4: Falmouth to St Mary’s, Scilly Isles, 15th/16th June
Shipping forecast, 15th June 17.54: Plymouth: NE 4-5 occasionally 6; fair; good.
Of all the places we’ve been in years of sailing, the Scilly Isles are Carole’s favourite so a return there was next on our programme.
Planning an evening departure and overnight passage we followed our berthing policy in reverse and moved out mid afternoon from the pontoon berth to a vacant mooring to avoid being rafted inside an evening arrival, and thence set off to sea at 21.20 on the 15th June to catch the west going tide past The Lizard. Once again the wind, remaining northerly, provided a good passage beam reaching under sail (though it was cold during the graveyard and dawn watches) and we arrived to anchor in Porth Cressa, by that time in bright warm sunshine, at 09.00 hours on the 16th.
The log ceased working on this passage so logged distance is not available. The distance sailed, as measured on the chart, was 61 miles.
The log continued to malfunction periodically for the remainder of the voyage.
St Mary’s Scilly Isles: the anchorage in Porth Cressa provides good shelter in northerly weather but can get quite crowded