Welcome all readers to another year and to our annual blog of the Liquid Asset summer cruise.
Friday 16 June
The crew gathered on Friday at 15:57. Bob and David arrived by train from far-off lands into Paignton. Then they drove through winding country lanes to the marina at Dartmouth, which is actually Kingswear on the opposite bank of the River Dart.
Yacht Liquid Asset Sun Odyssey 45DS was in the water with newly cleaned teak decks, a fresh spray hood, and fully fueled, ready to go – a beautiful sight to behold.
Soon, they started discussing their destination for the year. After researching the prevailing winds from various sources (marina blackboard, iPad, Windy, Met Office, and Wind Guru), it was clear that Saturday was calm with easterlies on Sunday. They decided to head out west or southwards. Easy decision!
Kendricks restaurant in Dartmouth hosted our traditional pre cruise meal and as always offers a mixture of good food, good conversation and of course the opportunity to people watch. Then back through the narrow streets to the ferry, a malt nightcap then zzzz…
Saturday 17 June
An early morning start to go grocery shopping for the trip without a list, relying on the memory of three people. We ordered a meal at the supermarket cafe and tried to avoid politics and religion. Then we discussed our destinations for the trip – Isles of Scilly, Southern Ireland, Brittany coast, and Cornwall. After shopping, we went to Dartmouth to test a new outboard and buy fuel, but things didn’t go as planned. The dinghy had a leak, and we spent several hours fixing it.
Waiting for glue to dry?
A big chicken and mushroom pie (Annie made earlier) that Desperate Dan couldn’t finish was shared by the three of us; the diet starts tomorrow!
Routine checks around the vessel, including the lights.
Zzzz….
Sunday 18 June
Let’s head west but firstly some spare unleaded petroleum and glue for sealing the dingy as the first tube was only the size for an model.
Selfie of crew
9:24 Departure and pilotage out of Dartmouth under a cloudless sky.
Dartmouth castle guarding the entrance
Sails up as Liquid Asset leaves the harbour entrance and then heads out to sea towards Start Point. The new crew honing their skills, a safety briefing and checks over navigation equipment and plotters.
Chart plotter route image Dartmouth to Fowey
12:14 Gybe and new heading westwards. The winds are steady 12kts so we goosewing the sails and set autopilot for the next 4 hours – unbelievable as we relax heading straight to our first destination on a flat sea under cloudless skies.
20:20 Arrive Fowey
Attached to the last space on the floating pontoon as no mooring buoys available.
Dinner is served – salmon, Mediterranean vegetables and sauté potatoes (Bob), Father’s Day malt and owls hooting in the wooded hillsides. Perfect spot.
Zzzz…
Monday 19 June
Fowey
9:00 Dingy test
It is now time to check the seal on the bow of the dingy and all is well. The crew can once again reach the shore and not remain stranded on the floating pontoon.
10:00 Lost Gardens of Heligan :: Mevagissy
It is a scorcher and we prepare for a day trip to the Gardens via the Fowey – Mevagissy ferry. Apart from being squeezed alongside 50 others the journey was uneventful. Then the 1 ½ miles walk up to the top of the hill to the entrance. Next time we will catch the bus.
12:00
We walked around the gardens interrupted with sitting in the shade or under trees.
And having seen most of the upper gardens a large ice cream hit the spot.
So we sat on a patch of grass under the shade with a mound of earth to rest upon. Tourists were attracted to this and we sat there posing for the cameras surprised by our new found fame and dressed in our new designer T shirts.
On departure, as a large party of Germans stopped again for our photograph, it became clear we had been sitting on an earthen art structure of a large head.
The walk back to Mevagissy seemed easier downhill and we were soon back into the bustle of this busy fishing village and the ferry home.
20:00 Galleon Inn
For the purposes of tapping into free WiFi, we were forced to visit the pub. No WiFi however the local ale was appreciated.
Zzzz…
Tuesday 20 June
Fowey
10:50 Depart from pontoon, fill our water tanks and then head out to sea in light airs E f2. These are not racing conditions however a smaller 35 foot yacht started to gain and pass at 3.6 kts much faster than our 2.8 kts. Skipper attempted to paddle with his feet from the stern platform however only a slight improvement. Undeterred we turned all our attention to the sail plan and noticed a crease at the top of the main sail. Our competitor in the meantime had taken a sizeable lead of 200m. Then by retensioning the main halyard, outhaul, vang and main sheet there was a slight ‘pop’ and the crease disappeared. The winds dropped further but the race was on. Twenty minutes later and we sped past at 3.9 kts – Ben Ainsley watch out…
13:04 Winds strengthen to steady E f3 and traveling under full sail past Dodman Point. Outside temperature 25.7 C and inside 30 C we weave our course through the tanker parking lot and a pod of dolphins swim by in the distance.
