When at Penzance, there is a good chance that you will have a fair wind for the Solent. There have been years where I have been greeted with fine weather and a less than useful easterly wind, but this week it was pretty perfect – a sustained NW wind, force 3-5, with settled weather and calm seas. Crew for the trip was younger son Jonty, and Rupert and Caspar, both veterans of previous trips.

One disadvantage of Penzance is that the lock gates only open 2 hours before to 1 hour after high water. This meant a slightly unsociable 0515 rise for the crew as I rejoined Spellbinder after a rare night ashore in a B&B with Sue before she left. Everyone was up when I arrived, and we motored out to pick up a bit of a rolly buoy outside, to await the tide and daylight.

I love sailing at night, but the Lizard requires respect and a fair tide. I am also very wary of motoring close inshore at night, as it really doesn’t take much to foul a lobster pot and disable your engine.

As the tide turned we motored past St Michael’s Mount and had a good passage round the Lizard, past Helford River and took a buoy at St Mawes.

After a quick walk we met up with friend Lionel for a drink in the rather beautifully-situated St Mawes Sailing Club, then went for dinner at the Rising Sun pub. Lionel’s wife Caroline joined us for a great evening.

The next day promised a good sail, but we had to await the afternoon flood tide, and having paid the St Mawes harbourmaster a slightly outrageous £37 for the buoy, we headed over to Falmouth. My anchor windlass had been playing up, otherwise I would have anchored at considerably less cost! I think that is the most I have ever paid for a buoy. The feeling of being slightly ripped off was somewhat mitigated by fresh croissants and pastries generously brought over by Lionel – thank you!

I always like to anchor right in town at Falmouth, and having been stung across in St Mawes the crew were made to revert to manual mode, hauling the anchor by hand. We enjoyed the town, had a coffee, then sailed for the Yealm, in the very handy NW breeze.

We arrived at dusk, and were able to take the dinghy ashore and walk up the road on the Noss Mayo side to the excellent Ship Inn. They were disposing of excess cakes and offered them to us for free with our beer.

The tides were suitable for an early start, and we left at dawn and had an enjoyable sail across to Dartmouth, anchoring in the main roadsted. We visited the chandlery at Darthaven where I was slightly tempted by a new electric outboard, a more modern version of my electric Torqueedo which had served me well for 7 years (I had been an early adopter), but which was showing signs of age. The new version is more powerful, robust and quiet, being a direct drive and having no gearbox. They also offered a great price…

Heading over to Dartmouth we strolled around and had a beer in the sun.

After lunch we headed up to Dittisham for another walk and more beer at The Ferry Boat.

An early start set the scene for a fine sail the next day, all the way from the mouth of Dartmouth estuary to the Needles, under cruising chute and white sails.

We tied up in Cowes at 2230, tired but happy after a good few days. The next day the heavens opened, a very capable marine electrician came and fixed my anchor, and we were joined by Rupert’s daughter Rose and Caspar’s brother Rupert for lunch in the Squadron Pavilion, to mark the end of a fine summer’s cruise.

I will write more about cruising around Ireland in the coming weeks, when I have had time to digest all the many and varied experiences we had, the great majority of which were very positive.

In the meantime – thank you Rupert, Jonty and Caspar for your crewing and company during a most enjoyable return trip.