Hi everyone and welcome to the blog for ‘Money Penny’ a Dufour 43 yacht crewed by Alistair (Captain/ Skipper/ Navigator/DIY man and general dogs body) and Judith, crew/chief cook and bottle washer/ chief arranger, et al)
We left Milford Marina on free flow at 5.00am on Saturday 24th June 2017 after a huge amount of boat prep and waiting around. had to motor down the Haven to the heads due to the incoming spring tide. Near Thorn island the captain instructed the crew to hoist the ‘Main sail’. Well not strictly correct, as the boat has ‘in mast’ furling so technically you pull the sail out along the boom using the ‘outhaul’. Ooops, it became evident that said Captain Al hadn’t been very good with his knots and the sail refused to move, the knot came undone and the rope very nearly disappeared into the end of the boom. Ok, try again, with a bowline knot securing the sail to the rope.
Out of the Heads, (Heads in this case means - entrance to the Milford waterway not to be confused with Heads- the loo on a boat!) and the sails ‘hoisted’ in a 20 knot wind with a 1.5 metre sea swell. Ok, not ideal but here goes. We set the compass co-ordinates for 180 degrees due South, passing Linney head (yet another Head – this time a rocky outcrop to be avoided in a boat). It’s true to say we had a roughish passage in company at a distance with two other yachts which left Dale just ahead of us and kept us company all the way to Padstow or should it be renamed Padstein. It is always a welcome sight to see dolphins dancing in the pressure wave on the front of the yacht, and we weren’t disappointed. Their presence lifts dampened spirits and always brings a smile and an excited anticipation of more to come. I’m not sure if its the same dolphins visiting the boat time after time but fair play they always put on a great show. Lundy some 15 to 20 miles to our Port halfway through the journey seems to be there for a very long time until it eventually disappears into the sea mist. Next rolled up the coast of Cornwall in the form of Trevose head. At last after some 10 hours, sight of where we wanted to be. I spoke too soon. In came the mist and rain and Trevose head and Newland Island at the entrance promptly disappeared into the mire. The last hour of the journey into the Camel river wasn’t very pleasant, we had to avoid lobster fishing buoys and flags, as well as try to avoid some unsavoury rocks…… Cornwall. Note to self – need windscreen wipers on my glasses!. A large swell greeted us at the entrance to the river and in hindsight we should have taken the sails down before navigating the gap between Newland island and Pentire Point. Sails down when clear of any known rocks and we motored up the river towards Padstow avoiding the infamous ‘Doom bar’ sand bank, which is well marked with buoyage. Turn right at the next mark, sorry turn to starboard at the next buoy brought us to the Harbour entrance. A radio call on Channel 12 summoned the duty harbour berthing master to the need to find us a suitable berth for a few days. He informed us in a broad Cornwall accent (probably the result of living in Padstow) to go Portside to, on ladder 10. Upon entering the harbour I looked for Ladder 10 and quickly formed the opinion that we would never get ‘Money Penny’ into the gap. As I approached ‘ladder 10’ there was a welcome face on the quayside in the form of ‘Ty’ off a yacht called Ritsy, under instruction from Jenny (PHYC organiser!). Plenty of room was the cry from the quayside. Ok challenge on! It was then that I realised that there was a smaller yacht tied up on the inner side of a 50 foot Yacht. Plenty of room, and after what was a text book berthing witnessed by aplenty on the quayside we eventually secured ‘Money Penny’ to the wall and took a well earned rest and big cup of tea. (only the second cuppa that day) On the down side and due to the rough sea Judith wasn’t very well for the entire journey. We both hope she can overcome this sickness for the rest of our adventure, as it can get lonely on a long passage. Ok, all for now. Resting in Padstow on Sunday 25th June. Speak soon.