Parking lot for tankers
18:31 Lizard Point abeam and we decide with the wind forecast for the next 2 days to motor to Isles of Scilly arriving after 01:00. As the sun sets after this long day, we settle down to star gazing, identifying the navigation lights ( Tater-du, Longships and Wolf Rock ) and monitoring the tankers crossing our bow heading to sunny Spain. DTW 38nm BTW 276 deg.
22:40 Radio transmissions never stop overnight and we listened and recorded as necessary. Examples included Mayday relay person on rocks at Penzance found, Pan Pan red flare sighted but never resolved, Security warning of 700m tow and lastly live firing warnings from MoD warships.
02:04 Arrived northernmost edge and now followed a series of predetermined waypoints to entrance of New Grimsby Sound.
03:15 It was dark and windy. We turned 90 degree and set off through the narrow entrance lined with rocks and breaking waves. We relied on the vessel’s tried and tested automatic navigational instruments and arrived safely in the Sound. Dawn light appeared faint in the NE. Pickup buoys all taken so we anchored in 10.0m.
Dawn light at New Grimsby Sound
Although we had arrived, we needed to calculate and check our position was safe – depth rise and fall, high water / low water time, swing circle of 30m, distance to lowest shore line, distance from neighbouring yacht and anchor light on.
Track Fowey to IoS
Malt
Zzzz….
Wednesday 21 June
10:40 Shore party to Tresco
Cromwell Castle guards the entrance of New Grimsby Sound built around 1715. Today it offered a vantage point for photographs of our anchorage and all the vessels.
- Yacht ‘Sophie’ is a Falmouth quay punt built in 1892 a very pretty restored gaff cutter.
- Yacht ‘White Dolphin’ is a Bermudan yawl designed for Sergio Rossi a director of Fiat in 1967
White Dolphin
Tresco Island is known for many things – the world renowned Tresco Gardens and the high proportion of time share properties. The effect of these two factors gives a well manicured island of orderly paths and public spaces with walking and electric buggies as the only modes of transport. Some may find it reminiscent of “The Prisoner“ series.
Shopping too is an experience as it caters for time share owners with high class microwave meals, and speciality bread at only £3.85 each. We thought we found a bargain at the beer section with 4 packs at £1.95 shortly to discover that is single can price. Begrudgingly we left with a sachet of cayenne powder and a piece of cheese.
Our spirit was inflated only after a visit to the New Inn to tap into the WiFi to post this blog and a beer of course.
Meanwhile back on Liquid Asset, skipper spotted the rising tide and the dingy on the shoreline. Over the next 10 minutes he transmitted a series of warning messages to the crew using mobile, text, Whatsapp and email. The crew, safe in the knowledge the dingy was tied to a large rock, was unaware of the skippers angst and all was well on their return. “Chill out skipper – your on holiday!”
17:30 Anchor holding
Back on board evening meal is prepared and time to relax listening to an eclectic range of music and putting the world to rights.
Thursday 22 June
10:00 Shore party to Tresco Abbey Gardens
At this time of year the gardens show off their best blooms in a natural surrounding. Sub tropical plants from all over the world show us what wonderful structures nature can create to attract insects. These shapes, colours, perfumes and size are truly breathtaking.
The gardens also have a personal part to play in our day to day life. Duncan redesigned his home garden with ideas from the patio layout, David gleaned some tips from the covered polytunnels and Bob created a display of plant photographs and we all appreciated the peace and tranquillity of far off lands on our doorstep.
16:00 Bryer Island
The landing slipway is very understated however this small island offers the traveller a blend of island remoteness and rocky seascapes. The imposing Bishop Rock lighthouse stands out in the distance.
Within a couple of hours we circumnavigated Bryer including a visit to the Hells Bay luxury hotel to check out the WiFi. As the only guests on the veranda, we felt like royalty without the paparazzi.
19:00 Mooring buoy
We raised our anchor and attached ourselves to a spare mooring buoy. This offered a more secure attachment as the winds were starting to blow through the Strait and also offered a quicker release for the morning.
Cauliflower and cheese bake (Bob) on deck.
Zzzz…
Friday 23 June
04:00 Wakeup alarm
Three cabin doors slowly open and three crew face each other in the darkness with bleary eyes. All night the boat rocked as the westerly swell swept through the Sound, yes all night you rolled from side to side of the bed trying to rest by forming a star shape with your arms and legs. Only Lyme Regis anchorage could compete.
04:20 Engine on, steaming lights on, release the line from the mooring buoy and we leave Isles of Scilly and head out to the Celtic Sea.
