Monday 16th September
The departure time is sometimes set by the tide, and not by the captain. Thus, it is five o’clock in the morning when we pass through the gates of Padstow harbour.
Overcast sky, flat sea
The sky is overcast, and a light rain accompanies our departure for our last Welsh stopover, the port of Newlyn, some 60 miles away.
This navigation will unfortunately be done on engine, the wind remaining absent. But this ensures us a 6 knots constant speed.
Land’s End, on the way back
We round Land’s End again, the most westerly point of England, and enter the port of Newlyn at 16:45, 15 days after our last visit to this charming town.
The Star Inn sign
This time, I have well identified the pub that I had looked for in vain during our first visit: it is the Star Inn, of course!
Among the customers of the pub, I ask about Ben and Jacqueline Gunn, a couple that we had met in this same place during the China Blue voyage. But we are sad to learn that Ben has unfortunately passed away, at the age of 79, only 10 days before our arrival.
We meet Tracy and her husband. Tracy is a kind and talkative tour guide who does her best, in French, to fill us in with historical details about the region, while we fill ourselves with our own beers, as always duly earned.
As the Star Inn does not offer a meal worthy of this evening appetite, we return to the Red Lion, where we did have dinner during our previous stopover.
The schooner Santiana
On returning on board, we notice the presence in the port of a junk rigged dark blue-hulled schooner. Unfortunately, it is too late to meet the owner.
A quick search on the Junk Rig Association website later informes us : it is Santiana, a Freedom 30, 2-masted junk, belonging to Mr. Charlie Hood.
Too bad we couldn’t meet him.
The photo is from his profile on the JRA website.