Trip For Lightwieghts

ian parkes · 28 March 2006, 20:52

Iam Planning to Go to the isles Of Scilly in my SIB .

I hope to go in late May or early June when there is a decent forcast for a few Days and the islands are still fairly quiet.

I plan to Camp on Bryher as its My favourite Island and the best place to pull the boat up on a beach near to the campsite .

I shall probably go for at least a long weekend and launch at Sennen Cove or Porth Gwarra. Plan to just take it easy with very small tent etc and have a good cruise around and do some snorkeling etc .

Would be good to have some company especially for the trip across .

Iam expecting my wife and Daughter to come if not a mate .

I would welcome anyone who is interested in joining me , camping snorkeling sightseeing etc , or just another rib/sib owner to join me for the crossing .

For bigger boats i am pretty sure the mooring is good in the chanel between Bryher and Tresco and the campsite is a stones throw from the beach , there is also a decent landing stage . This camp site has fantastic showers and toilets etc .

If you have never been and have a SIB it is possible to deflate your boat and bring it back On the ferry for about £30 should the weather turn bad .

roycruse · 28 March 2006, 21:28

I tried to organise something like this in my 4.2m humber last year - rang the campsites and they said they needed at least 2 weeks notice booking the campsite as they were always full. I tried to explain that I would only know for definite if I could make the crossing a few days before but there was nothing they could do for me so I never made the crossing in that boat.

If your not excluding larger boats - I would definitely be up for coming over but it would only be for the weekend (I've already booked all my holiday this year) If the good weather happens to land on the bank holiday at the end of may - I could then make it for the 3 days.

I have an apartment in hugh town booked for the second week in august so I will be over there that week as well.

Alice · 28 March 2006, 21:42

But Roy, it's a trip for 'Lightweights'. I don't think that you and I come into that category either literally or metaphorically!

ian parkes · 28 March 2006, 21:52

Hi Roy
Iam looking at Half term at present which begins on the weekend of 27/28 May

I have often gone over that week and camped on Bryher or St Martins , have never had a problem booking , in fact we are often the only ones there. I haven't been for a couple of years so maybe its just got busier. I hope not

As soon as the summer holidays start then its different , needs booking the year before these days i think .

I cetainly wouldn't exclude bigger boats , just not sure of cruising speeds and how much speed varies in a swell etc . Don't wan't you fast boys oiling up them plugs or getting bored

roycruse · 28 March 2006, 22:06

If your going too slow ill just drop the rod over the side and catch some dinner on the way

.

Seriously I don't have a problem going any speed so if its a weekend that you go out I will definitely be in - I am planning to go over several times this summer - probably mostly for just day trips to get round the accommodation problems.

It costs me around £80 to go there and back from Penzance - If I stick 5 or 6 paying friends on my boat I can go over there for the day and it will cost me less than £20 - bargain considering its £85 per head on the scillonian

You are right about the time of year - I was trying to go later in the summer which was probably why I had no luck. I booked my apartment 12 months in advance - and then i had to wait as they give the guests from the year before first refusal on the same week the following year.

roycruse · 28 March 2006, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice

But Roy, it's a trip for 'Lightweights'. I don't think that you and I come into that category either literally or metaphorically!

I am on a diet - don't seem to be loosing any weight though

ian parkes · 28 March 2006, 22:37

The only lightwieght things I refer to are my boat engine and tent . Too much work and not enough play have taken their toll recently .

"Were gonna need a bigger boat"

So you don't want to race me then Roy ?

What sort of speed do you cruise at ?

If you are catching tea then Iam going slow on purpose , used to take me 8 hours Paddling , that Ok Oh and bass or monkfish will do .

Be glad of your company thanks .

roycruse · 28 March 2006, 22:46

Makerel is all I've ever caught so far - I'm not what you would call a fisherman.

On christmas eve we went over to the scillies for lunch and we were varying between 20-25-30 knots depending on the mood. We were lucky that day as there was 0 wind and therefore 0 chop and an easy to handle 2m long wavelength swell rolling under us.

