There was a nervous few hours last night as the gale winds and rain could be heard through the shrouds. Fully battened down and the anchor alarm set, we drifted off to sleep knowing that everything was done to stay attached to the ground. At nautical dawn, all was as it should be.
Three stages of twilight :-
Night becomes day through the three stages of twilight: astronomical, nautical, and civil. Each stage is set by the angle of the sun below the horizon in increments of 6 degrees. The length of twilight depends on the latitude, and it is possible to have no darkness at high latitudes in the summer, e.g., Orkney, has only twilight. At our latitude we expect a length of 30 minutes for each stage.
Full description follow the Twilight link (click to open)
Soon after dawn, three landing craft arrived and anchored nearby. Then we watched as the soldiers began manoeuvres with inflatable dinghies. A front seat view.
And on the other side of us, divers were surveying the seabed. We are close to a seagrass protection site.
Common eelgrass is a plant species (not a seaweed) that lives on the very low shore down to 10m deep and can form dense seagrass meadows. These meadows form important underwater habitats in shallow seas, providing shelter for many species, including seahorses and pipefish.
Eelgrass Link (click to open)
11:00 We sailed out of the bay and beyond Rame Head in steady southwest winds of 15 kts. There was no agenda except to sail around the harbour entrance. A fishing boat ahead with trawl nets stretched out behind and time to turn. Plymouth Breakwater crossed our path, and it was time to turn. Bovisand ahead and time to turn. Past the warship mooring buoys towards the lighthouse, and it’s time to turn. We reached the layline mark for Cawsand Bay and it was time to turn. Phew, and we’re back where we started.
Helmsman is always on the lookout for navigation aids, lobster pot buoys and other vessels. Can you spot the canoes?
14:30 It’s time to visit Cawsand and Kingsand and stretch our legs. Wandered through narrow lanes and cliff-top paths. Our morning zigzag sailing route was clear to see.
Experience Sailing 