Summary

Saturday 25th August
Home, Exeter

This is just a brief summary of the trip in 2012, not reflections on the joys of sailing!
(The blog for 2013 sailing trip (Devon-Shetland return) is at Misty2013 )

If you have Google Earth, this link will show the 2012 route, and allow you to zoom in and see detail.  
 Misty's Track

Total distance over the ground: 2,687 nautical miles
Longest passage: 139 miles
Overall average speed: 4.6 knots
Nights away: 125

Gentle sailing in the Irish Sea. (Photo from Speedwell of  Rhu)

At anchor: 45
Marinas: 26
Pontoons: 22
Swinging Moorings: 19
Quayside: 11
At sea: 2
Single-handed: 65
With crew: 60

Day 1 - Launching alongside main rail line

Cawsand to Starcross

Sunday 19th to Monday 20th August
Cawsand-Salcombe-Starcross

(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/112008 )

After 122 nights aboard and 2,687 miles over the ground, we're home. The final mooring (Misty's residence) was one of the trickiest: firstly, I couldn't find my mooring because I don't recognise the spot now there are so many boats on the water; then, the pick-up buoy had sunk! Landfall, i.e. setting foot ashore, was this morning. A lot of clothes are going through the washing machine now.

Final leg - into the Exe, passing Exmouth

First day - east across Lyme Bay

Sailing gives wonderful contrasts: leaving on 19th April, we wore five or more layers, had goose pimples, and we raced along with just a furled genoa; returning four months later, we had t-shirts or less, very sunburnt noses, and Misty moved gently with goose-winged cruising chute. I love both, and can't wait for another trip.

Last day - east across Torbay

Thank you to everyone who has come along as long-suffering crew. You've taught me lots and, though I make plenty of mistakes, I reckon most sailors always will!

Falmouth to Cawsand

Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th August
Ruan Creek-Truro-Ruan Creek-Cawsand
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/111801 )
Progress has been slow because the weather's been horrid and I don't want to go home anyway! But, if the weather has to be wet and windy, then Falmouth and Truro are fine places to visit. In Truro, Misty sat in a soft muddy berth, close to both the Cathedral and a giant Tesco store which, between them, provide most human needs I suppose. (No, I'm not being serious, not very.)

Soft mud and Truro cathedral

It was good to see Bill and Janet, the friendly helpful couple, who sold me my first cruiser, a Centaur, from a nearby creek a few years ago. They came aboard for supper.

A bus trip to Falmouth reminded me how beautifully maritime and bright it is, even in the rain. Falmouth and Cowes must rank as the two greatest sailing meccas of England. In Cowes though, the sailors are as concerned about their aftershave as their boat, in Falmouth I feel they'd prefer a can of WD40, and they gather to discuss their trip round Cape Horn rather than their thrash around the cans. The sailor girls are of course equally glamorous in both, and both towns seem to harbour identical boaty fashion shops and bunting.

Company for the sail to Plymouth

Cawsand - very peaceful

Yesterday, I slowly sailed and motored over to Cawsand near Plymouth. I was last here for the Silhouette Owners' Rally picnic in about 1967!

Scilly to Falmouth

Friday 10th to Monday 13th August
Tean-St Agnes-Bryher-Tresco-St Mary-Falmouth
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/111512 )

St Agnes

At this stage of the trip I have little wish to move back ashore, so look for ways to prolong the time afloat. The current strong winds help! But, most good things must eventually come to an end, so after five days, five Scilly islands, long walks, long talks, a few beers and my first swims of the year, I left Scilly yesterday with a locker full of 'hedge veg'.

Green Bay, Bryher

Old Grimsby Sound, Tresco

Watermill Cove, St Mary

Wolf Rock

Just ahead of a gale and with rain lashing down, we tacked round the Lizard, well reefed and very wet, for a quick reach into Falmouth. At dusk, well sheltered in a tree-lined creek near Truro, Misty shook her sails like a soggy dog, and I dropped the anchor.

Up to Ruan Creek - in the rain

And now, Wednesday, I've moved up to Truro, the only visitor at the quay!

Tom and Monica,
Of course I remember you and your beautiful boat! I can't find your email address or see how to reply to your query, except like this. Would be good to hear more of your trip. If you see this, please contact me via michael.sweet12@gmail.com

Padstow to Scilly

Monday 6th to Thursday 9th August
Padstow-St Ives-Tean
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/111027 )

Pretty Padstow street, in the rain

Practice off St Ives

If Padstow is the Rick Stein capital of Britain, then St Ives is the pasty capital. That's not why I loved the place, though! It was so charming that, after a day of drizzle and rain, I spent two days absorbing the peaceful, arty, convivial
surroundings. Even the thousands of visitors don't seem to penetrate the overwhelming calm of St Ives. I also enjoyed the local ice cream, apparently top of a Times "Best Ice Cream in Britain Award.

While enjoying St Ives, the wind slowly shifted to the east, helping an easy, warm and sunny sail to the Isles of Scilly. (People like it called this, or Scilly, rather than the Scillies - a bit like Orkney in that way).

Happy people on holiday, St Ives

East Porth, Tean

By sunset I was anchored off the uninhabited island of Tean (pronounced Tee-Ann), which, in a week or two, may have Britain's largest untouched mass of wild blackberries.

Sunset at Tean, IoS

Bristol to Padstow

Bristol-Porlock-Lundy-Padstow
Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th August
(route http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/110718 )

Company down the R. Avon

Bristol is one of those rare places where narrow boats meet sea-going yachts. This one was heading for Portishead, though it wasn't a very calm day, so I hope they arrived safely.

Winds were strong and sea quite boisterous for the sail to Lundy - with a very rolly-poly night anchored off Porlock on the way!

Brisk sail to Lundy

 A gentle day on Lundy Island was a treat. It doesn't take long to walk the length and breadth of the island, and there are a few deer and seals who live there, alongside several hundred visitors, at this time of year.

Lundy W. Coast

 From Lundy, the wind eased and sun came out burning hot for the sail and motorsail to Padstow. It's now raining again but, earlier this morning, before crowds appeared and fish-frying started, all was bright and tranquil. (I'm tied up behind the boat with the sail partly hoisted.)

Padstow