River Yealm here we come
We had an idyllic 3 days on the Helford River.
On the Friday night, we descended on the Shipwrights Arms for a slap up meal to
celebrate our Wedding Anniversary (a day late). We had booked a table indoors,
as the weather was cold and drizzly. It was a great position, in a corner, so
we could see all the comings and goings in the Inn.
We ordered steaks, to be cooked on the Barbeque grill on the terrace. I had
monster T bone and Jennie had a whopping great rump steak. They tasted just
wonderful with lots of flavour. After the meal we got chatting to the land
lady. It turned out that she was Spanish, although has lived in Cornwall for 12 years. The
amazing part was that she came from La
Coruna, and it was her mothers wedding anniversary on
that day. So we had a great chat and departed somewhat late……………
The next day was Regatta day at the Helford Yacht club.
Before that we decided to take the dingy up stream and visit the Port Navas
Yacht club for lunch. We arrived just as they were starting a treasure hunt so it
was all a little chaotic, but very entertaining.
That night we ate on board and then watched a spectacular
fire works display. We were in a prime location and definitely had a grand
stand seats, even if it was raining………
Whilst the Helford River is beautiful and we did enjoy ourselves,
I have to say the mooring fees are nothing short of day light robbery. £25 per
night, just to moor up. No Showers, No Toilets, no rubbish disposal. Then on
top of that you have to pay £2 for every time you land your dingy on the
pontoon. Compare that to the Club Monte Real de Yates in Bayona, where the cost
per night is the same, but you have a pontoon, electricity, water, toilets,
showers, great security and a wonderful club house and restaurant.
The next day we received a text from my daughter Mandy. It transpired
that she was coming down to Falmouth
the following day for a boat trip cum surprise party for her Boyfriend’s (Phil)
sister. She had no idea we were next door to Falmouth. So it was agreed that we would pick
them up from Princes pier in Falmouth
the following evening. We had a cracking day sail over to Falmouth and up the river , before returning
to the Visitors Yacht Heaven for fuel and water. We then spent a relaxing
afternoon on a mooring adjacent to the pier. At around 1600, a ferry/party boat
pulled into view. Standing next to the bridge was Mandy, waving like a girl possessed.
The ferry pulled alongside for a chat, and then they moored up on the pier. I
jumped into the dingy and went ashore to collect Mandy and Phil. Once safely on
board we gently motored up the river Fal, then into the River Truro. Just south
of Malpas we found a quiet, magical spot to anchor for the night. The only sounds
were those of the Heron’s; Oystercatchers and Owls hooting in the trees.
Just blissful. Jennie prepared a meal with the last of the Atlantic Salmon we
had bought in Spain, to be washed down with the last of our Alberino wine and
the last of the Taylors LBV Port we bought in Porto. Then a serous round of
Pass The Pigs. Mandy was in awesome form and beat us thoroughly right up to the
last round when Jennie restored some honour to the Zipadedoda team by running
away with the game with double leaning Jowlers and double trotters.
In the morning the weather was once again dreadful, so we
leant our guests full foul weather gear for the 1 mile journey by dingy to
Malpas, where Phil’s brother was to collect them and take them off for a
day trip to Qweek.
On my return to the boat we decided to re-anchor mid stream
about 200 metres south of the visitors pontoon, below Malpas. We then had a
lazy morning and suddenly the sun came out. So we decided to jump into the
dingy and head for Malpas for a pub lunch. After which we took a mooch up and
about the river, studying some of the splendid properties in the area.
The plan this morning was to get up early, and be off with
the tide, to ensure we could clear the sand bars and drying mud banks in good
time, before heading off to Fowey for the night. Due to the fact we had some
35 metres of chain on the anchor deployed, we chose to make a team effort of raising
the anchor. ( Normally the crew does that on her own. Almost as soon as I
started to reel in the anchor chain on the windlass, it ground to a halt, with
the chain rigid in a vertical stance. Clearly the chain had fouled on
something. So I gave it another go and with a screech and a whoosh, the line
was released and started to come in once again. Then shock horror, a large
piece of cast iron bar cleared the water. (See picture). The anchor chain was
firmly wrapped around this 3 metre long bar. It was rusty and bent in the
middle. It was also extremely muddy and very heavy. We both wrestled with it to
try to twist it off the anchor chain. All to no avail. So I got on the VHF
radio and called the Truro Harbour Master to ask for assistance. After a few
goes “Carrick one” responded. I explained our predicament to them
and they immediately agreed to send help. About 15 minutes later a HM launch
arrived to inspect the problem. They then sent for a work boat with two strong
men! Some 20 minutes later they came alongside and managed to manhandle the
cast Iron steak off our chain and we were free. One of the chaps explained that
at the end of the second world war, a lot of items were just dumped of munitions
barges into the river. Mercifully this item was not explosive! What was really
brilliant was that they then stood by to ensure we had no further problems
raising the anchor off the river bed. Thankfully the anchor came up a treat, so
we immediately set off down stream having made our thank you’s to the
team on the work boat and also to the HM on Carrick one.
All just in time, as we had a mere 0.8 metres of water under
the keel as we cleared the nearest mud flats!!
The rain then came in big time and the vis was down to about
100 feet at some points as we navigated down the rivers out into the Falmouth
Estuary. Given the weather was wet, cold and virtually no wind we decided to
change our plans and motor directly to the River Yealm, and miss out on Fowey. Our
current position is 50 degrees 14 mins North, 4 degrees 23 mins West, and the
Eddystone Light house can be clearly seen from our starboard beam.
The tides are just right for our getting over the sand bar
at the entrance to the River Yealm and we expect to be there around 1700 this
evening.
Just for a laugh we tried a spot of fishing this morning. Three
lines out for one and a half hours. Once again my fishing skills we in fine
form and all I caught was aa 6 inch Mackerel that was drowned by the time I
reeled it in. Shame I hear you cry!!
So we will have to eat out tonight. I suspect the Ship Inn
in Newton Ferrers will be getting a visit…………………………
