When you look at the charts, my proposed summer trip to Looe and onwards to Polperro and Fowey looks............a tad ambitious.............again! Google Earth never quite lays a trip out for me although it gives a good overview of coastline features. I find it sort of simplifies the immensity of the distances. A chart, however, lays bare every depth, danger and problem. It’s a good job I’m into maps and charts. I love ‘em!
I’ve been doing a cursory look at the proposed route – not serious planning, just a sort of acclimatisation look.
From the Draystone Buoy at 50d 18’ 8N 04d 11’ 0W (I will have to re-check these because I think I’ve forgotten how to read Latitude and Longitude off the chart sides – sorry!) the trip will then be in unfamiliar territory and I haven’t been able to find out much from the internet about passages across to Fowey.
The first problem is how close I go to Rame Head peninsula. The chart shows overfalls symbols immediately south and south east of the headland point stretching for about 3 cables out to sea. One possibility is to go 7 cables on 253M from the Draystone buoy which takes me through the site of a historic wreck at 15d 18’ 5N 4d 10’0W. I could continue along this line until I am directly south of Rame head. There is a prominent abandoned chapel on the headland top which would make a nice transit line bisecting my line of sail. It also takes me about 5 cables south of the headland which is 2 cables clear of marked overfalls. I think it is at this point the tide races around the headland and the waves get pretty choppy.
At the point where I am immediately due south of the chapel, I could then make a turn and a line up for the next leg of the journey. The issue is where does that next leg go?
In Whitsand Bay, around the corner of Rame Head, there are several hazards to avoid. Firstly there is the disused explosives dumping ground (I keep having this dream of sailing across it and then watching Arwen being blasted upwards on a huge waterspout as I rise above in an out of body experience).
Then there is the military wreck site where they sank HMS Scylla to form an artificial reef. It would certainly be a noticeable feature – surrounded by several wreck buoys and numerous dive rib boats! In fact avoiding that area of speeding ribs might be a very good thing!
I could cut in towards the shore but I have to be aware of the underwater wave cut platform/ledges that jut out from SW Rame headland for up a to a cable from the shoreline. On the other hand I read in one of CRINKER’s posts (see previous posts below) how he cuts inside the tidal overfall races and finds calmer water each time. There is a buoy marked on the chart at the eastern end of Whitsand Bay which would form a useful end of leg marker (at 50s 19’ 6N 04d 15’ 4W). Going to that means I cut between the explosives dump and Rame Head. From the Draystone this would be around 3nm. From there I have to avoid the Tregantle Fort Firing range at 50d 21’ 0N 04d 17’ 0. Ow! This is beginning to hurt!
From the eastern Whitsand Bay buoy, I could do a leg approximately 9nm on 281M to Saint Georges Buoy which is in the outer area of Looe bay (50d 20’ 2N 04d 24’ 2W). This line would take me 2.5nm offshore opposite Portwrinkle. From there it would be 2.3nm approximately into the Looe harbour entrance.
There are several useful shore marks that will help me get transits and position fixes on the way across the bay. There are masts at Tregantle Fort and just to the east of it two large cardinal marker posts which can be lined up to form a good transit line for getting a fixed position without using GPS. Portwrinkle has a large hotel and fixed cliff-side beacon marker and between Downderry and Seaton there is another big radio mast.
You can’t land a small boat anywhere realistically along this shore line I think. Well at least that is what I think from looking at Google earth.....but maybe someone could advise me on this point?. Onshore winds make it a great surf beach area; there are huge rocky ledges in front of Downderry and Seaton and it would be a really nasty leeshore backed by steep cliffs situation – hence doing it with an offshore north westerly wind. But this does raise another point – where are the emergency escape bolt holes? My initial perusal doesn’t find any so if the weather suddenly changes, is it a case of carrying on/turning back?
The total trip to Looe would be around 20nm adding in distances on different tacks due to wind shifts etc. When you look at the chart for Looe Harbour – it’s about a 200m wide entrance, flanked by the long Banjo pier on the eastern side. It narrows considerably by Looe sailing club to about 100m...so it’s a definite motoring in job. The small craft moorings are on the western Looe side of the river up towards the road bridge.
