After a day off in Plymouth it was time to get going again. Now on my own, the plan for Tuesday was to enter Cornwall. After four and a half months away we would be making our way to Falmouth.

The prospects were not looking good for a sail down the coast, as we left Plymouth Sound. Motoring past the breakwater in flat calm conditions there was not even a breath of wind.

Shortly after leaving the Sound, we past Penlee Point, to the west. We were now well and truly back in the motherland – Cornwall. As if to welcome us back the weather was fantastic.

Considering it was early December the sun was out, the visibility was as good as it had been anywhere on the trip and the sea was flat. I would have however, traded all this for just a little wind. 

Especially as I had planned for the worst and was wearing my winter thermals! With the autohelm doing the hard work of pointing us down the coast to Falmouth, there was very little to do. Right on queue, a group of twenty dolphins past two hundred metres to seaward. At this point we were halfway between Eddystone and Fowey. Suddenly about five of them changed course and headed straight for us. Possibly attracted by the sound of the engine.

Soon the whole School of Dolphins including a number of young animals were playing in the wake of the boat. Mainly they were concentrated at the bow fighting with aggression for the prime position just in front of the bow wave. After ten minutes and little luck getting a photo (the delay of the camera was just too much to get a picture) they soon moved away. There was very little to do again until thirty minutes later the Dolphins returned. They seem to delight in not quite allowing me to get a photo! They soon got bored again.

As the sun started to set we were quickly approaching Dodman Point. I sat and watched as one by one the lights of St Austell lit the sky off to the north – there wasn’t much else to do! Once past Dodman I refuelled the engine. We continued quietly make our way down the coast towards St Anthony Head on the edge of the Fal Estuary. By now the light of Lizard Lighthouse was looming on the horizon. Still motoring along in zero wind I left the autohelm do the steering and sat in the companionway. I was looking out into the darkness for any unlit hazards. It was lucky I kept a good look out as between Dodman and St Anthony Head a number of crab pot buoys loomed out of the darkness very close by. It is a little scary when a large flag of a crab pot suddenly appears two metres to your left!

I had never approached Falmouth from the east this far inshore before. I had not totally anticipated how well the lighthouse at St Anthony Head is obscured from this direction. I had expected to see at least a small loom. Without the lighthouse the coast was still undoubtedly in sight, on what was a very clear night. By 8pm we were due south of the entrance of the Fal Estuary with the lighthouse of St Anthony Head having just come into sight. On this queue we started to turn north and make our way into the estuary. It was at this point that the wind started to build, at last. This northerly wind would have been welcomed on this trip at any point – but not now! However, it was now blowing in my face, as we continued into the estuary. We past clear of the rocks to the east of Black Rock with the light of St Anthony casting its eerie light off to starboard.

Being the only vessel on the water and in clear conditions the passage up towards Falmouth was simple. The passage up river towards Penryn and Falmouth Marina was a little more fun. We were entering at low tide. Although there is plenty of water in the channel, you still have to stay in this unlit stretch of deep water.

Luckily, the channel is well marked and the buoys are all charted, making for a successful dot-to-dot exercise to end the day. Within ten minutes we were safely docked on the fuel pontoon of Falmouth Marina. After sorting myself out, we were directed to the visitors berth a few yards away.

It was now just after 9pm. There was now just one more trip to make before returning to Penzance approximately thirty miles around the Lizard. After four and a half months at sea it would be tempting to race around to Penzance at the first opportunity. Having said that, as it was going to be the last leg of the trip, I wanted to make the most of it.

A day with a fair wind would not be asking too much, would it? Apart from this I new there was a number of people who wanted to see me arrive back in Penzance. The combination of these two factors so made Saturday seem the best day to aim to complete the adventure.

The forecast was for a force three or four from the southeast, with fair tide taking us to the Lizard by midday. Therefore, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were spent killing time in Falmouth.