Polventon Bay anchorage?

[jlavery]

I'm planning to take my Sweden 36 round Land's End to Milford Haven in a couple of weeks. Would quite like to visit Padstow, but tide times don't currently work out given passage planning, so looking for nearby anchorage to stop while we wait.

Polventon Bay looks like it could be a reasonable anchorage (in the right conditions, of course). Any experience/advice from those who know the area? Any other anchorages nearby (I'm expecting the answer to be "No" given the geography.

My pilot books and guides are on the boat at the moment - so I can't consult them!

James

 

[Kerenza]

Port Quinn Bay offers a few options

 

[jlavery]

Port Quinn Bay offers a few options

Thanks - it does look like it would be good in the right conditions.

 

[Kerenza]

Even a mild Northerly was unpleasant this year, but usually a lovely anchorage.
If you want to take your time, try Clovelly as the next stop or Lundy , both dodgy in Northerly, also West Side of Lundy in Easterlies.

 

[jlavery]

Thanks, definitely keen to explore Clovelly and Lundy - all very wind direction dependent though!

 

[Kerenza]

One more then, Penzance to Carbis Bay, rather than St. Ives.

 

[Temujin]

Hi James, we have anchored twice off Padstow waiting for the tide. Once in the NE corner of Padstow bay and the other time south of the mouls. Holding was good but not sure I’d do either in a blow. Padstow harbour incredibly helpful, always worth a call and they may advise a free buoy to pick up.

 

[Birdseye]

Been round lands end many times. O)ften done the passage from Falmouth to Padstow in one jump. Easier from Penzance ( leave 3 hrs before HW from an outside buoy) which I always prefer to Newlyn. Provided you time it right and take the inshore passage at Lands end you should make padstow in time to enter the harbour in a 36 foot fin. On the occasion when the passage was a bit slow and I missed the padstow gate, it was OK to anchor just by there the main channel turns right towards the harbour. Been overnight there a few times. With spring tides there usually is less of an issue with pots in the Camel entrance but in neaps you need to keep a good watch out. Leaving the departure point in daylight often has you entering the camel at night so keep your eyes peeled for the moored tripper boats.

St Ives bay is very exposed as is Polventon so both are only attractive in the sort of conditions that have you motoring anyway but then they are useful because the N Cornish coast in the dark on engine is not good - far too many pots off almost every littele cove that will take a potter boat.

 

[jlavery]

Been round lands end many times....

Thanks, very useful. Tides when we're planning to go will mean a night departure from Penzance/Newlyn - but that's the nature of passage planning!

 

[Allan]

Unlike Mr Birdseye, I always use Newlyn. Not normally rafted, very friendly staff and great pubs, full of locals not grockles! You can also leave at any state of tide. I normally leave Runnel stones about 2hours before the time in the Reeds almanac. That way you get a good tide all through the inner passage and up passed Cape Cornwall etc. If you're going at night, try to pick a night with some moon as there are some pots. Mostly I used to head straight for Cardiff but in the last couple of years have stopped at Padstow, Lundy and Milford Haven. They are all simple to do nonstop. We've gone right off Padstow, the town has gone really down hill in our opinion. The Skipper wouldn't let me stop there if I wanted!
Allan

 

[jlavery]

@Allan thanks - yes, I've been in to Newlyn, love it and, as you say, can leave any time. Interesting point on start time, think I was reaching the same conclusion.

 

[Birdseye]

Thanks, very useful. Tides when we're planning to go will mean a night departure from Penzance/Newlyn - but that's the nature of passage planning!

Maybe, but I would be uneasy at rounding lands end in the dark because of the pot boys, many of which have no flag and some are semi submerged. I refuse to motor the north cornish coast except in daylight and an not keen on sailing in the dark either.

 

[jlavery]

Maybe, but I would be uneasy at rounding lands end in the dark because of the pot boys, many of which have no flag and some are semi submerged. I refuse to motor the north cornish coast except in daylight and an not keen on sailing in the dark either.

Thanks - that's food for thought.

 

[Kerenza]

Did 2 night passages that area this summer. Only saw 1 pot........

 

[jlavery]

Did 2 night passages that area this summer. Only saw 1 pot........

That's because (as I've experienced when offshore racing), at night God presses a magic button which makes them all descend to a safe depth!

Of course it's the one(s) you don't see which are the problem!

 

[jlavery]

In case anyone's interested (cue tumbleweed...)

We ended up going off to the Scillies (or "The Isles Of Scilly", or "Scilly", depending on your level of pedantry) to get around the Land's End conundrum. Oh, via Polperro for one of my crew to see his father's birthplace, and a night in the Helford.

1 night in the Scillies(The Cove on St. Agnes then a day in Great Porth on the west of Bryher). Crew who had never been there before were awe-struck (the weather was amazing). Left on last of light and motorsailed overnight (upwind, but not quite enough to make time under sail), to arrive Padstow at just the right time to get in on the tide. I think St. Ives followed us - seemed to take ages to get past!

Padstow was great. Went for a run in the morning, called in at the NCI station to say hello. Then off to Lundy. Amazing stay there - only one other boat. Pub packed - unlike the pub in Padstow which was deserted! Great run round Lundy, and electric outboard dinghy cruise round the bottom of the island to look at seals.

Then off to Milford Haven, kite run nearly all the way there.

All fuelled by the advice here on where (not?) to go. Thanks team!

James

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Unless blowing due west the Camel Estuary usually give some shelter. SW go for Stepper and NW go for Pentire Point. And Lundy beautiful in due West but lumpy any other time though safe except for strong easterly, when only an anchorage at Jennys cove is viable and I never fancied it .

Newlyn round the Land fairly untroublesome but dont leave Carbis/St Ives too early going the other way. Of course if you have time a side trip to Scilly is well worth it - the Turks Head is surely cruising mecca?

 

[Birdseye]

I'm planning to take my Sweden 36 round Land's End to Milford Haven in a couple of weeks. Would quite like to visit Padstow, but tide times don't currently work out given passage planning, so looking for nearby anchorage to stop while we wait.

Your surprise me. Taking the inshore passage as the tide turns, I never failed to make Padstow harbour in a boat of the same size as yours. That was leaving from Falmouth or from Penzance ( I dont like Newlyn).

 

[jlavery]

I think I was meaning "work out with a civilized departure time". All a bit historical now - had a great trip via the Scillies.