Fal and Dartmouth ideas please

[sailbadthesinner]

The old man and my brother have chartered a cornish shrimper fromFalmouth for a week in July
I have only been to Falmouth once and only saw the chain locker pub Trego??Mills and the pontoon. I have been to dartmouth but it was dark and as i was just crew i never got to passage plan so only know the area from the windward rail.
Any ideas on places to go or must sees? I think the nboat has a lifting keel so can ditch crawl, it has an inboard.

The old man fancies the scillies. I believe it is doable with right wind and tide but a long trip with just 2. I reckon he could give salcombe a go?
many thanks in advance

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[ccscott49]

Fowey, looe, polperro, salcombe, yealm, Dartmouth! Anywhere really lots of great cruising, but Haydn is the one to ask, he knows that area like his backyard, in fact it is his backyard!!

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[longjohnsilver]

Scillies maybe a bit ambitious with only a week to get there and back, especially if the weather turns whilst they're there, but one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

Why not just stay around Falmouth, loads of creeks to explore and there's the Helford river just next door, another beautiful spot. Also St mawes, up to Truro, loads to do round there. And shop in Trago Mills, dirt cheap and usually packed!

Yes hlb probably knows the area better than any of us, he's the chap to ask.

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[tcm]

Scillies is of course doable, and altho you need decent weather, but lifting keel sounds great - if you can dry out you could just sit ashore if the weather breaks. Long way tho just for a week not sure it's worth it.

For a week, Dartmouth, Salcombe, Fowey are "must do" places, imho. Polperro v cute and small, dunno how big this thing is. If you can dry out Looe and Mousehole is cutesy too.

Lots of restaurants ashore BUT you must like peas and carrots when eating out. Also, as there are two males in the party, waiting staff will address you in lavatory style: "Good evening, Gents"

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[chas]

There are some nice spots up the Tamar if youi don't mind drying out.

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[Cornishman]

Others here have all omitted the Tamar - so I put in a plea for this beautiful estuary with places like Saltash Passage on the Devon bank opposite Saltash (Tamar River SC Monday evenings), Saltash on the Cornwall side (visitors pontoon just north of the bridges, Saltash SC open Tuesday and Thursday evenings), Cargreen (the Crooked Spaniards pub and Cargreen YC), Weir Quay (not much ashore, but loads of moorings), Cotehele Quay (National Trust estate where you can lie alongside and dry or pick up a mooring in mid river) Calstock (pubs etc) or on to Morwellham (copper mines, the Garlandstone ketch etc). If you get totally bored with the rural lifetsyle there are 3 marinas in Plymouth for the city lights (!)
Come and see us, we are quite friendly too.


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[tcm]

Plymouth

Mayflower Marina is nice but a long trek from town - the bright lights are nearer town, QAB and inside at sutton harbour.



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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: Plymouth

to be fair i have done the treck to and from the mayflower in to plymouth


it takes ages on the way into town but not so long on the way back
especially when arm in arm being supprted by some totty .......ahem

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[longjohnsilver]

Re: Plymouth

But keep well away from Plymouth Yacht haven (ex Clovelly Bay marina), there's always a danger he could bump into Haydn, and they wouldn't want to spoil their holiday!!

I would suggest not going too far, why travel all day to somewhere that probably won't be as good as where you've just left. The shrimper's only a small boat so passage making will be a slow business and apart from the Scillies I can't think of anywhere more pleasant than around Falmouth to spend a week.

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[tcm]

Re: Plymouth

That was a policewoman escorting you home, be honest.

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[yachtcharisma]

I used to sail a Corribee - about the same length - from Plymouth. I'd agree with those who say not to be too ambitious with distance. Its basically a day's sail between each of (in order) Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth, Salcombe, Dartmouth. Hence Dartmouth is really 4 days away - too far to go there and back in a week. Plymouth is a couple of days away, probably about as far as you'd want to go if you want to do some exploring along the way.

The trip back from Plymouth is (overall) SSW - straight into the prevailing wind, so unless you want a long beat or a rolly trip back under engine I'd beware of going too far east unless you're confident of something other than southwesterlies for the end of the week to get you back.

In a shoal draft boat - our corribee was bilge keeled - its easy to spend a week exploring the upper reaches of the Fal, Helford River and the Fowey, and that's probably what I'd plan on if it were me. If you happen to get a favourable wind early in the week, I might pop round to St Michael's Mount or Mousehole, but both will be quite busy with tourists in July. We always reckoned that the Scillies ought to be doable in two long days from Falmouth (stopping at Penzance overnight) given favourable winds, and if you get a really perfect forecast that might be worth a try, but otherwise I'd not go so far. We've not yet been - but still plan to one day!

