Scilly Question

jcwads

jcwads

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Hello all and Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that!

I find myself contemplating 2018 and a planned 3 week (yes 3 weeks, I haven’t taken more than 2 weeks off ever) trip.

I grew up holidaying every year in the Scillies and it will always be a very special place to me. My countless visits to the islands have always been as a non boating visitor but the dream was always to go on my own boat.

Now I have my Targa 40 I am hoping to make that dream a reality. I am however, looking to hear about other Mobo owners who have holidayed out there on their own boat.

I am totally aware of the Islands and the need to either pick up a buoy if available or anchor for the whole trip. The thing is, I only ever really see Raggies when out there, and it’s left me thinking, will this be a good choice to spend my 3 weeks on my Mobo, given I don’t see many there.

Has anyone done it? Anyone regretted it, or loved it? I’m happy with going feral and the boat has a big gen set to keep us remote. But is rolling around in the Atlantic swell going to get me divorced......

Anyhow, keen to hear experinces and views!

Jonathan
 
jcwads said:
Hello all and Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that!

I find myself contemplating 2018 and a planned 3 week (yes 3 weeks, I haven’t taken more than 2 weeks off ever) trip.

I grew up holidaying every year in the Scillies and it will always be a very special place to me. My countless visits to the islands have always been as a non boating visitor but the dream was always to go on my own boat.

Now I have my Targa 40 I am hoping to make that dream a reality. I am however, looking to hear about other Mobo owners who have holidayed out there on their own boat.

I am totally aware of the Islands and the need to either pick up a buoy if available or anchor for the whole trip. The thing is, I only ever really see Raggies when out there, and it’s left me thinking, will this be a good choice to spend my 3 weeks on my Mobo, given I don’t see many there.

Has anyone done it? Anyone regretted it, or loved it? I’m happy with going feral and the boat has a big gen set to keep us remote. But is rolling around in the Atlantic swell going to get me divorced......

Anyhow, keen to hear experinces and views!

Jonathan
Click to expand...

Went there for 6 years running spending between 3 days and 3 weeks on board. As usual we plan to return next summer. We are now more relaxed about gales whilst there now we have discovered St Helens Pool!

Our favourite anchorage is the Cove between St Agnes and Gugh, it's a beautiful spot with the added advantage of a great pub, the Turks Head and fabulous beaches, but as with almost all anchorages you need to be ready to leave at short notice if the wind changes direction and increases, but with the internet it is easier now than it was.

On St Mary's I would avoid the main port Hughtown as the moorings are quite close together and it can get pretty rough, although it is the place to go for fresh water and provisions from the well stocked Co op. I prefer PorthCressa just the other side, which now has buoys but with still some space to anchor.

There are quite a few mooring buoys in New Grimsby Sound, between Tresco and Bryher, which are always safe but can get a bit rolly especially towards the top of the tide. On the other side of Tresco there are about 6 mooring buoys in Old Grimsby, about 100m off the lovely beach.

If it looks like getting really rough you can make a run for the mainland, hence our first trip only lasting 3 days. Now we make our way to St Helens Pool, between Tresco and St Martins, where you can always find good shelter. We've been anchored there in. F8 gale seeing breaking water on the reefs just a few hundred meters away, feeling very calm and secure.

The main bits to consider and get right are to have good mooring tackle, I had a strop made up with 2m of chain in the middle for the mooring buoys to avoid chaff, I wouldn't be without that! Make sure you have a good anchor and plenty of chain. And most important of all you'll want a good dinghy, preferably one you can either carry up a beach or one with dinghy wheels, along with a good long painter to tie up to a harbour wall or anchor further up the beach.

I've no,idea how much fresh water you can carry, but it will probably be an issue so it's worth taking cans that you can take ashore and fill from the taps in the smaller harbours. As I've said, the only place to go alongside and fill up is in St Mary's, but I've never had to do that so can't comment on how easy it is.

The inter island ferries are frequent and fast so you don't always have to move if you want to get elsewhere, Tresco has a good shop, pub and beach cafe. Bryher is good for buying crab and lobster to eat on board, and has a good watering hole in the Fraggle Rock, that also does good basic meals.

You won't regret going to Scilly, the hardest part is actually getting there, Falmouth always seems to be full of boats that have failed to get there. I would also stock up well, we always travel with a well stocked booze cabinet as well as cereals, nibbles etc. it's also worth buying West Country Cruising which has a good section on Scilly. Most of all enjoy the peace and quiet of the islands, and the usually sunnier climate. And take good walking shoes, you'll need them to see the best of the islands.

