This last blog is a quick summary of our 6 week, 1,000 mile cruise from our current home base in Gillingham Marina along the English coast, as recorded in the daily blogs below. We were absolutely committed to making Poole, we thought we ought to be able to make Falmouth, and our 'stretch target' was the Isles of Scilly (IoS).
First we'd like to pay tribute to 3 sets of people who brought us to our beautiful Nicholson 35, the perfect boat for us. First, Tom Cunliffe for two things: suggesting to us in conversation at the Boat Show that a Nic35 would suit us; and compiling the faultless and entertaining Shell Channel Pilot where we used every page from Ramsgate to IoS. Second, Colin & Jo Campbell-Dunlop, of the Nicholson Owners Group, who when we were strangers online offered us a sail in their lovely Nic35, Trutz, so we could try it out without any pressure before buying one. Third, Dave & Heather the previous owners of Sirena IV (she was called Petanya then, and lived in Glasson Dock & Fleetwood), who did so many great improvements and looked after her so well.
We were very lucky with the weather, a huge difference to last year's cruise. Yes we had calms with motoring or motor-sailing days, and we also had a lot of easterlies to help us on our way - even when it went westerly it was NW, and we kept going with just a couple of rest days, and finally sailed (proper sailing) out to IoS on 31 May. We were also fortunate with the tides, in that it just worked out that many days were almost literally '9 to 5' passages - very civilised. We didn't have a single 'silly-o'clock' start.
Three nights in IoS, then we thought it prudent to come back as the settled weather was changing and you don't want to be trapped out there in a blow - we motor-sailed back in no wind as it happened, after it had been W F4-5 overnight, and the swell was pretty big even then.
The return was more leisurely with lots of days off in interesting places in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. (Sorry Hants, Sussex & Kent, but it's quicker to re-visit you.) Again were were so lucky - the wind was in the westerly sector a lot, so on the beam or behind us again. And the sun shone almost every day. Then for the last leg where we turn the North Foreland corner after Ramsgate and head west for Gillingham ... we had a F3-4 easterly - how lucky is that! I think in 6 weeks we had rain during the day only 3 times, and only twice did we get soaked (F7 hailstones entering Falmouth, and impressive storm as we approached Dover).
Here is the list of berthing/mooring/anchoring locations - 32 in total:
Ramsgate - Dover - Brighton - Portsmouth (Haslar) - Newtown Creek - Yarmouth - Studland Bay - Brixham - Plymouth (Mayflower) - Falmouth (Marina) - Newlyn - IoS (St Mary's) - IoS (New Grimsby Sound) - Newlyn - Falmouth (Pendennis) - Fowey (Mixtow Pill) - Dartmouth (Town Quay) - Dartmouth (river pontoon) - Dartmouth (Dittisham) - Brixham - Portland - Worbarrow Bay (lunch/swim stop) - Studland Bay - Poole (Port of Poole) - Poole Harbour (Pottery Pier) - Lymington - Beaulieu (Buckler's Hard) - Cowes (Yacht Haven) - Portsmouth (Gosport) - Brighton - Dover - Ramsgate.
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