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So we have completed the partial circumnavigation of the UK with a canal detour through Scotland.  At least we came back into Cowes in the opposite direction from when we left.

For interest:

1857 nautical miles

83 nights away

211 hrs motoring

630 litres diesel

46 nights spent in 25 marinas

11 nights anchored

12 nights tied to buoys

12 nights on random pontoons

1 night against a wall

1 night at sea

On our home mooring at last.

Portland Bill

Motor sailed into the wind across Lyme Bay with the sail angle improving all day so that we just had to put a couple of tacks in to make past the Bill.  We spent a couple of nights in the Marina and our great friends Ann & Stuart came over for an evening meal - well infact Ann bought most of the meal! 

The weather prospect for at least 10 days ahead was for east winds so the choice was to leave Spring Breeze in Portland (at vast expense) or motor sail home when the wind eased.  A bit of a lull in the strength of the wind meant we were able to set sail at 10:00.  We had tide with us for a couple of hours but hit the adverse tide off Anvil Point which had a dramatic effect on our progress.  So by gunning the engine a bit we eventually weathered the point and motored towards the Island.  Coming through the Needles Channel, with the tide under us we actually achieved 12knots on the GPS.  Motored into Cowes after completing our big trip.

Dartmouth & Dittisham

A bit of sailing and a fair bit of motoring helped us to arrive at Dartmouth on the Sunday evening mooring up to one of their wonderful newly refurbished pontoons in the centre of the river.  They even have rubbish disposal bins on each pontoon! Spent Monday shopping and site seeing in the town.  Saw the Kingswear Castle still looks great and doing regular trips on the river.

Moved up to Dittisham in the evening and picked up a buoy opposite The Ferry Boat Inn.  Still a wonderful tranquil spot on the Dart.

Wind still in the east becoming SE and not too strong so headed out in the morning for Portland.

Magic anchorage

Between St Mary's in the Scillies and Helford river we anchored for the night just next to St Michael's Mount. This is connected by a causeway to the mainland when the tide is out but when not, there is a group of launches ferrying the public out by sea. One of the ferry men is Ted who with his wife Leslie, are great friends with Alison & Sam. 

We caught up with Ted and went ashore that evening for a meal and a shower, both of which, were very much appreciated.  An absolutely magical sheltered anchorage.

Plymouth

Motored to Plymouth the next day in desperate need of fuel & water as we hadn't filled the fuel tanks since Southern Ireland and we had been motoring all the way, with sail assistance for about 200 miles. So opted for a nice marina in Plymouth for the night and that worked fine.  Fuel, water, showers and provisions.  Plymouth is where I bought Ziska from, 40 or so years ago, and the stone wall where she lay is still there in Hooe lake.

 Leaving Plymouth on Sunday morning with dinghy racing starting.

Again another light wind day with too much East in the direction so the now reliable diesel was employed (touch wood - fortunately we have a wooden boat). 

The AIS picked up a bit of our track to Dartmouth.  Dartmouth, although it seems a bit more built up and crowded with yachts, is still a great river and town.

Helford river

After a nasty motor sail (force 4 - 5 on the nose and very misty) we arrived in Helford.  It's now a very busy river with a parking lot of moorings but a safe haven so we holed up there for the night.  Couldn't be bothered to launch the dinghy so just stayed on the buoy for the night.  Sorry no photos!

The Scilly Isles

We stayed a couple of nights on a buoy in St Mary's, Hugh Town harbour to recover from our trip down and to visit Tresco.  The Islands certainly need another visit as they are still so interesting but we had to move on.  

Found another Neptunes Staircase (the other was the set of locks on the Caledonian canal) in the Abby gardens on Tresco.

Onto Southern Ireland

After spending 8 nights in Howth we eventually found a weather window with winds generally below force 6 and in the right direction so departed, with 3 other yachts, south at 06:00.  2 of the yachts were sailing in company and heading for Milford Haven but at this stage we were undecided.  To make Milford we would arrive about 10 in the evening and we didn't fancy that prospect with the shipping and lobster pots so hugged the Ireland coast and made for Kilmore Quay on the SE corner. All went well with a romping sail down the coast, achieving 7 & 8 knots over the water and touching 10 on the GPS with the tide. However it went a bit naff round the SE corner at Carnsore Point were overfalls were expected.  With the tide under us and a close reach we made good speed but the seas were high and very lumpy.  We even had one break over the boat!  Alice survived but insisted she didn't want to experience that again.  Eventually made it into Kilmore Quay and what a nice place that is.  An active fishing harbour with a marina at one end. 

Had a good lunch in the local pub, and hooked up to the harbour wifi.

Viewed the local seal sunbathing.

And left at 07:50 the next morning for a 150 mile trip south to the Scilly Islands.

Epic motor south.

With 150 miles to go we had to maintain about 6 knots to achieve it in about 24 hrs. In fact we made it in 25hrs to Hugh Town, Saint Mary's arriving early morning.  But it wasn't a nice passage.  The wind was a force 3 to 4 mostly behind us but the sea was so confused and lumpy, we motor sailed for most of it and just motored over night for the second half.  I tried all sail combinations including the spinnaker but they all slammed about and added little interest to the trip. The one high note to the trip was that several dolphin pods visited us and played in our bow wave for a considerable time.

They also came at night but not easy to photograph.

In the morning we found what we believe to be a couple of garfish on the deck.  Maybe the dolphin were chasing them.

After I had been awake for 24hrs, the sail into St Mary's was a bit weird until the sun came up and the brick walls surrounding us became sea waves!