A Scilly virgin - next week maybe the time to go?

[[2574]]

Never been before, always fancied it. Weather looks to be N'ly and generally light (<15kts). To a Scilly virgin that seems like a good forecast for a passage west from Helford; what about a sheltered anchorage when we get there? Are the buoys at St Mary's any good for a 39' boat in a light N'ly breeze?

Feeling slightly nervous as you can tell.....


Rob

 

[marklucas]

The Isles of Scilly (not the Scillies - the natives get a bit upset) are a wonderful cruising area.

If you have a NW then St. Mary's Pool, Hugh Town will be rolly - Porth Cressa will however be perfectly sheltered from swell as will The Cove on St. Agnes - take your choice of the cosmopolitan highlife in Hugh Town (LOL) or the natural charm of St. Agnes and the Turks Head (the only pub on the island).

The Isles always offer a safe anchorage but no one offers total protection. Your pilotage skills will be greatly improved after a visit - sailing over Tresco Flats and then looking down on them three hours later is quite illuminating! The New Inn on Tresco is a must.

PM me if you want any further info - or ScillyPete can no doubt add far more than I.

 

[johnalison]

Don't be put off by too much alarmism. The main areas are ok in moderate conditions. I have stayed in New Grimsby sound in a NW4 comfortably apart from a little roll at change of tide. If the conditions are right, go for it - you may not get another chance for years.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Sailing pal has just goine there today and his boat almost lives in Scilly during the season. There are anchorages all over the place and many will take a boat as small as yours.

 

[Scillypete]

If the weather pans out as you hope it will there are plenty of good places to go rather than just settling for the harbour and paying for the privilege.

Wait and see what you get weatherwise and then head for the bay/anchorage that looks like it should be the most sheltered, your only limitations are your draft and if you really are that nervous about it then do head for the harbour and settle yourself in, then pick your tide/weather to move about thereafter.

When are you planning on coming? this weekend is world gig championships which is quite a spectacle to watch and a good number of yachts come over as well. if its after the weekend the longish range weather is looking favourable and becoming easterly . . . . . how soon did you want to go back?

Oh yeah, a virgin in Scilly is a rare thing so best of luck with that quest

 

[Sans Bateau]

Porth Cressa will be an easy land fall from the east, with Nthl'ies the approach will be nice and flat, sheltered by the island.

This is what you might find, Porth Cressa:

Galadriel is far right, third boat out.

PS, you lucky bu99er!

 

[gibbon]

we get down to the Scillies as often as we can in our 24ft folk boat sailing from falmouth and the Helford, and I echo Galadriel's post, particularly the Lucky...
Bear in Mind that the world Gig championships are this weekend so things are likely to be pretty busy even into next week - half of Cornwall seems to be going - but don't let this put you off. Hugh Town may well be restricted mooring, but this isn't a bad thing as it can very rolly in there. A good anchorage in almost any weather is St Helen's pool on the East side of Tresco, and there's plenty of room, unlike Porth Cressa, which might be pretty full. Depending on the state of tide of tide when you arrive, you can come into the pool via crow sound, or from the north through St Helen's gap between Tean and St Helen's. There are also moorings in new and old Grimbsy, but we've found that you ride over the buoys with the tides, which run quite strong. OK if you're able to pull the buoy out of the water.

Enjoy! No one seems to go there just once.

 

[[2574]]

When are you planning on coming? this weekend is world gig championships which is quite a spectacle to watch and a good number of yachts come over as well. if its after the weekend the longish range weather is looking favourable and becoming easterly . . . . . how soon did you want to go back?

Oh yeah, a virgin in Scilly is a rare thing so best of luck with that quest

Thinking about getting over to Scilly Sunday/Monday/Tuesday and then heading back east at the end of next week.

Thanks for the encouraging posts one and all!

Rob

 

[Scillypete]

Thinking about getting over to Scilly Sunday/Monday/Tuesday and then heading back east at the end of next week.


Rob

Well, if you arrive on Sunday, particularly during the afternoon, and are heading for the harbour be aware that the Pilot gigs will be racing down from the Carn near area on Tresco. They will probably be in heats of 10 or 12 gigs with only a short space between each heat and they will be racing for the quay/harbour and will be shadowed by a fleet of spectator boats. You do not want to arrive and start mixing in with this lot, instead just hang about and watch the spectacle go by then head for the harbour once they are done, there's only 130 of them this year. Alternatively at the moment it looks like the weather will make Porthcressa and the Cove fairly sheltered anchorages, see how the weather goes for that one. On Monday there is the Pilot gig sailing race, not so many take part in this but there could be half a dozen or so racing around a course outside the harbour. Just to make you aware, but if you can make it to watch the gig racing it really is quite something to watch.

 

[[2574]]

Pete

Thanks for the information; if I arrived to see 130 gigs coming at me there's every chance I'd do a 180 and head straight back to the mainland! Good to be aware in advance; I think that makes Monday the preferred day if the weather plays ball.

Rob

 

[Sybarite]

Another vote for Porth Cressa but be alert for southerlies.

