thinking of rounding lands end thursday

I went round on Friday last week from Falmouth to Padstow in about 15kn of True wind. (20 apparent) That was near to springs and leaving at 10am on Friday resulted in getting to Padstow 30 mins before the gate closed. It was fine going outside the runnel and inside Longships if you are content with 2m swell. The rough bit is around the Lizzard. Ensure you keep 3 miles south otherwise its uncomfortuble.

Padstow is always lovely in my experience. But you must passage plan to get there before the gate closes.
 
Ah well. Swmbo decided we go today - the mention of 20 in on the nose up the n Cornish coast didn't appeal to either of us. So far ( about ten.miles past cape Cornwall) its been donkey all the way. What's more she doesn't like early starts so its foul tide too
 
Not really. Allan above is clearly more rufty tufty than me - he does the trip single handed whereas I need someone else on board even if they dont do much. SWMBO has a lot of miles under her keel ,( big keel, lots of room to hide miles �� ) and has done her ym theory so she is useful back up. As long as she doesnt see the above comment that is!

Anyway we arrived at padstow at one am, some motor sailing but mostly donkey and with a weedy bottom and a two blade folder, motoroing is 5 kn max. Passage down the channel was easy enough despite no moonlight but yet again I had a nearly with a moored boat before turning back past the preferred channel marker and anchoring. The Manson bit firsttime as usual.
 
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Maybe ten round the perimeter plus the mix of visitors and locals on the central pontoon. Mid you its heaving with visitors. SWMBO likes to eat at the cockpit table so I know what a monkey in the zoo feels like.
 
birdseye said:
Maybe ten round the perimeter plus the mix of visitors and locals on the central pontoon. Mid you its heaving with visitors. SWMBO likes to eat at the cockpit table so I know what a monkey in the zoo feels like.
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What a great little harbour though. An abiding memory from about 20 years ago is arriving through the gates on a Sunday evening with the Bodmin silver band playing on the slipway in the corner. I chatted with the conductor after they finished and he kindly arranged for them to play Blaenwern, one of the greatest Welsh hymn tunes, at a concert later in the week.
 
I'm more Billy no mates than ruffty tuffty! Sorry to hear the predicted winds didn't arrived. Glad to hear your safe, at least until she reads your post!
Enjoy Padstow.
Allan
 
Local fishing boats have several passages through the rocks at the Lizard, aimed at avoiding foul tide and (often) the associated overfalls. Even a quick rounding close to Men Hir could save you miles and a lot of discomfort. What if you had a vid with commentary detailing the transits on your phone/comp/tablet? (provided by me and my Acme Navideo Ltd, of course). Manacles, Runnelstone, Godrevy......

Of course, if the device failed at the opportune moment your insurance might cast a jaundiced eye.
 
fisherman said:
Local fishing boats have several passages through the rocks at the Lizard, aimed at avoiding foul tide and (often) the associated overfalls. Even a quick rounding close to Men Hir could save you miles and a lot of discomfort. What if you had a vid with commentary detailing the transits on your phone/comp/tablet? (provided by me and my Acme Navideo Ltd, of course). Manacles, Runnelstone, Godrevy......

Of course, if the device failed at the opportune moment your insurance might cast a jaundiced eye.
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If that's a serious suggestion those of us who give every headland a six mile clearance would pay good money for it!:)
 
fisherman said:
Local fishing boats have several passages through the rocks at the Lizard, aimed at avoiding foul tide and (often) the associated overfalls. Even a quick rounding close to Men Hir could save you miles and a lot of discomfort. What if you had a vid with commentary detailing the transits on your phone/comp/tablet? (provided by me and my Acme Navideo Ltd, of course). Manacles, Runnelstone, Godrevy......

Of course, if the device failed at the opportune moment your insurance might cast a jaundiced eye.
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Always interested in short cuts Fisherman, as long as you allow for a 1.9 meter draft. I go through the manacles anyway and the inshore passage round the longships. Stay south of the dales round the lizard which is the one I feel less certain of, partly because of tides / overfalls and partly because of the floating mines that you chaps leave trying to catch lobbies.

Some waypoints through the lizard would be very useful.
 
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rib said:
oh dear see the disagreeable bank holiday weather is forcasted :--((.your just have to stay there and enjoy the agreeable beer
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Left Saturday at 0615 with a forecast NW 3/4 rising 5. Made Lavernock just as the tide was changin at 1830 and into the barrage lock at cardiff on the 1945. Not the best timne we have done but respectable. Motorsailing the whole way since the wind was light to start with and the sunday forecast made me a bit nervous about anchoring at Lundy overnight. Met Office were talking of 7 for later sunday and directions in the SE sector - you never know if weather is going to come earlier than forecast. Anyway, back now in our winter berth.
 
birdseye said:
Always interested in short cuts Fisherman, as long as you allow for a 1.9 meter draft. I go through the manacles anyway and the inshore passage round the longships. Stay south of the dales round the lizard which is the one I feel less certain of, partly because of tides / overfalls and partly because of the floating mines that you chaps leave trying to catch lobbies.

Some waypoints through the lizard would be very useful.
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If you want to hit Menhir, the end rock at the Lizard then keep the Black Head tight to Bass Point. To clear the shoal ground outside it (dangerous in ground sea) you need to see Carrick Luz, the cove at Lankidden, (it used to be the second 'town' on the Black Head, town = bunch of trees, but they went with Dutch elm.) Safer if not familiar to see Enys, the point E of Cadgwith which is a dead straight 45 deg slope. The Dales are in a line E of Menhir and show at LW. Sometimes, such as East wind and high water it is safer to pass close by in the early ebb, and at LW the flood comes SE out of Kynance early so better not if E wind. At high water there is no slack, it just goes round from SE to SW-bound, and our ends often don't even surface on springs.
 
Thats all a bit local :D I normally operate with a daisy chain of way points and the autopilot told to follow them. But to make sure I undestand what you are saying, is it sense to go close inshore from black head to bass point or on a straight course? At bass point can I go cloe inshore inside the speman shoals or is it wisest to stay outside. Then at menhir / the dales, the charts suggest there is a close inshore passage clear of the overfalls so are you saying OK inshore in reasonable conditions?
 
birdseye said:
Thats all a bit local :D I normally operate with a daisy chain of way points and the autopilot told to follow them. But to make sure I undestand what you are saying, is it sense to go close inshore from black head to bass point or on a straight course? At bass point can I go cloe inshore inside the speman shoals or is it wisest to stay outside. Then at menhir / the dales, the charts suggest there is a close inshore passage clear of the overfalls so are you saying OK inshore in reasonable conditions?
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From BH to Bass point, cut inside a half mile if foul tide. 300 yds off Bass point is OK, early ebb HW-1hr, there are transits for the Vrogue rock, rarely seen the weed on it (I may not know where I am, but I know where I'm not). Keep the Enys just in view to easily clear Menhir, 9 hours of strongest ebb tide, so avoid if W in wind, go off more. Avoid the whole shebang if sw wind over ebb tide.
 
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