Polperro

[eddystone]

Thinking of looking in at Polperro next week on way to Fowey. Not an overnight stop. Reeds says moor fore and aft on a couple of buoys at the harbour entrance. Photos seem to show these taken up by fishing boats. Is it viable to anchor near the harbour entrance? For a quick stop this would probably be preferable to rafting up.

 

[lw395]

I have picked up moorings there, and anchored off in fair weather.
Much better idea than going there by car.
Moorings suit smaller boats IIRC.
When we anchored 'near' the entrance it was a short outboard ride rather than a row, but then I'm lazy...

 

[eddystone]

Thanks; I guess 4.4 tons counts as small

 

[zoidberg]

There are a couple of V-moorings inside on the left/south side. There's also occasional space against the south harbour wall, just inside the entrance, but that also is regularly used by local fishermen - who own the harbour. Give the harbourmaster a call.

 

[IanL]

I was in there earlier this year. No signs of rafting but they do fit two boats between a pair of buoys so arrange your lines so that you are near to one of them. At least one long line essential.
Some boats anchored outside the entrance as well but this was very settled weather.

 

[IanL]

There are a couple of V-moorings inside on the left/south side. There's also occasional space against the south harbour wall, just inside the entrance, but that also is regularly used by local fishermen - who own the harbour. Give the harbourmaster a call.

There were a pair of moorings on each side of the approach channel earlier this year.

 

[Appledore]

There should be two sets of three trot moorings, with the Fairway in between. Mooring is fore and aft between two buoys, but not just on one as you may block the Fairway. The outer buoys require rather long warps, as has been mentioned. The Easterly moorings may be used by the local fishermen, so best to phone Ollie, the HM on 07966 528045. He will advise you. Overnight fee last year was £10, payable in the local pub!

 

[Balbas]

There should be two sets of three trot moorings, with the Fairway in between. Mooring is fore and aft between two buoys, but not just on one as you may block the Fairway. The outer buoys require rather long warps, as has been mentioned. The Easterly moorings may be used by the local fishermen, so best to phone Ollie, the HM on 07966 528045. He will advise you. Overnight fee last year was £10, payable in the local pub!

Overnight fee £10 this year too - paid in the Blue Peter - good excuse to row ashore for a cheeky pint.

We didn't have long enough lines and ended up knotting together a warp and an old sheet in order to get the length. The local fishermen and harbourmaster were all extremely friendly and helpful. It's now one of our favourite places, well worth a visit.

 

[AndrewB]

For many years a favourite overnight spot for us going to, or coming from, the Scillies. This is us anchored off, taken as I recall from the Blue Peter. The cove is more sheltered than one might think, though obviously not if the wind has any south in it.

 

[RIBW]

....... This is us anchored off........

For the avoidance of doubt, do you really mean 'anchored' in that position? I think Appledore has it right.

I confess to having failed to get favourable conditions for a stay at Polperro and have since moved away from the area so my info dates from before 2016.

My photos show 1. A yacht anchored off the entrance, 2. A home made aide-memoire of the entrance and 3. A view of the buoys in the entrance from above on the cliff.

Could someone confirm if they are still valid?

Cheers
Bob

 

[Appledore]

Hi Bob,

They look OK to me. Certainly the last picture is correct. I had to join 5 lengths of rope to reach the outer buoy on the far side! Very helpful for anyone who has not been in before. Thanks.

 

[jdc]

I've never dared go in and stay, but would like to one day.

A question: since one has to deploy 25m long warps when mooring are-and-aft between buoys there's clearly room for several boats 'in series'. Is this done, and what's the etiquette and technique?

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Even the inner buoys are way too far apart for convenient fore and aft and hard to manage without a dinghy or a boat that is more nimble astern than ours. I have contacted the harbour master suggesting that 15m apart might be more suitable but have had no reply. Pilot book unhelpful so thought they were just swinging moorings at first as so far apart but advised of my error by fisherman. Lovely place to stay however

 

[Balbas]

Here's a photo of us in there this summer. Note, I did it wrong, I should have been up tight to one buoy and then had a long line to the other. But by the time I'd got us tied on I couldn't be arsed to move and the harbour master was relaxed on the basis that I wasn't blocking the fairway.

Edit:- phone is being a pig, photo to follow.

 

[Boathook]

I was there earlier this in June and there were only 2 buoys either side about 70 foot plus apart. I had to dig out an extra long warp to moor in between them. Stayed overnight but the weather very settled.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

There was a fifth buoy out nearer the sea on the western side when we went there in June. So far out you might not have noted it. Hence the problem

 

[Applespider]

Love Polperro. Last couple of times, we have dried out against the wall next to the fisherman's museum as timings worked well. And we wanted to avoid the need for those very long warps on the fore/aft buoys.

 

[Rafiki]

I passed by last summer and thought about going in but the description in the Almanac and Channel Pilot made it sound very difficult. NOw I've seen these photo's I'm encouraged to give it a try. What I can't understand is where is the yacht in post no 9 anchored in relation to the other photo's of the bouys and the harbour entrance. Does anyone know?

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I passed by last summer and thought about going in but the description in the Almanac and Channel Pilot made it sound very difficult. NOw I've seen these photo's I'm encouraged to give it a try. What I can't understand is where is the yacht in post no 9 anchored in relation to the other photo's of the bouys and the harbour entrance. Does anyone know?

hard to judge but from photo but i think it is out beyond the most seaward eastern buoy, but not as far out to sea as 5th buoy on western side. 5th buoy may be the whitish blob though buoy is yellow

 

[RIBW]

..... What I can't understand is where is the yacht in post no 9 anchored in relation to the other photo's of the bouys and the harbour entrance. Does anyone know?

That is why I asked AndrewB if he really meant 'anchored'. See post #10.

If AndrewB hadn't mentioned anchoring, I'd have bet on it being on the middle buoy on the east side.

NB: There is some ambiguity possible because 'harbour entrance' could either mean the gap between the east and west piers (see photo below) or it could also be used to refer to gap in the cliffs leading to the harbour (see my earlier photo of yacht with blue hull anchored off.
Cheers
Bob