Oh, and you'll need Mark Fishwick's West Country Cruising - a superb guide.

Cheers
Patrick


<hr width=100% size=1>Sailing a Victoire 25 on the Scottish West Coast

 

[sailbadthesinner]

ecellent suggestion about the book
just bought it and had it sent to the old man
he'll love that.



<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[Evadne]

Hi,
I'm afraid the only thing I've ever sailed on out of Falmouth was the good ship "Discovery", back in the eighties, but if it's watering holes and other landy bits you're interested in, try the Helford river. It looks a bit hairy up towards Gweek itself, for a deep-keeled yacht, but down river there are lots of deep creeky bits to explore. If you can find it I very strongly recommend the trek up to a pub called Trengilly Wartha, near Constantine village. More types of beer, wine, brandy and cider than I've seen in a long while. Food is good too. Spent the honeymoon there in '98. Have a nice trip.


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[hlb]

You called. Underpants!!

Hum yes. Honoured.

Now bare in mind. I do my cruising round there at 20 knots. So the whole of devon and Cornwall is at my disposal in a week. But I have sailed out of looe in a National Osprar as well!!

I would do as others have sujested. When the weather Look to be turning rough. We always head for Falmouth. Plenty to do in sheltered waters.

If it was me. I'd explore the Fall. Call in at Mr Newmans place for beer whiskey and cream teas. Then up to Truro if the tides are any good.

The Pandora is well worth a visit. But again best after half tide. Then you can tie up to the pubs beer garden/pontoon.

The Helford river is not to far and the Ship inn does very good seafood. It's best to take a dinghy. Fowey is about twenty miles from Falmouth and it tends to be quite rough. For most of the way you tend to be quite a way off shore. Dont get me wrong. Fowey is well worth a visit.Just might be a bit of a long haul for you.Megavisy is close by. I love the place. Others say its a bit touristy? Also Charles town where they keep big Skooners for Films and other things. You can moor in the harbour if the tide is right or anchor outside.
Dont forget to take a dinghy it doubles the fun. Any more info needed. Just ask.

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Haydn

 

[sailbadthesinner]

cheers
they may have adinghy but in boat that size nowhere to lash it and it slows you down too much to tow so have to be bothered to inflate deflate.
Is salcombe too far then. cos if not scillies ( which is fine in theory but in practice prob too much) then salcombe was also mentioned.

i have to point out that my father is quite mad and wreckless.so if you see two ashrimper with a wild eyed looking man at the helm steer clear.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[ccscott49]

Salcombe is also quite a way, just round start point from Dartmouth so a fair old sail. OK getting there, but quite a beat getting back against the prevailings. I would take Haydns' advice and cruise the Fal, Helford etc. It's a beautiful area and you can pop round the corner aswell for a good open water sail.

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[Twister_Ken]

Wreckless, eh?

>i have to point out that my father is quite mad and wreckless<

That'll help keep his insurance premiums down.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[snowleopard]

a few ideas (dartmouth)

in the dart, a trip up the river to totnes will give you a couple of hours alongside the pub at high water. likewise bow creek (the pub used to be owned by keith floyd who had great ambitions on prices, e.g. £5 for a sandwich, but now he's gone it's more reasonable)



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[hlb]

Went from Falmouth straight to Salcolmbe the other week. Been in Falmouth for a few days hiding from the weather. Then LJS wrang and said he'd caught crabs again!! So headed to his aid. It's about fifty miles straight across the bay. Bloody Edistone Light house right in the middle of our course. Daft buggers. Why they have to put it there!! He'd be about ten miles out From Plymouth at that point. A long way if it was to turn a bit rough. Bet the distance point to point is nearer sixty miles. I dont count the bits going in or out of harbour.
Your dad had better work it out for himself. A few miles one way or the other makes litle difference to me. Might at four knots not 20 odd!!

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Haydn

 

[Peppermint]

If the weathers cack the Fal gives a decent couple of days cruising Restroguet Creek for the Pandora Pub, St Justs in Roseland for a fine subtropical church yard and a cream tea uo the hill. St. Mawes is a lovely villge too. If the weather improves Helford River is "Gods own place" Fowy is only half a days sail East with Mevegissy and Charlestown on the way.

It would be easy to try to go to far and miss the attractions close to Falmouth.

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