And look out for us on Eos!
 
I too am watching this thread with interest. This trip has always been on our bucket list but we have never had the correct boat to attempt it (In my opinion). That all changes in two days time though!
 
In very many years of boating we have only managed to get to the Scillies once. Apart from that one occasion all our other attempts had been thwarted by lack of a sufficiently long weather window. Then one year, returning south from Scotland, we were in Padstow when it looked promising. Some friends were already there having made passage from Falmouth. We had a pleasant passage and took one of the mooring buoys on the east side of Tresco. We spent three nights there, just long enough to explore the island and visit all of the hostelries and eating houses!

On the third day it became clear that the weather window was about to come to an abrupt and stormy end so we had to make rapid passage back to Falmouth, our home port at the time.

We really enjoyed our all too brief visit. I wonder how long it will be before a decent weather window coincides with our next visit toe the West Country.
 
BartW said:
nothing to add to the excellent advice from LJS,
just want to say that we were there with a 28ft boat, and spend one night on anker,

its a beautifill place, and it gives a feeling of a big accomplishment, getting there with your own boat,
we still have good memory's at that !

here is a report from that trip:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?249511-Yes!-we-made-it-to-Scilly-s
Click to expand...

Ha, we want to see you there in BA:encouragement: now that would be an interesting trip!
 
longjohnsilver said:
Went there for 6 years running spending between 3 days and 3 weeks on board. As usual we plan to return next summer. We are now more relaxed about gales whilst there now we have discovered St Helens Pool!

Our favourite anchorage is the Cove between St Agnes and Gugh, it's a beautiful spot with the added advantage of a great pub, the Turks Head and fabulous beaches, but as with almost all anchorages you need to be ready to leave at short notice if the wind changes direction and increases, but with the internet it is easier now than it was.

On St Mary's I would avoid the main port Hughtown as the moorings are quite close together and it can get pretty rough, although it is the place to go for fresh water and provisions from the well stocked Co op. I prefer PorthCressa just the other side, which now has buoys but with still some space to anchor.

There are quite a few mooring buoys in New Grimsby Sound, between Tresco and Bryher, which are always safe but can get a bit rolly especially towards the top of the tide. On the other side of Tresco there are about 6 mooring buoys in Old Grimsby, about 100m off the lovely beach.

If it looks like getting really rough you can make a run for the mainland, hence our first trip only lasting 3 days. Now we make our way to St Helens Pool, between Tresco and St Martins, where you can always find good shelter. We've been anchored there in. F8 gale seeing breaking water on the reefs just a few hundred meters away, feeling very calm and secure.

The main bits to consider and get right are to have good mooring tackle, I had a strop made up with 2m of chain in the middle for the mooring buoys to avoid chaff, I wouldn't be without that! Make sure you have a good anchor and plenty of chain. And most important of all you'll want a good dinghy, preferably one you can either carry up a beach or one with dinghy wheels, along with a good long painter to tie up to a harbour wall or anchor further up the beach.

I've no,idea how much fresh water you can carry, but it will probably be an issue so it's worth taking cans that you can take ashore and fill from the taps in the smaller harbours. As I've said, the only place to go alongside and fill up is in St Mary's, but I've never had to do that so can't comment on how easy it is.

The inter island ferries are frequent and fast so you don't always have to move if you want to get elsewhere, Tresco has a good shop, pub and beach cafe. Bryher is good for buying crab and lobster to eat on board, and has a good watering hole in the Fraggle Rock, that also does good basic meals.

You won't regret going to Scilly, the hardest part is actually getting there, Falmouth always seems to be full of boats that have failed to get there. I would also stock up well, we always travel with a well stocked booze cabinet as well as cereals, nibbles etc. it's also worth buying West Country Cruising which has a good section on Scilly. Most of all enjoy the peace and quiet of the islands, and the usually sunnier climate. And take good walking shoes, you'll need them to see the best of the islands.

And look out for us on Eos!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Gives me some confidence that there are options to avoid too much rolling. Guess it’s all down to what the weather does anyway!

The cove will likely be one of my main anchorages as St Agnes is my favourite place in the world. Also the Turks Head is the best pub in the world!!!

Any advice on which anchorages are best for specific wind states?



I think my other consideration is upgrading my anchor to well oversized.
 
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