| WESTCOUNTRY CRUISE 2002 - ST MAWES AUG 17th/18th 2002 |
The day dawned grey and overcast. There was a short intake of breath from the Falmouth Coast guard as I described the intended day's passage from St Mawes to the Helford River. "Better to give that a miss", was the response. "There's a good pub........" At the Polvarth Boatyard, St Mawes , eight Wanderers gathered for the briefing. " Change of plan. We're off up the Fal today, southerly wind force 4/5 gusting 6 by the afternoon." Once past St Mawes castle we turned south into the Carrick Roads for the dead run to our chosen lunch spot, tucked away in the shelter of Turnaway Point. There had been some boat swapping earlier on and there was further confusion as Chris and Colin pursued Margaret and Vicky up St Just Creek. Nobody owned up as to why the diversion was necessary but by the time they had joined us on the beach, Philip had finished his sandwiches, rearranged his anchor several times and was gently slumbering. For those of you who know the Fal, there is the strange spectacle of ocean going ships laid up in a narrow stretch of the river around King Harry's ferry. Most of the fleet decided to take a closer look, whilst Chris and Theresa stayed put, preferring to recuperate after their long journey from Kent. Margaret and Vicky were obviously feeling some need of attention as they attempted a victory roll in front of the ferry. They achieved only half the manoeuvre but were consoled by eventually being escorted by the coast guard who was called to their rescue. Anthony, Janet and family who were cruising with us in their Drascombe, gave Margaret and Colin a tow back to St Just. The obligatory west country cruise cream tea, which last year was consumed in the more genteel surroundings of Lord Edgcumbe's orangery on the Tamar, was provided at the foot of a sea wall below St Just. The scone queen, Jill Davies, had prepared no fewer than 40 scones with lashings of jam and cream to accompany them, washed down with fresh mugs of tea, brewed on a rather slow gaz stove. The Wanderer of course is a versatile cruising dinghy and stowage of cream scones and accruements are to be recommended! By 4.00pm, the wind had strengthened to the predicted force 5, and quite a choppy sea confronted us all in the beat back to St Mawes castle. Nobody owned up to regurgitating the scone mix on the way home however, and cheery faces arrived at the Roseland Inn at Philleigh for the normal evening de- briefing and nosh. The cruise's resident cartoonist, Joanna Byrde, was in good form during the meal and if anyone wants to see Philip's real proportions, I hope they will apply to him for a limited signed copy! The Falmouth coast guard was keeping his scrambled eggs down the next morning. The wind had dropped to a 3 to 4 NE as we cruised very joyfully across to the Helford River for a pub lunch. An excellent one and a half hour passage. The breeze died further during the afternoon. Some made their way into Frenchman's Creek to re-discover the Frenchman's barque, other less romantic souls headed back to St Mawes to prepare for their final homeward passage of the day. Thanks for everyone's usual good humour and forbearance with what was not the best of weather. We look forward to another spot of West country cruising in 2003. Cruisers: Chris & Theresa Partingdon (W463), Chris & Vicky King (W940), Philip & Jill Meadowcoft (W1024), Jim Hyde (W1451), Jack Mann & Brigette Philbey (W1087), Derek & Jane Summers (W197), Margaret Proctor & Colin Wallsgrove (W444), David & Jill Davies (W318) and Anthony, Janet , Joanna & Philly Byrde (Drascombe) David Davies August 28th 2002. |