Round GB 2021, Day72. Newlyn to St Mawes.

I spent Thursday further recovering from the overnight trip, when I can’t get at least some sleep overnight these are getting harder every year, and visiting a sailing friend who let me use the shower as those in Newlyn were closed due to Covid. Friday, as forecast started grey, damp and miserable but by 10:00 it had cleared enough to see across the bay past St Michaels Mount so I set off with a couple of other yachts including the Folkboat.

The wind quickly increased from not very much to a solid force 4 and occasionally 5 and I made good time to the Lizard, the tide was still adverse when I arrived so progress slowed dramatically but at least with the offshore wind the sea was not rough and I was able to sail quite close to the over-falls off the headland which kept me to windward making it possible to sail up to The Manacles buoy. 

This was quite tricky sailing with a very gusty and variable wind up to F5, it was however pleasing to at least keep up with larger boats and sometimes pull away, there were 8 or 9 in view as I rounded, more than I have seen at sea all trip, in fact probably more than I have seen in an entire day previously.

St Antony Head

Under the full Genoa and the main with one slab I was again making good progress with the tide changing. Heading up for the Fal the sailing became easier but slower being hard on the wind - close hauled the boat will look after herself in the gusts and as the wind changes with no need to adjust the sails. Unfortunately the wind backed a little and I could not clear St Anthony Head, rather than tacking I motored the last couple of miles and I dropped anchor off St Mawes at 17:45.

St Mawes

35 miles in a little under 8 hours.

Slide show all of my pictures from Newlyn to St Mawes. Page through by clicking the arrows or click in the centre of the pic to view from Flickr in a new window or full screen:

Click here for St Mawes to Fowey.