It’s about another 5nm around to Polperro. That would make a 25nm trip. Alternatively Looe to Fowey is about 10nm. So an interesting choice .........do one day of 25 – 30nm to reach Polperro; then day two could be sailing Polperro into Fowey and up to Lostwithiel? Or sail day one to Looe; then do a second day to Fowey and a third day up to Lostwithiel and back? At which point do I then take the boat out at Fowey? How do I get the trailer there? Or shall I bite the bullet, hope the weather holds North Westerlies and sail back the reverse route Fowey to Looe; then Looe to Plymouth? That would make it a five day round trip – hoping the weather blows NW all the time!
Um! Decisions, decisions! If anyone out there has done this passage in a small boat 14 – 21’ in length and can offer me some advice and tips on passage routes etc – I’d be immensely grateful. Specifically at this moment I’d like to know
• What are conditions like rounding Rame Head – what should I watch out for?
• What wind directions are best for doing a passage along this coast in a small open cruising dinghy?
• After rounding Rame Head, where should I lay off to next?
• Are there emergency bolt holes where I can shelter along this coastal stretch?
• Are there specific tidal issues to watch out for?
If you can advise – I’d really appreciate it. I think I might take a taster voyage out to Rame Head and around to Queener Point area immediately in the summer sometime - just to get aquainted with the area - a ort of reccy - no harm in doing that is there.
Take care and have a good weekend everyone.
Given I’ve suddenly realised I’ve forgotten most of my passage planning and chart knowledge hard won last summer – I need to revise back over it again this afternoon!
Steve
I’ve been doing a cursory look at the proposed route – not serious planning, just a sort of acclimatisation look.
summertime passage plan - down to Fowey...is it too ambitious?
The start of my passage west is Queen Anne’s Battery to the Draystone buoy off Penlee Point. I’m assuming that the whole trip is best done with north westerly winds – so if this is the case – it should be a nice broad reach out across the Sound and past the western end of the Breakwater. I’m pretty familiar with this area – you can see some of the video links of Arwen opposite – many of them are filmed around Cawsand Bay and Penlee Point area. I’ll probably buoy hop a little – New Ground, Queen’s Ground, maybe the Knap buoy to the south-south west of the breakwater end. Obviously going out of the Sound on an outgoing tide would be beneficial but this may not be the case – it depends partially on what the tidal streams are doing along this section of coast from Fowey to Plymouth Sound.
From the Draystone Buoy at 50d 18’ 8N 04d 11’ 0W (I will have to re-check these because I think I’ve forgotten how to read Latitude and Longitude off the chart sides – sorry!) the trip will then be in unfamiliar territory and I haven’t been able to find out much from the internet about passages across to Fowey.
The first problem is how close I go to Rame Head peninsula. The chart shows overfalls symbols immediately south and south east of the headland point stretching for about 3 cables out to sea. One possibility is to go 7 cables on 253M from the Draystone buoy which takes me through the site of a historic wreck at 15d 18’ 5N 4d 10’0W. I could continue along this line until I am directly south of Rame head. There is a prominent abandoned chapel on the headland top which would make a nice transit line bisecting my line of sail. It also takes me about 5 cables south of the headland which is 2 cables clear of marked overfalls. I think it is at this point the tide races around the headland and the waves get pretty choppy.
At the point where I am immediately due south of the chapel, I could then make a turn and a line up for the next leg of the journey. The issue is where does that next leg go?
In Whitsand Bay, around the corner of Rame Head, there are several hazards to avoid. Firstly there is the disused explosives dumping ground (I keep having this dream of sailing across it and then watching Arwen being blasted upwards on a huge waterspout as I rise above in an out of body experience).
Then there is the military wreck site where they sank HMS Scylla to form an artificial reef. It would certainly be a noticeable feature – surrounded by several wreck buoys and numerous dive rib boats! In fact avoiding that area of speeding ribs might be a very good thing!
