Episode 11, Salcome Fowey and then Falmouth, continuing West along England's south coast
Dart harbour has a fuel barge anchored in the middle of the harbour servicing both the commercial and the pleasure craft and then the next pontoon up is the rubbish pontoon so lots of docking involved. We sorted our rubbish and then went and got some diesel fuel. The skipper of the diesel barge recognized us from 2019 and mentioned that his predecessor moved from Dartmouth UK to Dartmouth NS, Canada. He thought this was a laugh as the mans address was so similar and yet so far apart and totally different with things like snow in the winter.
While we were there Jamie called from his Scallop fishing wishing us well. They were having a family BBQ that weekend and had invited us. Regretfully we had to keep heading west while the wind was not against us.
Departing with the tide we had a short over cast sail to Salcome Harbour 21 miles very lovely. We crossed the bar at low water and found a mooring. The place was hopping, boats and people everywhere. Then we figured out it must be half term...Well it was more then that, it was the Jubilee week end. In recognition of this it was an extra long long weekend...This was explained later by a man from Wales.
The harbour had boats three to a mooring, children swimming water taxi's working flat out. When we got to go walkabout ashore there was a grass fire so the air was bad. We could not get in any where for sit down coffee or pint there were notices excusing poor service due to staff shortages and only if you had a reservation could you be served. We returned to the boat and had a lovely evening. Somehow we have deleted the photos taken during our walk. The harbour was blocked with expensive RIB's and fishermen were dragging scallop or crab storage cages right up to the warf's behind the kitchens. Now that is fresh seafood delivery.
Beautiful morning
Still need our jumpers.
Departing Salcome about 0830
Making good time so decided to skip Plymouth and head to Fowey
Noel was a bit bored as we were motor sailing so decided to take in his trousers. Life on the boat is a lot more exercise then lock down life in the city.
Pleased with the result.
Our course took us inside the Eddy Stone Light.
Figure it would be more visible at night.
We had marking's of "Military's exercise area" so we were being vigilante on watch. Well nothing showed on the AIS but we had one lone wave that got us green water to the mast and knocked our speed down by two knots. Figure a sub must have made a sudden dive or acceleration from fairly shallow. We could not come up with another explanation.
Its cool so our floater coats are perfect
Very sheltered entrance
The ruins noted on the chart
The Yacht Club
All kinds of boats, troop transport, bilge keeler, developmental class international 14 and just up stream is a chain ferry.
We have seen these too before
Getting underway about 8 AM
Entering the river Fal estuary looking over towards St. Maws
After a lovely sail of 24 miles we were alongside at the visitors yacht haven in Falmouth. We had missed by hours the "Trooping of the colours" and the place was bursting with people. The Queens Jubilee celebrations were everywhere. The harbour had a cruise ship in and the place was packed.
Pub lunch, refuge from the masses of people.
Servicing the winches
Oh how much better they are for the attention.
The next day we tried to get the marina dues back as we wanted away from all the people and because it was a 4 day long week end...being the Jubilee it was going to be a massive undertaking that could not happen till mid next week as every one took vacation around this week end....so we went on a day trip boat away to St. Mawes.
Great day tripper boats
The harbour
Can not resist a map
Beautiful sights everywhere you looked
The honey bees had this wall humming.
Standing next to the 6th century holy well with the stonework done in the 15th century.
Across from the well more walls of flowers
The anchorage
Jubilee sand castles
We had a lovely day. One boat went over and lost their place on the pontoon and when they came back there was a queue to raft onto us. We are small so the rule is biggest boat inside then raft smaller. Thankfully a 33' boat had asked so we were able to direct the heavy big Scottish boat onto another similar more suitable vessel. The 33' was single handing so it was good we were on board at the time.
Falmouth getting ready... For the next days celebrations. No where could you find any timings on events. Everyone was so excited they just figured all would know the timings. Not the people we asked.
Saturday street festivals everywhere. Pasties and sausage rolls street picnic with a Cream Tea outside the church (scones jam and a dollop of fresh cream) with a cup of tea. Donation bucket at the table all so simple and fun. The day was cool and windy with boats rafted and fenders flattened. Getting off the boat was a break from the noise and wind.
Even the safety barrier's were lovely.
The poor weather had passed and we figured we had another window to travel.
And so ends this blog, we hope you enjoy our sharing our adventures.
Love these, wish I could comment on individual pictures but they're all good.
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