Cheapest berths from Scillies to Ramsgate

[Conachair]

I need to bring new boat (33' Ebbtide) from Holyhead round to Medway eventually. Plan so far is: bank holiday start of may - move to Milford Haven, bank holiday end of may, take couple of days off & go to Scillies (1 of crew has family there & insists that it's ideal place for a beer) then round to Falmouth of maybe Plymouth. After that weekend trips maybe with a friday or monday round to Ramsgate of Medway. I've had a quick look at Channel cruising companion and marina costs are a bit on the steep side. Question is has anyone done a passage plan taking in the lesser expensive berths? Note sure of trip up from Cornwall but prob do as day / night / day hits. TIA & any info appreciated

Paddy - Conachair

 

[FullCircle]

Marina costs a bit on the steep side????????? They are bl##dy astronomical. Sooner you get it round to the muddy bits, the better. No real cheap way of doing it, except perhaps to run it up the French coast to Calais, and then cross direct to Ramsgate or the Mudway. Actually cheaper to transport it, but thats no fun at all.

Jim

 

[Conachair]

Over to france would certainly be a better bet, only problem there would be getting back to london after each jaunt, I wouldn't get a long enough stint off work to do it in one hit.

Shame

 

[ashanta]

Paddy,

The scillies is not expensive as your likely to anchor for nothing. Avoid Falmouth, weather permitting and either anchor at Cawsands, weather permitting or be willing to go up river, past Devils island and as you approach Mountbatten marina to starboard you will see the river opening up for Torpoint. there is an excellent anchorage there also for all weather.
From Plymouth head start point and make a passge to Berry head. Turn for Brixham and again weather permitting go past the fairway to Brixham to little anchorage you cant miss in a cove. (Fishcome cove I think??) You can always go to Dartmouth, which to be fair, if you use the river authorities pontoons/raft etc is cheap. It's not cheap in the marinas. You can always go down to Dittisham and pick up a swinging mooring. Mine's 31ft and ant cost me £9.50 last year. 2 good pubs in easy distance.
You are now on your way across Lyme bay which I would do in a single passage.
I would now prefer to hand this offer of assitance to sailors who know this area better than I.

I hope I've been some help

Regards.

peter.

 

[snowleopard]

Good advice though some of the names are slightly misplaced (sorry to nitpick) It's Drake's island and the marina on the Devon side is Mayflower. Where did you mean referring to an anchorage near Torpoint? I have occasionally waited for the tide there but there isn't a lot of space that isn't either full of moorings, in a busy tideway or drying.

The best anchorage in the river is the Dandy Hole up the Lynher but it's a good hour and a half from the sea and has no facilities.

 

[Johnjo]

Possibly he means a couple hundred yards up the creek from Mashfords Boatyard nice anchorage there if you dont go to far up the creek !

I have to agree with you about Dandy Hole its where i always head for especially when the wind is from the southwest, good TV reception there as well.....

Another nice spot is just before you come to Jupitier Point on the north bank of the Lhyner, can be a bit noisy at times though with the ribs from the training school opposite and the closeness of the railway, for all of that it is still a nice anchorage..

There is plenty of free anchoring in the Falmouth area all of Carrick roads is free, St Just Pool in a Easterly is a good spot or its still very cheap to anchor in the Fal, Channals Creek is a excellant spot or off Tolcarne Creek on the opposite bank.

Personally I think the Fal is the jewel in the crown of all the Southwest rivers and anchorages it would be a shame to miss it out imho.......

 

[ashanta]

Too late for me last night ! My minds wasn't in gear.

Opposite Mayflower the river opens up to port and there is a channel through to a Multi hull dealer. There is anchorage and some private moorings just out of the main river channel and facing Mayflower.
I draw 1.5m and it's OK for me.

Regards.

Peter.

 

[snowleopard]

Yes, I know where you mean- my mooring is up that creek. You need to fit in between the drying banks, mooring tackle on the seabed and the deep water channel but as long as you get those right it's a fair place to stop. A long paddle if you want the shops though.

There's also an anchorage close in to the Cremyll shore to the West of Drake's Island unless the wind is in the SE.

Newton Ferrers is also very pleasant if a bit crowded.

 

[ashanta]

I know Fishwick suggests that one in his West country cruising but I have always thought that it shelves steeply and therefore have been a bit nervous of it. You reckon it's alright?

Regards.

Peter.

 

[snowleopard]

Never dropped the hook there but there are always 2 or 3 anchored there when I go past. It's a bit close to home for me.

 

[Johnjo]

As you say it does shelve away steeply, it is also foul at both ends.
Armoured powered cables at the Battery end, these can be seen running up onto the shore,I have seen several boats hooked up on these and requiring the services of a diver to release the anchor.

There is supposedly a wreck of a barge at the southern end, but have yet to see anyone manage to locate it with their anchor....

The anchorage can get very rolly at times, especially first thing early in the mornings what with the passing shipping and fishing boats..

But for all of this it can be a pleasant stopover in the right conditions and the grounds of Mt Edgecombe are well worth having a walk around, some magnificiant trees, plants that have to be seen....