05:25 Raise sails
Motored to the north end of St Martin then set a course to Morlaix, France (distance to waypoint DTW 120nm, bearing to waypoint BTW 131 deg)
We calculated a passage time of 20 hours at 6 kts however the steady westerly winds gave us more speed. Helming was shared throughout the passage into periods of one hour.
09:52 Fishing trawler
Miles and miles of sea with no land in sight and container ships on the horizon when it became clear a trawler was on a collision course or in other words we were going to meet at some point. So how far back do the trawling nets extend? Fishing boat had the right of way so we had to slow down or turn away whilst under sail. By slightly altering course we achieved both and passed behind 0.25 nm. Phew that’s far enough behind!
11:54 Riding the waves
There are many forms of waves from fine ripples on the surface, regular waves with a crest and then the swell. All are formed by the winds over distance, direction, time and strength. The helmsman has a jprimary instruction from the navigator “your heading is 130 deg”. The sails are set to this heading to harness the wind and provide forward motion. The yacht is set sideways by the tide and the leeway of the wind. The art of helming is to bring all these forces together and ‘ride the waves’. Get it wrong and you lose power or direction or get wet as a rogue wave breaks over the deck. Get it right and you feel a great sense of achievement and the experience is exhilarating.
14:15 French jets reconnaissance
It appears we have attracted the attention of the authorities when 4 fighter jets come towards us, dipped their wing as they circled around us and then head back to the coast. It seems we did not pose any threat to their national security.
21:22 Sunset and pilotage into anchorage
Unlike UK waters, the navigational marks in France do not always have a light showing. Cardinals and navigation buoys just disappear into the fading light. We have been here before however always in daylight and we know there are reefs all around. Again we rely on our own navigational instruments to weave through the channels under a moonless night to our anchorage.
23:14 Anchorage
Low water 1.1 m at 23:58 with a tidal range of 7.8m, so we find a quiet spot over 4m deep and set out all of the 35m chain. Tomorrow we will have risen about 24 feet during sleeping hours
Zzzz….
Saturday 24 June
10:00 Soggy bottom boys
This will be our third attempt to land at Carantec in an orderly fashion. Crew are dressed with life jackets and an assortment of waterproof clothing and boots. The route has been checked and the dingy is prepared with oars, air pump and spare fuel. The jetty destination has been chosen to minimise walking distance and it is a safe place for tying up. So what can go wrong?
We have never, not ever, seen Carantec at low water spring tides!
Firstly, in shallow waters, the seaweed choked the propeller and removed forward motion until cleared. Secondly we had to carry the dingy, engine and all our equipment ¼ mile over the wet sands to the ‘safe place’.
Remember the 8 metre tidal range but stretched out horizontally. If only we had waited 6 hours…
Low water view
14:00 Exhausted and hungry
The long climb up to the top of the hill brought us to the town centre and most places seemed open. Le creperie # 1 allowed us to walk to a table before announcing ‘ferme’ and le creperie # 2 included a grumpy waiter and long wait. So we left.
La boulangerie on the other hand served hot pizza and coffees and we were made very welcome. Then off to the supermarche with good customer service and a fine selection of local produce. Sorted and we left in high spirits hoping that the dingy was by now on the waterline.
On arrival at the beach, we had just enough time for a glacé and perhaps update the blog.
Glacé and blog editing
15:00 Engine maintenance
There appeared to be a lot of black dust around the engine as well as pink liquid in the sump. Removal of the fan belt covers and it became clear the belt was now loose. The alternator was reset and the leaking drainage tap tightened.
19:00 Chicken and chorizo jambalaya
Zzzz….
Sunday 25 June
09:00 Navigation
The role of the navigator. For any moment, in time and space, a three dimensional calculation of position is required. For instance, Liquid Asset is floating on a moving body of water both up and down and side to side with the tides. Although the seabed is static it has jaggy bits on top. Sometimes these bits break the surface and sometimes they don’t. Navigator needs to position the yacht at all periods of time and still leave 2.2m clearance. And when we are moving through the water, a calculation of tides is needed for all states either for or against.
Brittany has a tidal range of 11 metre and flows of 4.5 knots. The navigator never rests…
Pilotage out of Baie de Morlaix leaving Grande Roche to starboard and sailing northeastward. Threatening rocks ‘les Trepeids’ left to port and Plateau de la Meloine left to starboard. Fishing boat ahead so turn eastwards and set the sails to goosewing with following swell. Just waiting now for the tide to change.
14:49 Les Sept Iles
16:00 Tide turned
Speed over ground SOG lifts from 4.1 kts to 5.9 kts to 10.3 kts as tidal flow sets through 90 deg. And by the time we reach our destination we were moving at 12.0 kts. To put that in perspective it is twice the normal speed of 6 kts and we were flying.
