An Update from Isolation Cove

 

A quick update from our isolation anchorage at Courtmacsherry (or Courtmac, as we locals call it). We've had calm weather and, this morning, a beautiful sunrise and we've had time to rest and recover over the past three days. 

Maunie's new home

The anchorage at low tide, looking towards the mouth of the estuary

Sunrise this morning

As we approach spring tides, we have a rise and fall of nearly 3m but our Bahamian mooring has kept us perfectly spaced between the local moorings. The estuary is deceptive, though, and arriving near high water you could easily be fooled into thinking there is deep water where, in reality, shallow sand banks lurk to snag the keels of the unwary. We saw it happen last night when an incoming yacht strayed too far to starboard of the channel and ended up having an uncomfortable few hours on the mud.

The yacht heeling over as the water drains away

Luckily for them there was no wind and the water was completely calm so no damage was done, other than to pride.

Dianne has been feeling pretty groggy but has managed to catch up on sleep so is feeling a lot better, though she's certainly not fully recovered yet. Graham, somehow, is still testing negative for Covid so his being banished to the aft cabin seems to have worked so far.

So we've decided that we'll set off this afternoon for a 40-hour passage to Dartmouth. Di's well enough to keep watch though isn't up to anything too strenuous. Thankfully, the weather looks as good as it's going to get for us - the shipping forecast gives the wind as SW Force 3-5 (which means we'll be reaching, the fastest and most comfortable point of sail) and the sea state is mainly slight.

Departing Courtmac at 15.00 today,  we should reach Land's End around 18.00 tomorrow and, hopefully, a large blue spinnaker will be involved!

Our passage plan is such that the tide will then turn in our favour to take us past Lizard Point and on towards Dartmouth. The next 'tidal gate' (where adverse strong currents would be a challenge if we get the timing wrong) will be Start Point, just west of Dartmouth, so we'll aim to get there around 06.00 on Sunday, just as the tide turns in our favour.

That's the plan, at least. We hope that it'll all work out nicely and we'll be back on our home mooring by mid-morning on Sunday.