We reached Dartmouth having set off only 2 1/2 hours earlier from Brixham. We were in a marina berth for the first time this trip because there wasn’t a lot of choice of moorings to be found up here without a lot of research and we wanted to get into a good place before the expected strong winds the next day.
It is possible to sail a good way inland from Dartmouth on the tide and we went as far as Dittisham:
Salcombe was a delight, a completely different experience when visited by boat rather than by car.
A pity we cut short our visit because we felt like we must push on whilst the good weather held, to get round Lands End before the Westerlies got going.
Fowey was the next stop, we were on a swing mooring having passed Plymouth and the Eddystone Light in bright sunshine during the day, then we came close into the magnificent Cornish shoreline in the afternoon.
We left Fowey at the very civilized time of 09:30 and actually managed a proper sail with engine off for a couple of hours – very satisfying. The weather was excellent, and cruising past the familiar Cornish holiday destinations was a pleasure. We were on the pontoon at Falmouth Haven for 14:15, in a most convenient spot for all shops, a wonderful hardware emporium and any number of pubs, chip shops and restaurants.
Thursday 17th of May
We had a little run up the river just past the King Harry Ferry and on the return trip we had our first anchoring practice in a quiet bay near Mylor.
Again we could have had a full holiday in Falmouth because there is such a wide cruising area around the port but we felt the need to press on and get round Lands End before the prevailing westerlies set in.