots, Under way: 11 h 15 m.

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Weather:Inshore waters Issued by the Met Office at 07:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 6 Jul 2019

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

24 hour forecast: Variable, mainly northwest, 3 or 4. Smooth, occasionally slight. Fair. Good.

The Eddystone Pursuit

When Aphrodite was moved to Plymouth I learned about the Eddystone Pursuit and as a member of the Ocean Youth Trust South Volunteer Sea Staff decided to participate in the event, raising some money for the charity allowing others to sail with us.

Arrangements had been made with three sailing friends to make up a crew of four and I drove down to the boat on Friday, shopped for the sail, met up with one of the crew and headed off to the National Marine Aquarium for the skippers briefing, a bite to eat and a beer.

The excellent briefing was conducted in front of the Eddystone Reef tank. It is a bit strange watching some huge fish swimming behind the presenter as he was informing us of the weather, start and finish times. Feeling "fully briefed" we left in search of a decent fish supper and a beer.

The plan was to sleep on the boat and the other crew members meet up in the morning, Steve in his own boat, Stuart and Jane Hall driving down to Plymouth. I settled down to sleep but was not to have a comfortable night as the wind piped up and the boat moved round on her mooring lines. It has always been quite flat in the marina so it must be quite rough at sea.

The alarm went at 0500 UTC and I poked my head out of the cabin, a drech day greeted me! The rain was horizontal and I could not see Plymouth Breakwater! Checked both the Met Office and MetoFrance forecasts and as usual they were not agreeing, no change there then! Both were saying it was sailable but nothing like what I was seeing. I grabbed my wash kit and headed off for a shower.

Back at the boat I started a brew and there was a knock on the hull, Steve who had attended the briefing the night before was not feeling well and felt it was best not to put to sea leaving the crew down to three.

Stuart arrived with apologies that Jane was not 100% so we were down to two - time for another brew. We talked over what had been said at the briefing and prepped the boat for an 0730 UTC departure from the pontoon. By some miracle the skies cleared and the weather looked more like the forecast, we slipped the pontoon and motored into Plymouth Sound, raised the mainsail and headed up to the start line for our 0825 UTC departure time.

Listening to the countdown on Channel M we crossed the line and headed towards the first mark, N E Winter, which had to be passed to our port. Lets just say we messed up the turn, something to do with not enough wind and water moving in the wrong direction - well that is my excuse and I am sticking to it. Finally, passing the mark we headed towards the eastern entrance to Plymouth Sound in really fluky winds and the equivalent of Kew Gardens hanging on for dear life to the hull! Aphrodite had not been moved for a while and there was a huge amount of weed on the bottom.

On passing the breakwater the wind sorted itself out and we started a long beat towards Eddystone Lighthouse, boats zooming past us at some speed, which was a bit unnerving but they let the faster boats out last. Slowly the hull speed picked up as the weed finally let go of the hull.

As a cruising sailor I usually sail to a course but today was different, it was all about boat speed and sailing to the wind. Steering really close to the wind was both challenging and frustrating. I don't think I've spent so long looking at the windex and to cap it all there was a distinct lack of tea on this leg!

We finally rounded the Eddystone at 1400 UTC and turned the boat north thus could sail in a straight line back to Plymouth with the wind at our backs. The boat settled down and we eventually sorted out lunch and get a brew on.

The cut off time for the event was 1600 UTC by which time we were just outside the breakwater! I advised Pursuit Control where we were and that we were planning to cross the finish line. Forty-five minutes later we crossed the finish line to a long blast on their hooter, we gave a big wave and knew we had completed the event.

Turning the boat round we headed back to King Point where we tied up and headed over to the National Marine Aquarium for a meal and mementos, a lovely Dartington Glass Whisky Tumbler.

Much to our delight we were awarded a Special Prize of £250 for the OYT South.

Stuart headed home and I wandered back to the boat for a sound night's sleep.

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Stuart Hall

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Trip Stats: Distance sailed: 35 nm, Avg speed: 3.75 knots, Max speed: 7 knots, Underway: 9h 36m

Weather: Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 15 Jun 2019 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 16 Jun 2019

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time at first, then veering westerly 3 for a time in west. Rough at first near the Isles of Scilly, otherwise moderate in west and slight or moderate in east. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.