Channel Island and West Coast Anchorages

[Sundowner Portofino]

Advice Please - Channel Island and West Coast Anchorages?

So the wife, the dog and I are gearing up for our summer holiday on the boat (weather permitting) and this year I have bought a little Honda genny as we prefer being on buoys and at anchor than in busy marinas. It should allowus four or five days without needing to plug in / re fill the water tank

We have done the Channel Islands and West Country before but would really appreciate anyone’s thoughts on the best anchorages, our target cruising area is;

Lymington (home port) to Guernsey, with stops in Sark and Herm.

Guernsey to River Yealm

R. Yealm to Fowey

Fowey to River Helford and then back home to Lymington with stops.

Many thanks
Fergus

 

[adrianb]

For starters, get hold of a copy of this book...........http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yachting-Monthlys-Channel-Havens-Anchorages/dp/0713670991

 

[Sundowner Portofino]

Good call, thank you adrianb - bought and a jolly reasnoble price on Amazon to

 

[hlb]

Good idea, the little Honda. We have one and it provides all our needs. Even get hot water out of it if yer lucky.

Good anchorages are getting harder and harder to find, as there mostly taken over by marinas or buoys. There are loads of Buoys/ anchorages around Guernsey, Sark and Herm. One right next to St Peters Port harbour.

Fowey, you cannot anchor but there are buoys and pontoons in the river. Helford, theres just one little bit left, but if two boats are there you will have to take a mooring buoy. Cawsands in Plymouth is good in most weathers. The Yealm, you can anchor in the entrance, with a lovely beach, else it's buoys and pontoons further in. Dunno how much time you have, but it would mostly took us three days at least to get from Plymouth to Helford, Five days maybe closer, there are so many stopping places and rivers on the way.

Mark Fishwicks West country is a good read. Not only a good pilot book, but entertaining as well.

Dont miss out the river Fal and say hello to Mr Newman at the Smugglers Inn. Great daytime spot, or take one of his buoys. (If you can understand the price structure.) (Smile thingy).

To big an area, cant answer it all. Visit Charles town and Megavissy, Never could spell that. Looe is good and Polpero, beaches on the way. Go to Agaferchrispies Island in Bigbury bay, great little pub and even better beach. Humm, what else.!!

 

[Sundowner Portofino]

Fantastic Haydn

Thank you, we love the Yealm, wonderful place. We may or may not make it to Helford, we have about 2.5 weeks, last year we got down to Fowey but were weather bound in Dartmouth for about 4 days

I like to passage plan for a good length that way we are less inclined to sit in one place for to long and I am not a fan of big marinas, so maybe the post title should have included Buoyd coves etc...

 

[hlb]

In the west country, you will find loads of pontoons in the rivers, which are handy for the dog, between taking him to the beach, also good for parking the Honda on, if not to many other visitors. Good job you dont like marinas, like us. There are not that many down there!!

Over night stops are. Dartmouth, Salcolmbe, Yealm, Plymouth, Fowey, Megavissy, Falmouth, Helford. There are others in between but these are the safe ones. Megavissy a bit iffy in the wrong wind, but hardly likely, you will have to tie to the wall though. Helford can be a bit lumpy from the East. Tuthers have bends you can go round to find a comfy spot.

If it was me and I had not done much of the West country. I'd give Guernsey a miss. Guernsey has a feel good factor, of having gone some where sort of foreign. But the west country has far more to offer. If going CI's, go Alderney, much better, proper island.

Fuel. Guernsey, Port Samson, ring Shell or Esso, about 35P for white last I knew. Alderney- electric co. A little more. They will bring a tanker to you, well both will.

Falmouth is great, theres the council house marina in town, which is great for shopping and the pub, about staggering distance. Chain Locker. Else go up river, load of places to stop, pontoons and Buoys. Dont stop on livaboard type pontoons. They rule them and add there own laws. Fighting them is optional.

Thing is with the west country, most places have plenty of water all the time, so no stress and bends in the rivers offer perfect sanctuary.

Nuver good thing to do, is visit the Pandora Inn, you will need about half tide, Get there soon if you have a biggish boat and get the hammer head. You can go up to Trurro if you want, but dont stay long. Loads of places to stop, with perfect protection. Marinas unneeded.

 

[Powersalt]

Just a silly observation but you mention a dog. Now im not sure but I think the channel islands have got pretty strict about coming ashore with pets so you might want to check that out.

 

[Sundowner Portofino]

Thanks again Haydn, like the sound of Pandora Inn, will check out the charts and pilot book. The Fal is also deffinately on the radar.

Not a huge boat - 32 ft Portofino, draws about 1.2m with the legs down.

PowerSalt - thanks for the heads up, last time we went they were fine with it but that was 3 years ago and times do chage, I will call the HM at St. P Port.

Going to St. P. Port mainly for dinner at La Nautica (amazing resturant) and to hang out in Herm, Sark for a day or two. If it does not happen due to weather then it is no great shakes.

 

[Sundowner Portofino]

Dogs in Channel Islands - apparantly (according to St. Peter Port HM) as long as we do not visit France first then we are fine, the dog has to be registerred in either Braye or St. Peter Port and after that we can travel within the Islands to our hearts content.

Then only no no is that no dogs of any kind, from any boat are allowed into the marina's so Victoria Marina is off, but we can go on the Swann Pontoons apparantly.

The registry process is easy (apparantly) and takes about 5 mins of form filling.