After 2 nights in Newlyn stormbound by Floris, we were ready to leave and the sun was finally shining. My Celtic Sea crew had flown home with the exception of my Dad, and Su Yin and Tomas had flown in. We sailed out of the entrance of Newlyn Harbour and passed the famous Newlyn Tidal Observatory to starboard. (The Newlyn Tidal Observatory is a significant site for sea level measurement and is used to define the national height datum for Britain).
Our rainy day the day before had allowed us some shore leave and we had rented a car and visited Lands End (I was glad I had kept well off it while sailing) followed by a comedy musical concert at the famous Minack Theatre, a cliffside natural open-air amphitheatre with spectacular views. The sun had come out just in time for the show! This had been topped off with a sunset dinner in St Ives. Lastly Tomas and I had waded out in ankle deep water at dusk to St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall’s answer to Le Mont Saint Michel. All in all a great day, especially considering the miserable weather.
Leaving Newlyn, we sailed across Mounts Bay in a 20kn northwesterly off our quarter with a reefed main and goose winged headsail. We crossed the Lizard (Britain’s most southerly point) and turned north, headed for Helford River. Crossing Black Head and The Guthins, we were on a beam reach, with a flat sea and flew along at 8.5kn, though another reef was eventually deemed prudent.
Helford River was stunning. The scenery was very similar to Kinsale or Oysterhaven with lovely rolling farmland and wooded hillsides. On the northern shore above the village of Helford we noted the palatial home of Roger Taylor the drummer for the band Queen, who also owns the local pub the Shipwrights Arms. We dropped anchor on the peaceful northern shore opposite Helford village. Tomas and I had a great time exploring the little caves with the Stand Up Paddles and swimming off the rocks.
Later that evening we went to the Shipwrights Arms for a fantastic dinner and a few pints. I had to take the hit for the group, by jumping in and dragging the boat up the seaweed strewn banks to save the shoes of the rest of the crew getting wet (God forbid). I had to repeat the feat after dinner, though with the help of a friendly local! All in all, another perfect day in our Cornish adventure.