I could cut in towards the shore but I have to be aware of the underwater wave cut platform/ledges that jut out from SW Rame headland for up a to a cable from the shoreline. On the other hand I read in one of CRINKER’s posts (see previous posts below) how he cuts inside the tidal overfall races and finds calmer water each time. There is a buoy marked on the chart at the eastern end of Whitsand Bay which would form a useful end of leg marker (at 50s 19’ 6N 04d 15’ 4W). Going to that means I cut between the explosives dump and Rame Head. From the Draystone this would be around 3nm. From there I have to avoid the Tregantle Fort Firing range at 50d 21’ 0N 04d 17’ 0. Ow! This is beginning to hurt!
Tregantle Fort and beach - I can remember back in the early '90's when a container ship sunk and this beach was awash with sawn timber lengths as far as the eye could see
and cliff top car parks were full of people putting timber onto car roof racks and lorries specially hired for the day.........ah there still be pirates in South Cornwall and Devon!
From the eastern Whitsand Bay buoy, I could do a leg approximately 9nm on 281M to Saint Georges Buoy which is in the outer area of Looe bay (50d 20’ 2N 04d 24’ 2W). This line would take me 2.5nm offshore opposite Portwrinkle. From there it would be 2.3nm approximately into the Looe harbour entrance.
Now there is a little harbour at Portwrinkle - see if you can spot it
I'm not sure I'd like to try and navigate my way across those ledges though - shallow draft or not!
There are several useful shore marks that will help me get transits and position fixes on the way across the bay. There are masts at Tregantle Fort and just to the east of it two large cardinal marker posts which can be lined up to form a good transit line for getting a fixed position without using GPS. Portwrinkle has a large hotel and fixed cliff-side beacon marker and between Downderry and Seaton there is another big radio mast.
You can’t land a small boat anywhere realistically along this shore line I think. Well at least that is what I think from looking at Google earth.....but maybe someone could advise me on this point?. Onshore winds make it a great surf beach area; there are huge rocky ledges in front of Downderry and Seaton and it would be a really nasty leeshore backed by steep cliffs situation – hence doing it with an offshore north westerly wind. But this does raise another point – where are the emergency escape bolt holes? My initial perusal doesn’t find any so if the weather suddenly changes, is it a case of carrying on/turning back?
lovely cliff top Downderry with spectacular views and some really nasty rocky ledges waiting to catch the unwary sailor!
The total trip to Looe would be around 20nm adding in distances on different tacks due to wind shifts etc. When you look at the chart for Looe Harbour – it’s about a 200m wide entrance, flanked by the long Banjo pier on the eastern side. It narrows considerably by Looe sailing club to about 100m...so it’s a definite motoring in job. The small craft moorings are on the western Looe side of the river up towards the road bridge.
Historic Looe with its West and East sides
It’s about another 5nm around to Polperro. That would make a 25nm trip. Alternatively Looe to Fowey is about 10nm. So an interesting choice .........do one day of 25 – 30nm to reach Polperro; then day two could be sailing Polperro into Fowey and up to Lostwithiel? Or sail day one to Looe; then do a second day to Fowey and a third day up to Lostwithiel and back? At which point do I then take the boat out at Fowey? How do I get the trailer there? Or shall I bite the bullet, hope the weather holds North Westerlies and sail back the reverse route Fowey to Looe; then Looe to Plymouth? That would make it a five day round trip – hoping the weather blows NW all the time!
Talland Bay betwen Polperro and Fowey I think - could that be a sheltered anchorage from south westerlies?
Um! Decisions, decisions! If anyone out there has done this passage in a small boat 14 – 21’ in length and can offer me some advice and tips on passage routes etc – I’d be immensely grateful. Specifically at this moment I’d like to know
• What are conditions like rounding Rame Head – what should I watch out for?
• What wind directions are best for doing a passage along this coast in a small open cruising dinghy?
• After rounding Rame Head, where should I lay off to next?
• Are there emergency bolt holes where I can shelter along this coastal stretch?
• Are there specific tidal issues to watch out for?
If you can advise – I’d really appreciate it. I think I might take a taster voyage out to Rame Head and around to Queener Point area immediately in the summer sometime - just to get aquainted with the area - a ort of reccy - no harm in doing that is there.
Take care and have a good weekend everyone.
Given I’ve suddenly realised I’ve forgotten most of my passage planning and chart knowledge hard won last summer – I need to revise back over it again this afternoon!
Steve
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