The plan was to launch PicoMicroYacht off Slapton Sands and
row round to Salcombe.
Path of PicoMicroYacht from Slapton Sands to Salcombe
The voyage required some careful planning
because I needed to time it so that when I got to Start Point it would be slack
water and I would avoid a race on this headland.
Although it was nearly neaps, a residual swell coming in from the west would have made it very bumpy.
Although it was nearly neaps, a residual swell coming in from the west would have made it very bumpy.
Also, a main difficulty for the voyage would be going
against a force three to four West-South-West wind. As well as making it harder
work, the wind against tide would tend to ruffle up the waves.
I realised that if I left an hour and a half just before approximate slack water at Start Point, there would be a back eddy that would help me on my way southwards.
In the middle of the chart is shown the back eddy down Start Bay, ending at Start Point
Slack tide or thereabouts at Start Point, three hours after high tide at Plymouth: The more detailed map on the right bottom shows a slight eddy already going south and west just off Start Point.
An hour later the tide gets going towards the Prawle Point
After reaching Start Point, I needed to take my time so as not to
arrive too early in Salcombe, avoiding the strong ebb tide coming out of the
harbour.
It was three days after the 75th D-Day Anniversary. The Slapton
Sands had featured prominently before the D-Day Landings because of being used
as an invasion practice beach.
A Sherman tank, placed there now as a memorial, was decked by wreaths commemorating I think not the actual landings but deaths that occurred during practice.
A Sherman tank, placed there now as a memorial, was decked by wreaths commemorating I think not the actual landings but deaths that occurred during practice.
PicoMicroYacht was rigged and slid down the beach, ready to launch.
I then waited for smaller waves before launching, then giving PicoMicroYacht a vigorous push and leaping onto it just as it entered the water. It was just before 12 O’Clock, mid-day.
I then waited for smaller waves before launching, then giving PicoMicroYacht a vigorous push and leaping onto it just as it entered the water. It was just before 12 O’Clock, mid-day.
Along Start Bay are the coastal villages Beesands and
Hallsands. The latter was washed away in storms in 1917, the protective shingle beach having been dredged to help build a naval dockyard in Plymouth.
Beesands and houses behind the sea wall
Hallsands, with the ledge to the left where the village was washed away in storms.
Soon I was at Start Point at exactly slack tide.
Start Point sticks out in a C shape, with Froweder Cove in the middle of the C. I rounded the top half
of the C about five metres off the rocks and then went between the bottom half
of the C and the Black Stone rock.
Ordinary it is advised not to do this inner passage without
local knowledge. I realise why when I saw to my right a large round yellowish
patch in the water the size of a small trampoline.
At first, I thought it was a mass of weed, but then I saw it was a rock I had narrowly missed going over.
At first, I thought it was a mass of weed, but then I saw it was a rock I had narrowly missed going over.
The position of the rock PicoMicroYacht narrowly missed passing over just off Start Point
One of the potmarkers close in off Start Point, the submerged rock about five metres behind.
In addition to this rock there was a network of potmarker buoys ready to catch the unwary engine powered boat, tangling their propellors with their underwater lines.
After rounding Start Point, the sea increased, and it was slow going. As PicoMicroYacht neared Prawle Point, the land protection had gone, being at the most southerly point of South Devon.
After rounding Start Point, the sea increased, and it was slow going. As PicoMicroYacht neared Prawle Point, the land protection had gone, being at the most southerly point of South Devon.
Large rolling waves came in from the West and I began to feel
slightly seasick.
At this point a succession of yachts passed me, two of which altered course to go close and check whether I was alright. A motorboat also came along side and asked me where I was going, having trouble hearing me over the noise of his engine.
Yachts passing close to me. By this time the wind was lessening.
Opposite Prawle Point the sea was more disturbed as the westerly going tide accelerated against the waves. However, the wind was dropping.
I did a radio check to the Coastwatch at Prawle, using Channel 65, mainly to let them know I was alright, since they would have been monitoring me.
The sea started to calm and the entrance to Salcombe was a welcome sight. I was able to row with less effort against the lessening wind, which was by then more on my beam.
I did a radio check to the Coastwatch at Prawle, using Channel 65, mainly to let them know I was alright, since they would have been monitoring me.
The sea started to calm and the entrance to Salcombe was a welcome sight. I was able to row with less effort against the lessening wind, which was by then more on my beam.
Closing in on Salcombe
It was now just after 5 pm and I half drifted up the estuary
to Whitestrand Quay. On the way, I was overtaken by the South Sands ferry.
The slow speed of the voyage (average about 2 knots) was
accounted for by the head wind and the ruffled sea.
Voyage Planning:
11th June 2019
High Water Plymouth: 11.00
Neaps at 13th June 2019
Start Torcross at 12.40 (southern going eddy down Start Bay)
Arrive Start Point at 14.10 (slack water): Distance 2.8 NM
Arrive Prawle Point at 15.40 (westerly going tide): Distance
3.6 NM
Arrive Salcombe Entrance at 17.00 (westerly going tide; just
before low water, Salcombe): Distance 2.4 NM
Total Distance: 8.8 NM
Mean Speed: Approximately 2 knots
Mean Speed: Approximately 2 knots