Hi all
Did a little 22mile round trip today - Appledore to Clovelly. Tides were very neap and sea state was calm so we broke the normal rule and crossed Bideford Bar at pretty much low tide:
Just a little bit of wind chop but very important to follow the channel carefully. We use Navionics HD on an old android tablet for navigating, I get on with it pretty well and it's a fun app to tinker with and plan trips.
Very calm - this was the typical sea state while crossing the bay
Calm days like this are not that rare on the north devon coast but they tend to arrive without much warning, just like the bad weather!
We crossed the bay in just over an hour, cruising at around 12mph.
Typical north devon coastline
One weekend this summer we'll camp on a secluded beach on this stretch. Most are inaccessible from the coast path, however Peppercombe and Bucks Mills can be accessed by car & foot.
Yours truly
Arriving at Clovelly. It really is the most stunningly beautiful village and arriving by boat means not having to pay the entry fee or parking fee, although you may be asked for harbour dues (we weren't).
Harbour entrance. The whole harbour looks like it was built in the stone age. Really unique.
Tide still a bit low so the wheels come in handy
There are easier ways to get to a pub but none so fun!
Shame to leave but need the last of the push to help us home
In fact the combination of a tailwind and the last of the push knocked 15 mins off our return journey. Need to see exactly how much fuel we've used as it was a good long trip with plenty of speed variations.
Looks like the calm weather is at an end for a while so glad we made the most of it. Next trip, unless it's the big one, will most likely be around the corner to Illfracombe. Watch this space!
Simon