East or West?

[Guest]

Similar to JeremyF's question about his summer cruise, I'm picking up a boat in Plymouth, for a week's autumn cruising soon.
I've done most of my sailing in the Solent / Cross Channel hops, so the West Country is new to me and the crew.
As it is only a week, it would seem that you either go East or West.
Any suggestions on destinations, recommendations on decent pubs + restaurants?

Thanks
NickD

 

[rogerroger]

The great thing about Plymouth is that going East or West you'll find some lovely spots. You might find you need to judge what the weather is going to do before deciding.

I'd go west - a short hop to Fowey where it would be a crime not to spend a few days, then onto Falmouth, have a nose up the Fal (it's gorgeous) and if you have time pop up the Helford.

That'll be enough for a week. If you go to Fowey you can take a boat trip to Leryn which is lovely (too shallow for a yacht), and make sure you do some coastal walks on the Polruan side followed by a swift half in the Lugger on the quayside.

Oh, a couple of good lunch time stops are St Austel where you can tie up alongside the wall, or anchor off Polkerris on the other side of the bay.



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[Johnjo]

Why not do both.
A sail up to Salcombe,very nice but gets very busy,rafting up is the norm.
My own preference would be west, most harbors 20 mile apart nice day sails,
Fowey is great, not normally as busy as salcombe, less designer wear.
Falmouth, plenty of space, can explore River Fal, plenty quiet anchorages,
visit Truro, sail over to the Helford really nice but can get crowded,
can be uncomfortable in east wind, Down to Penzance,but check when gates open and close, one of my favourit places, really good atmosphere,nice pubs.
what ever you decide upon have great time.
mike

 

[yachtcharisma]

Southeast or westsouthwest?

Its not actually as simple as east or west, which makes quite a significant difference to the ease with which you can go out and back in the two directions given the prevailing winds. My own approach, having sailed out of Plymouth for a few years, is...
If the wind just happens to NOT be southwest at the start of the week, take advantage of it to head WSW to Falmouth, because it will almost certainly go round by the end of the week and give you an easy run back. Otherwise, head southeast and enjoy a beam reach to Salcombe, and potentially back as well.

Obviously once you go round the corner to Dartmouth and Torquay, which you'd want to in a week, the theory is less relevant, but it has served me reasonably well.

Cheers
Patrick

Sailing a Corribee in Plymouth
vzone.virgin.net/patrick.fox

 

[hlb]

Even at our speed we can get a week out of a trip from Plymouth to Falmouth. Besides the other places mentioned. Stop off at Looe for lunch, either in the harbour if the tide is in or drop the anchor in the bay and walk up the beach. Must have dinghy of course. Visit Megavisy, you can stay the night very cheaply. Charles Town is good fun if the tide is in. Little bit tight in the harbour but we fit in alright. Visit the big Skooners and things there. Go up the fal and stop at Mr Newmans place for a while, Youll find it after rounding a bend and getting a big shock at the massive ships up there. Tie up to his old trip boat. Or the new one if he's not using it. Truro i possible if you can sail on damp dish cloths. Park up at the Pandora if the tide is right about lunch time. Penzants is orible IMHO.

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Haydn

 

[hlb]

Even at our speed we can get a week out of a trip from Plymouth to Falmouth. Besides the other places mentioned. Stop off at Looe for lunch, either in the harbour if the tide is in or drop the anchor in the bay and walk up the beach. Must have dinghy of course. Visit Megavisy, you can stay the night very cheaply. Charles Town is good fun if the tide is in. Little bit tight in the harbour but we fit in alright. Visit the big Skooners and things there. Go up the fal and stop at Mr Newmans place for a while, Youll find it after rounding a bend and getting a big shock at the massive ships up there. Tie up to his old trip boat. Or the new one if he's not using it. Truro i possible if you can sail on damp dish cloths. Park up at the Pandora if the tide is right about lunch time. Penzants is orible IMHO. Stop at the council run marina in falmouth. Theres loads of pubs and restraunts close by. Fowey you will have to take a buoy or pontoon in the middle of the river. If water taxi has finnished running, the little ferry boat that runs across the river will pick you up.

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Haydn

 

[Gunfleet]

Patrick\'s particular area of expertise?

Hey Patrick, going off at a bit of a tangent and bearing in mind what you do for a living, what do you carry on the boat for first aid for our usual one/two week cruises? You can find a lot of advice in books, but it seems to centre on triangular bandages and malaria pills. I'm thinking more the domestic kind of first aid a coastal cruising sailor would carry. If it's an impossible question for you, where might one look for the answer?
Hope you don't mind being ambushed
John

 

[whisper]

As a previous poster says, decide on your direction when you see what the weather is like.
You could actually spend a couple of interesting days in & around Plymouth itself if the weather is awful.
If you go Eastish Dartmouth is super - try the Cherub for food and drink.
Salcombe is very pretty - pub and restaurant behind HM's office always seems ok.
Whichever way you go the R.Yealm is not to be missed.
Going Westish - Looe dries out and is a bit "trippery"
Fowey is lovely, Falmouth is ok - though it's really beautiful up river.
Helford River also very nice and will be very quiet.

All the above get very busy in July & August but at the moment it is blissfully devoid of the hordes. I don't think more than 10% of Salcombe's visitors buoys are presently occupied. Think I'll stay another couple of days!

Hope you have a great week.

 

[Guest]

Thanks V Much

I was half expecting to get flamed out of existence here with such an ordinary question!
Anyway - thanks to all of you for your responses. I'll let you know how we get on.

Ta
N

 

[yachtcharisma]

Re: First aid kits

Yesss, I always feel a bit of a fraud when people ask me about first aid. You might be suprised to know that doctors actually do no specific training in first aid, although you do tend to pick some up as you go along. More so if you spend a while in A+E, which I haven't. As a doctor, I wasn't required to have attended a first aid course before doing my coastal skipper exam, but I think both the examiner and I felt rather awkward when he did ask me about the first aid box and I had to make up a rather waffly answer on the spot...!

So I won't attempt to do the same again! Suffice it to say we actually carry very little by way of first aid equipment. A few sticky plasters and some rather out of date seasickness pills are just about it. I tend to feel anything that needs much more than that requires a diversion to the nearest harbour - which is never more than a couple of hours away for the style of cruising we do - or a call for something more urgent.

However, its an interesting question, and why don't you ask it as a thread of its own. I'm happy to be told that I should be carrying much more!

Cheers
Patrick

Sailing a Corribee in Plymouth
vzone.virgin.net/patrick.fox

 

[Gunfleet]

Re: First aid kits

You remind me of a doctor friend who once confided that if you were knocked over in the street you'd fare better waiting for an ambulance than being treated by some random passing doctor. I will give it a thread because you're right, it is an interesting question. I bought one of those little orange plastimo kits in the summer and we haven't stopped stubbing toes and stabbing ourselves ever since! I'll have to refill it soon.
John