Isles of Scilly - Easter Weekend? (Any takers & advice?)

[laika]

Sincere thanks for all the advice and suggestions folks.
My takeaway has been :
- Helford stands for “Hella expensive Ford”

To put this in perspective the Helford is quite lovely. Even when stuck in the cockpit under an awning to keep off the rain while reading Daphne Du Maurier. Your 14m boat is in the same charge band as my 12m boat so between the 4 of you the charge might well not count as much during a holiday. For a liveaboard yacht bum trying to eek out funds between jobs £125 (2017 prices) for 5 days with no services sounds rather a lot and, more significantly, sounds 50% more than it was 5 years ago (although I could have mis-remembered that).

 

[longjohnsilver]

Sincere thanks for all the advice and suggestions folks.

My takeaway has been :
- Likely the wrong time of year to go for dependable weather
- If the weather pans out, great, go for it (but be prepared to seek shelter if things change)
- The South Coast along there still remains a viable backup, as does Guernsey (again weather dependent)
- Helford stands for “Hella expensive Ford”
- It’ll be cold (we’ve been sailing throughout winter so we’re sadly used to it by now)

longjohnsilver - yep, we’re “Soggy Paws”, i can’t quite tell from the Avatar, are you the boat moored up next to us?

Sorry, half right with the name, not been down for a month, and yes, our boat is next to you! You've certainly got some use out of her during the cold weather, all on Eos have been impressed! We used to go out diving all the way through the winter but after 35 years we've decided a warm pub is the best place to be.

I'm sure whatever you decide you'll have a great time. Do keep Scilly on your schedule, it's a very special place.

 

[TiggerToo]

Do keep Scilly on your schedule, it's a very special place.

LJS is spot on there. And like all special places: dream about, and set off (as the others have said) if the going is right. Like all things sailing: we do this for pleasure - don't make a noose to hang yourself on.

Re Helford: there are lovely anchoring places that do not require the payment of hefty mooring fees... but you must be prepared to slog it in the dinghy... the local HM does not like you anchoring close to the mooring buoys...

 

[johnalison]

The Isles of Scilly are places that you can only hope to sail to if you have limited time. I have been lucky enough to get there on the two occasions I have tried, but I have met a lot of holiday sailors who never made it with two week holidays. They are very special. Other options to wait would be Falmouth harbour or Penzance, so it's a matter of being flexible.

 

[Iain C]

So I guess now's not the time to say that we've only tried to get there once. We kited it most of the way from the Hamble, enjoyed blazing sunshine in the Scillies for a week, and then kited it a fair chunk of the way back, including Falmouth to Yarmouth in 21 hours...

(not the boat in signature below, mind...)

 

[Angele]

So I guess now's not the time to say that we've only tried to get there once. We kited it most of the way from the Hamble, enjoyed blazing sunshine in the Scillies for a week, and then kited it a fair chunk of the way back, including Falmouth to Yarmouth in 21 hours...

(not the boat in signature below, mind...)

In March?

 

[Iain C]

Haha no, early June.

 

[Greenheart]

I can't find a good online chart of the area between Land's End and the Scillies...

...the only one I've found, shows depths of 40 metres plus, close around the Wolf Rock lighthouse.

If that's right, it must be like a rock chimney!

Not planning a visit, just interested.

 

[dunedin]

I can't find a good online chart of the area between Land's End and the Scillies...

...the only one I've found, shows depths of 40 metres plus, close around the Wolf Rock lighthouse.

If that's right, it must be like a rock chimney!

Not planning a visit, just interested.

Try Navionics Webapp https://webapp.navionics.com/#boating@5&key=e~mqHp~vg@

If you think going from 40m to zero in a short distance is unusual, better not visit the west of Scotland. Often goes from shore/rock to 100+ metres in a very short distance - ensures paying attention

 

[Greenheart]

Actually I think Navionics was the basis of the site I had looked at already...it appears the lighthouse stands on a column rising from a flat zone 40 metres or more below.

 

[Iain C]

Actually I think Navionics was the basis of the site I had looked at already...it appears the lighthouse stands on a column rising from a flat zone 40 metres or more below.

Wow...putting in all those foundations just to build a lighthouse. You'd thought they could have stuck it on the shore wouldn't you, easier commute for the lighthouse keeper too...

 

[lpdsn]

Wow...putting in all those foundations just to build a lighthouse. You'd thought they could have stuck it on the shore wouldn't you, easier commute for the lighthouse keeper too...

Would've been easier. Would've saved having to get a rock made to prop it up too.

Maybe they were trying to tell the lighthouse keeper something.

 

[johnalison]

Would've been easier. Would've saved having to get a rock made to prop it up too.

Maybe they were trying to tell the lighthouse keeper something.

These isolated rocks are a nuisance. Somebody ought to go round with some dynamite and do something about them.

 

[lpdsn]

These isolated rocks are a nuisance. Somebody ought to go round with some dynamite and do something about them.

Good idea. You could found Rockbusters-R-Us.

Apparently the Canadians did blow up one (one of their own) in the 50s.

 

[Greenheart]

And so...

...does anybody actually know, e.g. from their echo-sounder displays, how close to the visible rock, the deep water is?

 

[dunedin]

And so...

...does anybody actually know, e.g. from their echo-sounder displays, how close to the visible rock, the deep water is?

Does it matter? Close to the rock there is likely to be breaking waves due to the Atlantic swell, so too dangerous to be close other than in exceptional conditions.

There are masses of rocks and cliffs that come straight up from the deep, such that in freak calms a boat can berth alongside - eg Bob Shepton for a cliff climb, and somebody on here once claimed to have hit Arran in a ship in fog, hitting the side not the bottom.

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks Dunedin. It certainly doesn't matter.

As I said, I wasn't planning a visit - just wondered about such a strange flooded landscape - must be like a very narrow rock tower on an otherwise flat plain.

 

[dragonvc]

Tried to go to Isles of Scillyat least 10 times but succeeded only 6 usually mid -late May never set off if F 6 westerly in the forecast the boat was 40ft late 60s more than up for it as was usually the first long trip of season the crew were not ,usual depart from Falmouth set off night before to arrive in daylight.Can be confused seas from the Lizard onwards the tidal stream atlas gives some explanation.The Islands are fabulous when the weather is right and inter Island routes can be shallow and a proper navigational challenge for pilotage the Channel from St Mary's to Tresco is tight if you draw 2metres plus.But I would not head there in first week in April unless weather turns very balmy.Plenty of cruising in South Devon /Cornwall to keep you amused with shorter sailing times or go further if weather good.