Leg 8 Fowey to Falmouth

Date:- 27.05.11 Name: Morgen Crew: RD (Richard Dempster), Freddie From: Fowey To: Falmouth Comments: The best days sailing so far

Wind Strength / direction: Westerly force 4 Sea State: slight Distance: 25.8 nautical miles Time Taken: 6hrs 27mins

I was determined to get the planning right for this leg as I didn’t want to spend hours fighting against the tide like I had done getting to Fowey. I took extra time calculating the tide streams and strength and at what times through the day they would change. I even cross referenced everything back to high tide at Dover to check I had it right.

4:30am rise and ready to leave at 5:00am. I had prepared the boat the night before and basically had to get up get dressed have breakfast and cast off the mooring lines. It was a lovely calm morning with a reasonably clear sky and just a breath of wind unlike the previous two days which were gusting up to 40miles per hour.

A really nice morning. But it’s a very odd feeling ghosting out through a harbour with houses all round whilst the inhabitants sleep or are just rising with the odd light coming on through the windows. The peaces though is fantastic. Passing the old ‘Tall ships’ that are anchored in the harbour and the early morning and you are transported back in time and you mind thinks of pirates and armadas’ going of to fight the Spanish on the high seas! A great start to the day.

With no wind to talk off I motored out of Fowey harbour and was met with the most amazing sun rise and for the very first time a completely smooth sea.

What a morning

I played with the idea of putting the cruising chute up but as this thought went through my head the wind increased and I played on the safe side and put up the main sail and the jib. This proved to be the right choice as the wind continued to increase and by 6.30am was a steady force 4. However the sea state remained flat and Morgen raced along at a steady 7knots all through the trip. By far and away the best leg so far. Everything went as planned, even the planning! I caught the tide just right and it was with me for almost the whole time the wind was as forecast and above all the sea remained flat. Yesssssssss

When the sailing goes as well as this its just like I thought it would be. A great feeling. You have the time to think as your moving along and you dont feel like your just surviving but you can really appreciate everything you can see. A great feeling.

It was quite an interesting trip, not just because the seas were flat and the speed I was cruising at but you see all kinds of things from sea birds to odd craft.

Entrance to Falmouth

In fact everything went so well that I was actually at the entrance to the river Fal and Falmouth by about 10.30am a good two hours faster than I thought I could make it. I still felt reasonably fresh and not completely worn out like I normally do.