An English Summer 30

 

My morning survey, of the weather forecasts, reveals that a weather window, for a passage to Scilly, may be appearing. Tidal logic, and today's wind predictions, suggest that Stargazer should sail overnight, on Saturday into Sunday; reaching, or close reaching, in eighteen to twenty five knots apparent. Our course carrying us from the Lizard, out, well south of Lands End, to cross the marine 'T' junction, off the Wolf Rock, shortly before midnight. Making landfall, at Penninis Head, on the south eastern tip of St Mary's, at first light, and then threading our way up, through the archipelago, to its northern shores, in the breaking dawn. The advantage, of a morning arrival, would be plenty of daylight hours, in which to sniff out a secure anchorage, should our preferred choices prove to be occupied. 

The 'bing-bong,' of a tannoy, close at hand, offering excursions ashore, causes me to look up from my passage planning. A cruise liner is arriving, as one has most days this week, departing again in the evening. Towering above Stargazer, it turns, adjacent to us, and glides neatly between the quays and the lines of moored boats. So large, and moving so slowly, that the mind struggles to grasp that this, huge steel edifice, is in motion. The leviathans come and go, without sound or wake, manoeuvred as if on rails. In Falmouth Harbour, it is not only traditional boat handling skills, which are on show.  

The Hoek designed, aluminium hulled, Dutch built superyacht Meraki, makes her way back to her berth, in front of the National Maritime Museum's tower. Returning from a refuelling appointment, with a road tanker, out at the merchant shipping docks . I sit, aboard Stargazer, admiring the sweep of Meraki's sheer and her purposeful, cutter headed, ketch rig. Finding her pale grey, with green boot top, livery growing on me. Deciding that her square set superstructure, perhaps, detracts from her looks.

The sight of two water carriers, waiting to be filled, when I row ashore, returns me to real world matters. Their contents will restore Stargazer's water tanks, refilled by hose, alongside, on arrival Monday, to brim full. 

On my return, I haul the Avon aboard, to dry in Stargazer's cockpit, before deflating and stowing it. Now, Stargazer is fully provisioned and ready to sail. Saturday morning's forecast will tell us whether we leave for Scilly, or for a more local anchorage, in which to wait for our weather window.

PS If Saturday's forecast is fair, for a passage west, my next post will be on Monday morning, from an anchorage in the Isles of Scilly.