Plymouth - any local knowledge ?

Just bear in mind that the restaurants on the Barbican will be crazy busy that night because of the fireworks so try to book ahead if you're planning to eat out. If you're watching the fireworks at anchor off Jennycliff (recommended!), there'll be a bit of a scrum afterwards to get back into Sutton through the lock. Wait 20 mins and it'll all be clear. Fireworks start at 21:30 and are in three, ten minute slots.
Forecast is rain :(
 
Henry, we've had similar thoughts but in the opposite direction! Left Plymouth on Sunday, 2 nights in Falmouth, now back to Plymouth. Awaiting fireworks across the river from you in Plymouth Yacht Haven. Hope you enjoy the fireworks and Sutton Harbour - a good intro to Plymouth for a first time visit I think. If I were you with your Princess connection, I'd be inclined to pop around into the Tamar for a mile or two and pass the Princess premises and then the naval and Devonport dockyard area, always worth a visit if not done it before. This area is a big part of Plymouth's naval tradition. If you had time, could always go under the Tamar bridge a couple of miles further upstream, but suspect it would need more time than sounds like you have.
Cruised at 26 knots from Falmouth this morning. 1 1/2 hrs straight lining from St.Anthony's Head to inside Plymouth breakwater, as a guide for you. Personally, the only stop off I would consider for you is passing by Polperro, then into Fowey,which is a nice place to enter from the sea. Town Quay gives you access into the busy, narrow High St etc for couple of hours, for small fee, but your size may be against you as it's not a massive pontoon. You won't get into Polperro but it's a lovely place to look at as you pass.
Falmouth is busy this week as it's regatta week with lots of sailyboats racing. Had to raft up at Falmouth Visitors Yacht Haven both nights and the same option was offered at Port Pendennis. Suspect you'll find the same - it was busy! With your size, don't go to the Yacht Haven at low water as it gets shallow at the rear, which is the way in for most unless you moor on the outside of the pontoons. Agree with others that Falmouth is a nice option with lots to do and see. If you wish to eat out, the Chinese just around the high st (called Arwenack St)from the church is really good. Not cheap, but really good.
Hope some of this might help.
Look forward to hearing how you get on.
Andrew
 
Thanks for that Andrew, much appreciated.

Luckily time isn't against us with this one.

I suspect Falmouth will be visited after the regatta, we'll pop into Fowey on the way there. I'll definitely pop up the Tamar, not only for the Princess connection - I've never actually seen the place before despite buying 2 boats, but also for the Naval heritage. We have a flat that overlooks the Portsmouth Naval dock yard, so there is a bit of an affinity.

After that we'll head East again and visit all the places we passed. We will probably pop back into Dartmouth, a quick overnight stop isn't enough and also I enjoyed the Yealm last time so that's on the list as is Salcombe.

Henry :)
 
Quest said:
Enjoyed the fireworks last night. The third display got my vote. Looking forward to the replay tonight...
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Fireworks on Wed were good too, very busy on the Hoe and Barbican. The last display was the best, excellent noisy closing sequence!

The new Rockfish restaurant was fully booked and it is quite big, we had to have 'tea' at 5:30 rather than a southern 'dinner' at 7:30, by the end of the Sutton Harbour bertholders do we were well squiffy before the fireworks.
 
Hi henryf, I live in Newton Ferrers on the River Yealm, it gets a little busy this time of year but there are several pontoons and the dockmaster is the one to contact in advance regards space. The Ship pub is really good and we eat there a lot.
Once inside the Yealm it's well protected from most weather and I don't know of any better place.

Pete
 
icecool said:
Hi henryf, I live in Newton Ferrers on the River Yealm, it gets a little busy this time of year but there are several pontoons and the dockmaster is the one to contact in advance regards space. The Ship pub is really good and we eat there a lot.
Once inside the Yealm it's well protected from most weather and I don't know of any better place.

Pete
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I don't think Henryf will be put on a pontoon with his 50 footer, but there is normally one of the outer buoys available.
 
Last time we were there there was a perfect buoy on the starboard side as we entered the river proper.

We will be popping in on the way back. Loved it last time we were here.

Slightly re-arranging things and doing the Salcombe stop now until the weather turns after the weekend. Their 4 nights for 3 is a good deal. Had a lovely meal last night in Number 55, only opened 12 weeks (under the current husband and wife team). Lovely food, reasonable prices worth a try. The calamari is delicious, Steak and lamb excellent and the meringue as good as I've tasted in my life. Wine list is well balanced, a load of choice around the £15 a bottle mark which is refreshing to see. Normally a couple of house wines to hook you in and then £20-30 plus for any variation.

Henry :)
 
Plymouth Fireworks

kcrane said:
True enough, there was a forrest of masts out in the bay beyond the quay they launched the fireworks from. In the dark must by a zoo when everyone is weighing anchor to come back in?
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Being one of those anchor lights, then the zoo wasn't as chaotic as expected. This year was the first time we had been, and we watched both nights [the first was so good] from 200m South of the Mountbatten breakwater. There was plenty of anchor room on both occassions with boats more widely spaced than a typical Friday night off Cawsands.

We enjoyed a cup of tea or extra beer at the end to allow for the throng to depart and for things to quiet down. Only problems were:

1) Tuesday night a large 60ft Sunseeker with underwater LEDs that insited on shining a huge spotlight on the way back, like a boy with a torch under the sheet covers. Spoilt any night vision we had developed. I'll avoid naming and shaming.

2) On Wednesday our departure coincided with a large coaster leaving the Cattewater at some speed. Despite the Pilot boat shouting loudly and 5 lang blasts from the coaster a 25ft yacht passed just in front and too close for everyone's comfort. We took the decision to hold back behind the breakwater.

The fireworks were spectacular and certainly beat Cowes, although clearly we are not good judges because the eventual winner was our least favoured.
 
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