2024 August 28th days 14 & 15, Fowey to Looe then Cawsand

DRAFT

Wednesday

I slipped at 10:15 when the weather radar and forecast showed the drizzle had passed only for the gas alarm to go off, so after turning off the gas at the bottle, pumped the bilge (gas being heavier than air will go to the bilge and the manual pump will get it out) and with the engine still running to get any gas out I returned to the pontoon. It seemed unlikely that this was really a gas leak and there was a strong smell of hot rubber down below, unfortunately the alarm kept going so I disconnected then reconnected it and it was silent, it should reset so I might need a new alarm or perhaps sensor and cable, the latter has been squashed by a floor board a few times.

I initially thought that the rubber smell was coming from the alternator belt which was being punished as the alternator was delivering almost 30 amps, it was a little slacker than I recall when I did the oil change when stuck in the Truro River but it seemed OK, however I tightened it a little started the engine and the alarm went off after a minute and again did not stop without being disconnected and reconnected.

More investigation showed the water pump belt was rather slack so I changed that and tightened it - there is little room for adjustment as the pump gets rather close to the engine mount so it gets changed  once a year - but I have done more motoring this year than normal. This time the alarm stayed silent and after letting the engine run for 10 minutes or so I set off again.

East of Fowey, the Gribbin Head day mark disappearing into
the cloud.

The drizzle and mist set in again as I turned east out of the harbour and did not clear for a couple of hours after which it was quite a pleasant sail in light winds. I was not going to make Plymouth on the tide without motoring so,  I anchored behind Looe Island to enjoy the warmest afternoon of the trip and the previous one as well.

From the anchorage

13 miles in four and a half hours.

Thursday

There was no wind when I woke or when I was ready to leave and with a forecast for light winds I left under engine, initially I thought to go to the Lynher River as the wind was forecast to be N or NE but changed my mind as I approached Cawsand, the wind is not going to be that strong, I could always move if it became uncomfortable and if I decide to abandon the Channel Islands (see below) I did not want he extra hour or so to come down river and to miss a good bit of the west going tide.

Naturally as I was anchoring a decent sailing breeze set in.

Prawl Point guarding the west side of Plymouth sound.

HMS Iron Duke (Type 23 (Duke Class) Frigate) on exercise
coming into anchor briefly before going out to sea again.
Two other T23s are also around. Picture from Cawsand

Still short of fresh meet I got the dinghy out and rowed ashore only to be disappointed, all of the meat in the small Spar shop was dated today, I generally keep to the dates not wanting to be ill at sea, I did however get a Pasty for tonight [very disappointing with very little meat] and a Pizza that when partially folded just fits in the electric cool box.

12 miles in  three and three-quarter hours.

Decision time this evening.

The weather is not looking good for the Channel Islands due to a risk of being stuck there in an expensive marina (had far too much of that this year) and more importantly not getting back to Milford by the end of September in time to go ashore which would cause all sorts of problems and put work painting work into winter - I need a spring tide of at least 6.8 metres to be lifted out, 2 - 4 days a fortnight at best and sometimes even a Spring tide is not be enough, also the lifts during the next spring tide may already be fully booked and the one after that is too low.

The forecasts have been changing constantly but are starting to come into agreement with strong winds early next week, this could shift to whole schedule by a week as light-ish winds are forecast before and after and I have no intention of motoring across the channel. I could wait until Monday to make the decision but then I would be stuck in the Plymouth area and then have head winds all the way back to Land's end.

So I will decide after I down load this evenings models, sod's law says that there may be a brief fresh easterly on Saturday so if I am going back west I want to get at least to Fowey tomorrow and perhaps St Mawes, then again shelter up the Truro River or perhaps at Newlyn.

Click here for a revised plan and my return to St Mawes.