Plymouth to Fastnet and back 650 mini update

With the wind blowing in from the west sou'west for the last 20 hours.....

the Mini 650 yachts are having to tack just where they probably don't want to - right across the traffic separation zone between Land's End and the Scillies - at least the visibility is good.........

Englishman, Jake Jefferies has decided that he will head way down to the southard in order to get a better run with the wind, hoping it will back sou westerly or more southerly at least to give him a fair wind for the next way-point - the Bishop Rock to the west of the Scillies - will his move pay off?

The Royal Western Yacht Club is pleased to welcome back the Classe Mini sailors for 2012. The competitors set off on Sunday 13th May on a 561 mile course that will take them from Plymouth to Fastnet Rock via Eddystone Rock and Bishop Rock, then on to the Coningbeg Light before returning to Plymouth. The Classe Mini yachts will race in two classes, Series and Proto. The Series yachts are production models, whereas the Protos are one off designs.

Monday am

With its legs firmly sat on the bottom, the jack-up rig Seafox 7 rests with the Lizard as back-drop.......

one extra large Dover sole with very dark skin almost fills the fish box - more than a meal for two!......

 a man and his bass.......

 the fridge is looking better stocked with summer mackerel at last........

 a hard chine yacht sits on her steel keel.........

botas that do quality fish like line caught pollock after landing, Sea Spray and Myghal.

Mineral Tramway bike ride - enjoyed

With the promise of unbroken sunshine what better way to spend the day than riding the Mineral Tramway - if you need a bike head for the hire centre at Bissoe or the Bike Barn..........

a chance to cycle through rare woods......

hidden mineshafts........

seasonal flora and fauna displays.......

the whole route is well signposted and safe........

the home of Cornish Clotted Cream........

allows you to cycle coat-to-coast in a matter of hours.......

and see the reamins of the world's oldest railway track........

on almost flat terrain for the entire route - which proved no problem for a group of six with a combined age of over 360 years!!.......

ending on the north coas at the historic port of Portreath.......

with its hugely and notoriously difficult to navigate entrance channel.......

plenty of information at hand......

the local fishing fleet isn't what it used to be.......

the huge inner huge harbour is almost devoid of working boats and now bounded by houses - the port once acted as the main supply point for the supply of coal to the Dolcoath Mine.


For more information on this historic trail:

Cornish Mining - World Heritage


Independent review - written when the trail had just opened.


Cornwall Council - more info of sites to see on the route.


Sustrans - sustainable travel charity- advice and organisations - strong presence in Cornwall.


Bike hire, accommodation - everything you need The Bike Barn

Rig in the Bay

Two tugs tracked by VesselTracker's AIS........

 used to tow a jack-up rig into Mount's Bay........

now lay at anchor.

UK Fastnet 650 mini race

The Royal Western Yacht Club is pleased to welcome back the Classe Mini sailors for 2012. 


This year the Classe Mini yachts have raced from the West coast of France and the Solent to Plymouth. The competitors will set off on Sunday 13th May on a 561 mile course that will take them from Plymouth to Fastnet Rock via Eddystone Rock and Bishop Rock, then on to the Coningbeg Light before returning to Plymouth. The Classe Mini yachts will race in two classes, Series and Proto. The Series yachts are production models, whereas the Protos are one off designs. 


These exciting 6.50m yachts though offering little comfort to their sailors, are capable of high speeds particularly off the wind and offer close and exciting racing. The class rules limit the communication equipment that can be carried by each yacht, but Yellowbrick will again be supplying the trackers that will enable an hour by hour update on the progress of these intrepid sailors. Those racing from the Solent and La Trinite Sur Mer had excellent races and have been enjoying the club. 

Watch the start of the UK Mini Fastnet 2012 at 1200 (BST) on Sunday 13th May 2012. Courtesy of SoloSails.

Friends

IFCA in action.

With the sun finally beating the endless banks of rain cloud into submission, the IFCA patrol boat St Piran sets sail for a weekend outing.