St Mary's Pool, Scilly 49:55.11N
006:18.82W
1 October
It's now 3 weeks since we arrived at Cardiff and, apart from
a hour or so tacking up and reaching down Cardiff Bay with my parents and
brother Michael a couple of weeks ago, the time has been spent entirely
ashore. So I was happy to be back on Swallow on Tuesday getting her ready
for an early morning departure to The Scilly Isles, our first stop of the final
leg to Dartmouth. I'd taken the opportunity whist at Penarth Quays to
have the Raymarine wind instruments fixed (this time for real) and a major
engine service (240 hours). The latter required a lift out to check/replace
anodes and the yard carried out a few minor gel coat repairs to help fade some memories
of Arklow. So coming back to marina I found Swallow sitting in the lift
rather than neatly tied to a pontoon. First time for everything and
driving out of the slings was fine if a little nerve-racking - no wind to speak
of.
New crew Brian (not raining yet)
Ann delivered me to Cardiff but was happy to leave me to
sail to Dartmouth with Brian Whitefoot, a friend and former AA/Deloitte
Partner, whilst she headed back to Evenlode and London to start her MA. With
topsides and decks washed and gleaming and everything stowed we got ready for a
7am lock out from Cardiff Bay and the 165 mile passage to the Scillies.
The day started quietly, but we soon had some sail up motor sailing, and then
off went the engine and we had a glorious sail in flat seas and modest winds
onthe beam. We soon were heading down the North Devon coast, past Lynmouth,
Woolacombe and across Barnstaple Bay to Hartland Point, with Lundy to the west.
Then as night fell we tracked down the Cornish Coast, getting our first views
of the Scillies around dawn.
Lundy Island
A very clear night with great starts and almost a full moon
and ship everywhere. We crossed a very busy shipping lane between Land's
End and the Scillies and had been dodging a few ships that had set an almost
identical route to me as we followed the coast down from Devon. Once
again we were thankful for the AIS and the ability it gives you to quickly
separate the few potentially dangerous ships from the many. Once clear of
the shipping lane everything was much quieter, including the weather, so we
motor sailed round St Mary's with lovely views across the Islands before
coming into the Pool and picking up a mooring around 10.30am. Breakfasted
and dingy launched, we went ashore for a wander round. A very attractive
island, quite busy with tourists but you could leave the town behind in a few
minutes. A good place to revisit and explore further sometime. Tomorrow
we head back to the mainland and Falmouth.
Portha Cressa at St Mary's
