03:30 – Yes, three thirty am and the battery alarm became an incessant nuisance as it bleeped in the still night air. It was a warning call to charge the batteries. Except the engine wouldn’t start. All that could be done was to return to sleep.
Later, in the morning the root of the problem was thought to be a faulty battery. Switching over the bow thruster unit and, with considerable relief, the engine came alive.
Police patrol
A police vessel passed close by and a friendly wave was returned. The rib then made a beeline towards a passing boat full of sightseers and the officers switched on its blues and twos. The passengers looked alarmed. It was just a joke, and then another friendly wave from the officers!
Helford
13:00 Shore party time to the village of Helford. A short and uneventful dinghy trip, arriving at high water onto a busy pontoon. The village is very picturesque and the shop is well appointed.
We were drawn to the Shipwrights Arms; it sells local ales and delicious fish and chips. To boot, the sun was shining.
Swallows and Amazons
It was so reminiscent of the novel when a family group gathered together with a barbeque set and picnic basket, then headed off up river to a secluded beach to feast and play.
15:30 We returned by steering towards Helford Passage then to the yacht. After the battery failure, we continued to recharge them even more. Better still, use the engine to motor around the headland and up the long and twisted River Fal. Perhaps there, we will have a tranquil night, new scenery and above all, better mobile reception!
19:20 About twenty yachts were clinging onto the short pontoon on the upper reaches of the gently flowing river. We passed them by and anchored into mud near the edge. It was a peaceful place with only the occasional call of a pigeon or owl.
Twilight
Slowly and inevitably, the day transferred through each stage of twilight: civil to navigational to astronomical and finally dark. The night air became even more still and a damp chill enveloped the glassy river surface. Nothing broke the silence.
Mobile data access at the Helford River anchorage is notoriously poor. Even trying to grab onto Trebah Guest WiFi failed. Then the engine debacle consumed so much time and effort that blog writing became impossible. The visit to the pub offered a chance to recover with strong WiFi. But there was no desire to interrupt the vibe. Fortunately a new venue saved the day!
Editor
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Experience Sailing 