On the move again! After one day in Torquay we planned a late start on Sunday to passage around Start Point and west into Plymouth. There was little or no wind as we exited the harbour at 1pm.

We motored across the bay hoisting the sails as we went. However, the sails had little effect as they flapped in the air. On rounding Berry Head we started to pick up speed as the wind funnelled down the coast from the southwest.

Moving down the coast past Dartmouth, the wind slowly increased to a force three from the west. This new wind allowed us to fetch down to Start Point. By the time the sun was setting in the west we were a few miles south of the Point racing to windward.

The plan was to push out to the west as far as we needed in order to line up a reach into Plymouth. This we calculated would require us to move five miles to the west.

It was a wet ride as we pushed on with full sail into a light westerly swell. There were also a number of ships to avoid which were cutting close to the coastline. By 8pm we were able to tack and make a straight line for Plymouth. Again there were a number of other vessels to avoid but the passage was generally uneventful. At the point of tacking there were twenty miles to run to Plymouth. This we were able to take down to seven miles before the wind started to die. We were then forced to start the engine.

Shortly after this we realized that we were not alone! All we could hear was the sound of splashing water and make out faint shadows. However, it was clear that there was a school of dolphins playing in our wash. They stayed with us for twenty minutes before moving off. Within half an hour of starting the engine there was not a breath of wind and the sea had flattened out once more.

Four miles from the breakwater with Plymouth in full view, a call went out on the radio. It was a “pan-pan” from the coastguard requesting any information concerning two reported flares. The report was that they had been sighted near Rame Head, four miles from our position. Due to the angle of our approach it was also the headland we had been staring at for the last three hours – we had seen nothing. We reported this to the coastguard and changed course towards the assist.

Within fifteen minutes we had been overtaken by the inshore and all-weather lifeboats, which took up the search. There were a number of boats in the area including the two lifeboats so there was little assistance for us to add. We were duly released by the coastguard and continued on towards Plymouth.

Within forty minutes we passed into Queens Anne’s Battery marina, here we were welcomed in by the duty manager. It was now just before midnight, it did not take us long to sort our things and find our beds. Plymouth was dad’s last port of call. On Monday we went into the city centre to collect him a hire car. This car we duly went on to fill with redundant boat kit, such as my hiking gear and the majority of the charts. This just made a little more space onboard. It also made the job of unpacking in Penzance that little bit easier. Dad made his way home slowly on Monday. My intention is to now to continue to Falmouth on Tuesday.