Newlyn to........Padstow, via Lands' End

For some reason getting around Lands' End had become a bit of a mental hurdle to me.  It is certainly hyped up in many of the sailing almanacs, talking about tidal gates, riptides, rocks etc, etc.  But I knew it was something I had to do if I wanted to complete this challenge and it had to be soon if I wanted to take advantage of the fair weather.  So off I set.

I was surprised not to see any other yachts heading the same way as me, but then it was a Monday morning and most people would be back at work after the weekend. I had plotted my route carefully, not taking any of the potentially hazardous routes, taking a wide berth around the many rocks and outcrops featured around that part of the Cornish coast.

These guys are crazy......paddling near Lands' End!

It was only as I passed Longships lighthouse that I saw 3 other yachts and none of us were going in the same direction!  Obviously this is quite a junction for passages to the Scilly Isles, Eire and those going N to S or S to N within Cornwall or further afield.

Visibility was getting worse as I rounded Lands' End itself, however I was treated to the spectacle of a helicopter landing on top of the lighthouse - I hadn’t even realised that it had a flat roof just for that purpose until it was going in to land.

Lands' End in sight

Apart from that, rounding Lands' End was uneventful and I had made it in good time, ready to push on to Lundy Island. I celebrated the milestone by eating a packet of Jaffa Cakes.....one of my weaknesses!

Longships Lighthouse

Is he really going to land on there.....?

Several hours later I was still sailing along happily, making good time, I discovered I was loosing electrical power to my instruments.  Checking below deck it appeared my batteries (which I rely on for power when not “plugged-in” to the shore) were almost dead.  No problem I thought, I will just start my engine (it has a separate battery) and charge them up again...........that battery was dead as well!  Thinking back to the last time I had been plugged-in, I had been in Falmouth; I remember unplugging my shore lead and the display at the socket was reading “error” - I had obviously not been drawing power for the past 2-3 days and Brown Eyes had been relying purely on battery power!

Setting up the tow.

So there I was, with no way of starting my engine, no power and a long way to go. My choices were to sail on and try to anchor somewhere (but that would not solve the problem of the lack of power) or ask for help.  Out came the mobile; 999, “Coastguard please.” 

Off we go......

After discussing the problem with the Coastguard the decision was reached to send out the RNLI to tow me into Padstow, I was only about 6 miles away - the entry into the lock-controlled harbour there is too difficult just to sail into.  
And that is what happened; the lifeboat appeared, they launched a RIB which dispatched two members of the RNLI onto Brown Eyes, a towline was set up and we went to Padstow.

Padstow - safe and sound.

So I have to say a massive “Thank you” to the Coastguard, the RNLI and the Harbour Master and his staff at Padstow for helping me out and ensuring both mine and Brown Eyes’ safety.  They were all brilliant!

Brown Eyes in Padstow Harbour

 The batteries are now charged up and one of the RNLI lads has sorted out (removed) my hot water-tank leak - his day job is as a plumber.  This means no on-tap hot water until I get a new one fitted, but that is only a minor inconvenience.

Really???

Falmouth to .........Newlyn

Leaving Falmouth behind

Lighthouse of the day..... 

I had originally planned to make it around Lands' End today, but the wind was not strong enough to give me the pace I required to catch the tidal gates, so after a while I admitted defeat and headed to Newlyn and anchored up outside the Harbour wall for the night.

Brown Eyes has a hot water tank, heated by the engine (when it’s running) but unfortunately one of the ridged joints has sprung a leak and now when I run the engine it starts to lose water.  I have tried tightening the joint and used plumbers tape, but I think I will need to call in a professional when I get the chance.  The tank is not an original feature of this yacht and has obviously been fitted later on and is only held in by a canvas strap and some plywood, the vibration of the engine has obviously damaged the joint and there is no way to isolate the tank.

The entrance to Newlyn Harbour

Tomorrow I will hopefully round Lands' End; this will be the furthest West I have sailed in the UK.  It will be a long day, but one I am looking forward to; all part of the challenge.

Newlyn

Rain (and Thunder) stop play.......

 

I awoke early this morning to the sound of heave rain pounding on the deck of Brown Eyes and the distant rumble of thunder........I good day for a lay-in I thought!

I had intended to continue my journey to Lands' End today, but decided the sensible thing to do was stay put and use the time to do some planning, get a run in and also approach a few companies for sponsorship.

Falmouth harbour is always busy.

If anyone knows of a company or organisation that may make a donation or offer support to my fundraising efforts in any other way, please do contact me and let me know.

Hopefully tomorrow the weather will be better........

Fowey to Falmouth

The Cornish Alps

Today was only a short hop along the coast of around 20 miles.  This is an old sailing haunt of mine and it was good to see the familiar sights along the way. 

Lighthouse of the day - Falmouth 

I was quite pleased with my approach onto the fuel pontoon and then berthing in a very tight space in the visitors marina - I just hope I can get out again ok!

The approach into Falmouth

I am planning two nights here, to get a run in and make sure Brown Eyes and myself are ready for the voyage around Land's End.

Salcombe to Fowey

Note the gull flying alongside!

I was looking forward to this next part of the journey - it was to an old stomping ground of mine; Cornwall.

The days route.

Whilst I was in the RAF Regiment I was lucky enough to have worked at the Survival School (or SERE; Survive Evade, Resist, Extract, as it’s now called) for a couple of years and we had regularly taken aircrew out to sea from Fowey to chuck them off the back of a boat so that they could experience ‘ditching’ in the sea first hand - such fun! 

Dispatching aircrew into the sea.....

This was always performed off the back of a boat called Smit Dart and this afternoon our paths crossed again!

We meet again.....Smit Dart

As always when you pass Plymouth the Royal Navy is out in force and today was no different.  

Whilst passing, there was a Mayday call that came over the VHF radio and the RN helicopter went to assist the RNLI and Coastguard in attending a yacht on fire back towards Salcombe - exciting stuff!  The helicopter flew around my yacht just to check me out, before heading off......

The last time I did something for charity in Cornwall was when a team of us from the Survival School cycled to all the RNLI boat houses in Cornwall, raising money for both the RNLI and the local children’s hospice.  

Charity bike ride a few years ago.

I seem to remember we did it in a week, including having the RN flying us and our bikes out to the Scilly Isles so we could get to the boat house there.  We ate quite a few Cornish pasties that week......no gels or protein bars in sight (Spartans take note), just proper food!

A night in Fowey swinging off a buoy watching the sun set and tomorrow I plan to head to Falmouth.

Entering Fowey

Lighthouse of the day - Fowey

 
 

Fowey