Leaving Scilly

We woke in time for the 07:10 forecast, which it the only one in the day that includes the shipping forecast. We wanted to know what was due in the Plymouth Sea area, as we would be sailing in it right across to the French coast. There was nothing wind wise to worry us, but it did report fog patches, so I was glad we had the AIS unit to tell us where the big ships would be.

We prepared thoroughly (not leaving things to be done until we were under way the way we often do). That included full engine checks, before Julian raised the main and went forward to haul up the anchor.

We had the engine on to warm up, and I suddenly noticed we were getting very close to a yacht called Noah’s Jest that had swung to sit over our anchor. I had to reverse quite hard to clear her, but luckily that brought the anchor clear and we could turn away safely. A minute later we were sailing out of the anchorage and I turned the engine off.

Visibility was not great, only about ½ a mile, but the sea was smooth so George went on duty and I went below to write the log and check the tides. While I was was down the wind died and Julian put the engine back on. I began to get a smell of burning rubber. It turned out I had forgotten to re-open the raw water inlet after checking that its filter was clean. Oops.

We had the AIS turned on, very reassuring in the fog, and noticed another yacht on a very similar course to ours. It was the Orcades, a First 30, whose crew Julian had chatted with at Hugh Town quay. We did not see them at all, and they gradually overhauled us and vanished ahead.

We had been told to watch out for Sunfish, that had a fin a little like a dolphin; said fin would suddenly flop over to one side in a very odd way. I saw two, half an hour apart, but there was no sign of any dolphins or other sea mammals.

By 11:00 the fog had thinned a little, but it stayed thick enough that I saw none of of the shipping showing up on the AIS. The wind came up as the fog lifted and we had enough wind at sail at a respectable 3½ knots, so off went the engine as we set off best course to windward. Julian made some great bacon and tomato sandwiches for lunch, and I began to think we were in for a good day’s sailing.

The wind died away, came back, strengthened enough for a reef, then back to a nice force 3 so the reef came out, all between 13:00 and 14:00. Then it began to rain steadily, but not especially heavily, just enough to keep the off watch below.