On the other hand I have been knocked down to under 15 knots and forced to drop off the plane before in some nasty horrible steep (but not very high) wind chop that was just making the ride uncomfortable.

ian parkes · 28 March 2006, 22:58

Oh so mackeral is what we eatin then cos thats all i can catch , but i just got a book on fishin at Trago so look out .

The Fraggle Rock does a good fish dinner I can catch that

iam not sure what speed i can average yet . I mate clocked me cruising at about 20 and I was only about half throttle , but the other half doesn't feel that much quicker ??
Iam estimating 15mph on a calm day as an average

I must get a little cheap GPS and find out

roycruse · 28 March 2006, 23:02

I got a garmin foretrex 101 wrist mount gps on ebay from the US for £50 including shipping. No maps but great little unit, I use it for a backup on the rib and as a cycle computer when out on my mountain bike.

Alternatively get a slightly more advance handheld unit that you can load maps on and you can do away with your paper charts then.

If you dont get one before the scillies trip you can borrow my foretrex to get some performance data for your boat.

ian parkes · 28 March 2006, 23:20

Thanks Roy I have to look into that , its a confusing minefield to me all this electrickery , i love the old way especially when after 5 hours that day mark on St Martins came into view

roycruse · 09 May 2006, 21:55

I'm still up for coming to the scilly isles with you - especially if its the may bank holiday.

I'm struggling to work out where I could leave my boat on Bryher though - not being a SIB I cant exactly carry it up the beach...

Do you know if they have any moorings - or if there is any where I would be able to anchor safely / legally for a couple of days.

If there is no where - I may have to use Hugh Town Harbour and the campsite on St Marys.

Alice · 09 May 2006, 22:20

Sort out a parking spot for two can you please Roy.

The prob with leaving the boats in Hugh Town is that the Garrison Camp site is a right old trek up hill. It'll be a bummer late at night after a few beers. The owner does a Landrover and trailer effort to get the kit up though. Have you tried St Martins? It's beautiful and they have moorings. I don't mind swimming for mine in the morn or I could deflate our 2.3m tender and take that at a push.
New Grimsby and Old Grimsby on Tresco both have moorings.

Shaggy · 09 May 2006, 22:31

Ian/Roy
I might join you for this trip too, if we get a good weather window..

Shouldnt you be able to anchor off St. Martins as long as the weather is OK?

Shaggy

ian parkes · 09 May 2006, 22:44

There are mooring bouys for visitors in the chanel between Bryher and Tresco . I could ferry you ashore . I think they cost about £13 for a mooring .
I guess you could just drop anchor there . its a pretty good anchorage .
Fraggle Rock Cafe just a stagger away.

Do you all intend camping ?

Just hope for a few fine days eh . We are still up for it wih the intention of going more or less any time that week whenever the weather permits , hopefully on the first Friday.
I may well be glad of helping with some fuel in exchange for carrying some kit for me .

roycruse · 10 May 2006, 00:39

I will only be able to make it for the weekend plus bank holiday Monday (no holidays left

) Only time i could do on the Friday would be a late evening crossing - but we might not get there till it was dark

I'm definitely up for camping.

Do you think they will let us put all our RIBs rafted up on one mooring seeing as they are much smaller and lighter than a yacht.

Shaggy · 10 May 2006, 09:55

Camping is fine, I can only make the weekend too assuming the Mrs lets me go

Shaggy

ian parkes · 10 May 2006, 13:47

I was only planning on the weekend due to weather . Its hard to rely on it for much longer , presuming its ok in the first place .
I would be tempted to stay on into the week if weather was really perfect .

Alice · 10 May 2006, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Camping is fine, I can only make the weekend too assuming the Mrs lets me go

Shaggy

I'll take a towline Shaggy

... and the Winchester!

Shaggy · 10 May 2006, 20:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice

I'll take a towline Shaggy

... and the Winchester!

I wounder how long it would take to motor back from the Scillies with me 8HP Aux

Shaggy