Saturday 21 June 2014

The Manacles and a Lizard point

Good morning! Left Falmouth at 0630 as planned enroute to Penzance via Lizard point. We are now 1.5 nm East of the Manacles rocks, which are so called as once they trapped nearby ships they never let them go, and the rocks around the Lizard were waiting to do their work. Looking at the wrecks which are recorded, and still there, their fame is understandable. We however are keeping a distance, and the neap tide (check out the careful planning!) is whisking us past. Lizard point is next.

Then we turn NW back up towards Penzance where we have a berth in their harbour or, hopefully, we might take the ground in the fine sand of st michaels mount by the castle. We should be there at around 1200 noon to receive our new crew member Mark, get some tea bags, very important and find where the sailmaker is so that I may stitch the 3 foot tear in the 60 foot spinnaker snuffer which ripped during the excitement of our spinnaker fest the other day. There, we await the right tide to round the tidal gate at Lands End tomorrow, all being well and welcome our good friend Alastair at Padstow.

Very little wind at present so we are motoring again albeit across a surprisingly restless sea. We had a slight excitement leaving Falmouth as what should have been 17m of water turned into 0.9m and set off he depth alarm. A heart stopping moment.  With hindsight it may have been debris on our sensor or perhaps the elusive humpback whale under us. Either way whatever'it' was, it went away. Reported it to Falmouth CG as per protocol who then declared a state if 'seelonce' while dealing with a casualty. 

Photo attached. Famous Conductor on lobster pot duty while approaching the Lizard in the background. 

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