18:00 Rivière de Trieux
The entrance to the river is wild and inhospitable with jaggy bits all around. Again our trusted navigation equipment steers the yacht safely up the river. Lezardrieux lies 8 miles up river and the sides become more friendly by the mile.
19:10 Ferry gliding
The pontoon sits in a deep channel of the river and the flood tide flows 1.5 kts upwards. Liquid Asset is turned into the fast flowing water and by adjusting the boat speed to just match water flowing over the rudder, the yacht is manoeuvred sideways to rest against the pontoon. Frenchmen watching and waiting but the crew quickly tie up.
20:15 My first vehicle
Tuna and pasta bake followed by reminiscing of our first cars. Stories of gear sticks coming off, starting without the need of a key, fibreglass patches, rotten floors and DIY repairs. Happy days?
Zzzz….
Monday 26 June
07:00 The Crew
The role of the crew. A normal day would start at this time when the ensign would be raised and the first cup of tea made for other crew members. After a briefing on deck, preparing for departure would start. Batten down the hatches, slip the lines, stow the dingy, clear the decks, check for moving vessels and cast off. On a passage, stow the anchor, stow the fenders, clear the lines, make the tea, cook dinner, set the sails, and take a turn on the helm. On arrival, position the fenders, ready and drop the anchor, serve dinner and drinks and clear the table. The crew never rests…
10:35 Bureau du Port
Mooring fees are settled for three nights and the charge seemed high for the services provided i.e. no water, electricity or access to the shore.
11:15 Lezardrieux
The main road is lined with local shops and the street is well maintained and clear of rubbish. Flower tubs and hanging baskets add colour. The cafe has comfortable seating under a sun awning and fresh coffee is served. This is a great spot for regulars with many locals enjoying a beer and cigar.
12:00 Supermarche
Some basic essentials.
12:45 Return to dingy
An 8 metre fall of the tide alters everything. The gangway to the pontoon is angled at 45 degree from horizontal, the sill of the inner marina is visible and the dingy has just enough water to float. So returning to deeper water is a challenge and requires slow forward motion.
13:15 Refund
Our harbour master appeared alongside to apologise for charging the wrong rate; he had thought we were berthed on the inner pontoons and promptly recalculated the mooring charge offering a €54 refund.
14:00 Coquille St Jaques and new arrivals
A light lunch on deck followed by checking batteries. New arrivals started to appear and the tidal stream increased steadily making landings very tricky. A Rustler 31’ yacht has a long deep keel and has sailed across the Atlantic. Once the lines were made fast on approach, coming alongside the pontoon proved almost impossible with the strength of 4 men pulling on the lines.
Drifting backwards and stemming the movement with forward power seemed to work for experienced crew. By 19:00 everyone was safely attached.
19:30 Kedgeree
Another year has passed by and the time has come to enjoy an annual favourite. Skipper has been rehearsing and the crew’s Pavlov juices are in full flow ( a bit like the tide). G&T is served and the tension is building…
‘The best ever’ homemade kedgeree has presented in time honoured fashion on deck. Not a single grain of rice was left on the plate!
Best ever films and books were reviewed as another chapter ends
Zzzz….
Tuesday 27 June
07:30 Skippering
The role of the Skipper. A master of all on board yet requiring a light touch to smooth the responsibility of running the yacht safely versus managing the mutinous and unruly crew. Often seen down in the bilges or dismantling and topping up the batteries. Or perhaps a cloth in hand polishing the top sides. Keeping an eye on the course through the water or checking the correctness of the sails. Monitoring the holding of the anchor or checking the navigation lights on display. Agreeing departure times and depths on arrival. The skipper never rests…
08:00 Passage planning
The penultimate leg of the cruise has to be carefully planned for an arrival time to match the tides around the Channel Islands. The wind forecast has changed again to lighter winds and therefore departure and arrival times need to match tidal flows throughout the passage.
10:00 Trieux Marine and Cafe
A new fan belt was purchased as spare then back up to the cafe for coffees. Today the patisserie is open and fresh croissants and pain du chocolat are available freshly baked. The town bell rings out the quarter hours.
11:30 Bar du Yacht
WiFi for the blog and the crew practised communicating each other on WhatsApp. Marine Traffic App has added Augmented Reality a really clever addition to identifying vessels at sea. Heavy rain outside prompted a request to order Moule et Frites for lunch.
Batteries were dismantled and topped up (skipper), insect and the human race were researched (crew) and blog was brought up to date (nav).
19:00 Chicken Lezardrieux
An new dish prepared by on our board master chef bringing together the finest ingredients from the fridge and lack of herbs on board.
Experience Sailing 
