Page 31 - Yachter Spring/Summer 2022

The visitors’ pontoon in Dartmouth, just upstream of the town quay, was new to me and was convenient, with the water taxi a bargain at 50p each way (Yarmouth take note!). After a rest day, a walk around the castle in the rain, and a fish supper on the pontoon,we set off.Again with forecast light wind decreasing but the sun out, this time we raced down wind to a virtual line off the Eddystone light. With most boats drifting gently in the tide, on Pyxis I spotted that there seemed to be wind inshore. Gambling that the breeze would compensate for the extra distance, I gybed to find the promised wind and was able to reach back across the fleet to the right to take the win (Learning Point 3: just sometimes, taking a flier pays). We motored the remainder of the way
to Falmouth, arriving in the evening for another rest day, the opportunity to replenish stores (and fuel!), and a communal dinner ashore.
Passing Wolf Rock
Then came the longest leg of the week, 110nm from Falmouth back to Dartmouth via Wolf Rock.Wolf Rock is an isolated rock situated between Land’s End and the Isles of Scilly, so-called because the fissures are said to produce a howling sound in gales. In 1972,the lighthouse became the first in the world fitted with a helipad. Fortunately, I can’t comment about the sound effects in gales, but it does have a 4G signal, unlike much of the south coast! The beat out was followed by a long run back in sunshine
and a generally light wind ending with a shutdown off Prawle Point, awaiting opening of the tidal gate with just sufficient wind to steer to the finish at North Skerries.Another rest day with a very long lunch in Rockfish, then a reach to Weymouth in, for the first time, near perfect wind.The inshore passage at Portland was benign and we were able
to carry spinnakers past the lighthouse – a sight for those looking at the view from the
headland. Unwilling to provide too much entertainment by gybing amongst the lobster pots, on Pyxis I chose to overstand the lay line to drop, gybe and reach in to finish, enough to win the leg by just a minute, and Channel Week with a race to spare!
And then it was back to the English summer that we know and love for the home leg: 30 gusting 35kts. Perhaps we’ll go south next year.
Would I do it again? Absolutely! The combination of challenging single-handed passages with sufficient breaks to rest, sight- see, and enjoy the camaraderie ashore is not to be missed.
Kirsteen Donaldson
*See https://www.rya.org.uk/training/courses/ Offshore-Personal-Survival-Course-(RYA/World- Sailing)-ORCC ; https://www.sailing.org/documents/ offshorespecialregs/index.php Appendix G
RACING REPORTS 31