 

[typhoonNige]

With Porth Cressa also be alert for the 14 moorings laid over all the good anchoring ground leaving a lack of space to anchor safely in the NW 5-7 expected soon. £15 a night. I for one would much rather anchor as I have happily done here in those conditions previously. If you do use a mooring here and are over 11 metres look out for vacant moorings behind you as you are likely to hit them. Also have a sturdy mooring strop or some 8mm chain ready as the chain provided on the buoys is too short and also too large for many standard bow rollers.

Wifi is free but if you are a BT customer use FON as it is much quicker (for us anyhow).

I thought permission for these moorings had been refused. Anyone know otherwise?

Would have used the Cove but looks like everyone else is as p****d off about this as me and has gone there, hence no space.

At least it's sunny!

 

[Scillypete]

With Porth Cressa also be alert for the 14 moorings laid over all the good anchoring ground leaving a lack of space to anchor safely in the NW 5-7 expected soon. £15 a night. I for one would much rather anchor as I have happily done here in those conditions previously. If you do use a mooring here and are over 11 metres look out for vacant moorings behind you as you are likely to hit them. Also have a sturdy mooring strop or some 8mm chain ready as the chain provided on the buoys is too short and also too large for many standard bow rollers.

Wifi is free but if you are a BT customer use FON as it is much quicker (for us anyhow).

I thought permission for these moorings had been refused. Anyone know otherwise?

Would have used the Cove but looks like everyone else is as p****d off about this as me and has gone there, hence no space.

At least it's sunny!

You don't have to use the moorings there is still room to anchor and with care even between the moorings, they are laid to individual blocks and not on a grid so you should not foul your anchor. It is not ideal and I find it surprising that some will pick up a mooring even when the wind is so light that a brick on a toilet chain
would not drag.

 

[oldbilbo]

Should you go into Porth Cressa near high water - and I'm sure ScillyPete will agree - beware of using the right-hand ( easterly ) half of the cove as, when the tide drops down, the large exposed area of rocks looks like the far side of the moon. Not at all kind to gelcoat....

Agree the idyllic anchorage of The Cove/Saint Agnes is easy and safe to enter and an excellent spot to stop.

Enjoi!

 

[doug748]

Hello oldbilbo.

Do you know easy is it to foul one of those power lines? Or maybe they are well buried?

 

[PhilW]

I tried to take advantage of the free wifi the other day but it would'nt let me connect? As for the cables they are buried in places but not ploughed into the seabed so there is potential to foul but a decent catting line should solve any problems. Be wary of people in Porthcressa telling you your insurance is invalid unless you use their moorings....

 

[longjohnsilver]

You don't have to use the moorings there is still room to anchor and with care even between the moorings, they are laid to individual blocks and not on a grid so you should not foul your anchor. It is not ideal and I find it surprising that some will pick up a mooring even when the wind is so light that a brick on a toilet chain
would not drag.

So those bloody things are still there? I'd heard that the divers who put them down left to service the offshore wind farms.

 

[typhoonNige]

You don't have to use the moorings there is still room to anchor and with care even between the moorings, they are laid to individual blocks and not on a grid so you should not foul your anchor. It is not ideal and I find it surprising that some will pick up a mooring even when the wind is so light that a brick on a toilet chain
would not drag.

Interesting idea Pete - anchoring between the moorings. Next time there is a backing NNW 5-7 blowing please let me know if anyone tries it and how they get on.

At least they could get their anchor into the sand at the depth required for a sensible amount of scope. Could be a bit messy next morning when they try to get the hook out though.

My point about Porth Cressa is that it was a great sheltered anchorage for when the wind gets up from the N/NW. The problem now is that the only area of suitable depth for a fin keeled yacht with good holding in less that 10 metres is now filled with moorings. IMHO that means you have to use the moorings or risk swinging into danger in the deeper water.

 

[Scillypete]

Interesting idea Pete - anchoring between the moorings. Next time there is a backing NNW 5-7 blowing please let me know if anyone tries it and how they get on.

At least they could get their anchor into the sand at the depth required for a sensible amount of scope. Could be a bit messy next morning when they try to get the hook out though.

My point about Porth Cressa is that it was a great sheltered anchorage for when the wind gets up from the N/NW. The problem now is that the only area of suitable depth for a fin keeled yacht with good holding in less that 10 metres is now filled with moorings. IMHO that means you have to use the moorings or risk swinging into danger in the deeper water.

Indeed the optimum anchoring area has been hijacked but anchoring with care is possible, easier at neaps than springs and lighter winds obviously. Before moorings the most yachts I counted there one morning was over 70 so I don't understand why you think there is no room left to anchor. It would mean a longer trip in the dinghy if anchoring to seaward of the moorings and yes it is deeper water but the holding is no worse. There have not been that many instancies of yachts dragging out there compared to the numbers that would anchor, usually confined to those that turn up and were heading for shore in the dinghy before the anchor had hit the bottom.

 

[Sailingsaves]

Never been before, always fancied it. Weather looks to be N'ly and generally light (<15kts). To a Scilly virgin that seems like a good forecast for a passage west from Helford; what about a sheltered anchorage when we get there? Are the buoys at St Mary's any good for a 39' boat in a light N'ly breeze?

Feeling slightly nervous as you can tell.....


Rob

Have you got Pete's book? I bought it but have never been, but do enjoy reading it and waiting for the day I will be able to make the trip. See link under Pete's postings.