Overnight sail day 6/7 Land's End

 Dear Readers, this is a tale of adventure, excitement and woe. We left Padstow at 21.20 aiming to be in Newlyn or Penzance by 09.30 today morning. We had decided on an overnight sail because the weather looked good for us and if we left it till the next day, the7th, the weather was closing in. Another yacht left with us for the same destination, so that is always a comfort. It was a calm sea and a bit of drizzle but otherwise looking OK. The sunset was a pink streak on the horizon and the moon was peeking out every now then through the clouds.  We could see the lights of the other yacht a little way off, which I found comforting. When it is like that, night sailing can be magical. 

Josh was staying up all night, I stayed up till just after 1am. Andrew our crew (Josh's son) had gone to his cabin for a couple of hour's rest because he had driven down to Padstow from Ramsgate that day, but he would come on deck as I went below in the early hours. I finally fell asleep but could tell the sea was picking up a bit. Then the engine stopped, which is not something you want to hear, especially in the middle of the night...it was actually just before 3am by this time. We had gone over a fishing pot marker buoy, which is never good news, because if the ropes get tangled around the prop you are in real trouble (deep do-dos in sailing terms.) I pulled on a jacket over my PJ's and the deck was floodlit but no sign of anyone at the wheel, arggh! But Josh and Andrew were at the back of the boat trying to cut the ropes from the fishing buoy, so there wasn't much I could do except find the sharp hunting knife we keep for emergencies and hand it to them to cut the entanglement of ropes.

After half an hour the yellow buoy that marked the pot had been set free and floated away into the darkness, but the rope that had attached the marker buoy to it was wrapped around our rudder. This made steering much less responsive and eventually the auto helm couldn't cope so we had to revert to hand steering. I did go back to bed but no sleep came, so I got up again at 5am as it was getting light. Visibility had got worse as there was a mist and drizzle.

Longships Lighthouse, Land's End

By 7am we were coming up to Land's End, but the sea and the wind had picked up. It was quite exciting to be passing this iconic and notorious point, not only because it is a milestone on our trip but  once we have rounded this we are on the homeward stretch. I felt very exposed as we took the "shortcut" through the gap between the rocky coast and the Longships Lighthouse, surrounded by rocks, some of them barely visible and only the spray from breaking waves gives them away.

We had a large swell which got quite lumpy for a few hours, and our speed was reduced due to the rudder problem, but the sun had come out and the coastline looked unspoilt and unforgiving even in the sunshine. However. the slower speed  meant that we could by pass Newlyn and go straight into Penzance, where we rafted off of four boats at 10.55am. So a longer than expected trip and quite an adventure. We were all very, very tired but Josh wanted to sort the rudder problem out there and then, so after inflating the dingy and getting down at sea level with the rudder, he and Andrew managed to untangle what turned out to be a long rope and a small pink buoy!

We were all very tired and flopped into bed fully clothed and slept through till late afternoon. My first impressions are not good of Penzance harbour, it is a very run down, a drab fishing port, not really a marina, and so busy that we are rafted onto four other boats. This means that we have to climb over these before we get to the harbour wall and then it's another vertical ladder to negotiate. I can't believe the facilities here are going to be very good plus we have to pay to have a shower!! The weather is also not nice now, constant drizzle and cold.

It seems to me a huge missed opportunity for Penzance, there is obviously a high demand from leisure sailors and to have a lovely marina here would bring sailors in, improve the area and create jobs.

I have already booked two nights in a local hotel, can't wait for a proper bed with clean sheets, fluffy towels, a bath and shower and a coffee machine! Roll on Thursday night. In the meantime we are all off to our beds on board for a good night's sleep.

P.S. Josh and Andrew have braved the journey and been up to the facilities, £1 for 8 magical  minutes in the shower!