Beginner’s guide to drying anchorages

Pete Goss was enchanted by the Isles of Scilly, but deliberately going aground still feels unnatural, so he’s outlined how he does it...

With life pulled in too many directions we’ve come to the conclusion that any window of opportunity must be buttered up with optimism and grabbed with both hands.

It was with this in mind that we slipped our mooring and motored down the Tamar River on a late morning, already hazy in the heat. With plenty of vacant moorings I counted ten cormorants hanging out their wings in a vain attempt at drying out in the humidity. Despite this salient reminder that nature often trumps optimism, we hoped for better luck!

We went with our gut after a pit stop in Mayflower Marina for fuel and water, and decided to follow the sun on its daily decent to the west. Clearing Rame Head we disappeared into the clammy bosom of our first fog bank. With no radar, we fell back onto good old watch-keeping and AIS transposed across our cockpit plotter.

‘Do we stop or carry on?’ became a constant echo. Every time we felt close to bailing the fog would lift just enough to entice us further. All in all it wasn’t too bad and our persistence felt vindicated as we motored up the Helford River and burst into a tranquil anchorage set within a vibrant sunset. Owls hooted in response to our heartfelt toast to life.

Setting the alarm for an early tide tickled a frison of excitement. On closing the Lizard, committed by an accelerating current, the first un-forecast fog bank rolled in. I could see from AIS that there was little shipping about and so we pushed on to find visibility improving as we made rapid ground to the west.

Swerving the hazards

I’m not sure if it’s me but I sense that some fishermen have a game much like ‘Whack-a-Mole’ called ‘Frighten the Yachty’. The rule is very simple – keep changing direction to maintain a collision course. No doubt it’s fun on a boring bridge but when on the receiving end can become tiresome.

In my view the Isles of Scilly have an unfair reputation for being hazardous to yachtsmen. Admittedly there are numerous shipwrecks to back this up, but with better forecasts, navigational aids and charts I find it full of options – options that increase exponentially with reduction in draught. They are tailor-made for Oddity, with her lifting keel and internal ballast.

For those who are coming for the first time and perhaps feeling a bit wary I would start by anchoring in the Cove which lies between Saint Agnes and Gugh island. With the wind in the northerly quadrant it provides easy access from deep water to have an overnight rest.

Saint Agnes has some lovely walks with the Turks Head being the perfect watering hole before heading back on board. The high ground coupled with a phone map reveals a bird’s eye view to get your bearings and a sense of the unique beauty and opportunities that lie between the navigational challenges. There are a lot of rocks and shallow water but with a sandy bottom its easy to see what’s what, and much like the Bahamas, polarised sunglasses become an asset.

Starting deep

In broad brush terms, particularly with a deep draught, I would be minded to start with four anchorages made up of the Cove, New Grimsby Sound, which lies between Tresco and Bryher, followed by Porth Cressa and St Mary’s Pool. There are moorings about, but with acceptable holding, my inclination is to anchor.

One word of warning though, no wind doesn’t mean a quiet anchorage as there’s often an Atlantic slop that comes from all directions and can make for a sleepless night. Look for tick-tocking masts before choosing where to anchor.

If you’re considering Scilly, no doubt the carnage of Storm Evert will raise its head. There’s a must-read deep dive YM article on Evert and general anchoring in Scilly by Ken Endean. My short answer is that a good eye on the weather offers the option of running to the mainland. It’s only 35miles to Penzance/Newlyn and 57miles to the Helford River.

When planning, in terms of safety, be extra minded that spring tides reduce the number of all-tide deep water anchorages to a far greater extent than most places. If you can’t take the ground, visiting over neap tides keeps more options open.

With the ability to dry out, the Isles of Scilly are a haven. I have to admit that I still feel a degree of trepidation when we dry out. Certainly more than the French for whom it seems to be a natural extension to their cruising options.

Funnily enough, the Isles of Scilly are one of the ‘must-do’ destinations for the French. I just love the way they casually sail into the shallows with a shellfish spade and shrimp net as they forage for that night’s barbecue.

Planning your drying anchorage – Tides

Oddity can sit on her bottom without legs which is a huge bonus but being wary of uneven ground, it’s heartening to know that our dagger boards are structured to act as legs. My planning starts with the tides as I like to dry out a couple of hours after high tide to give plenty of ‘buoyant’ time as the tide once again rises. You never know what might happen and if you end up stuck for whatever reason, a few extra days on a tide that is slipping into neaps is no bad thing.

Wind

My next bit of crucial information is the forecast which starts with the wind. Its nice to dry out into a head wind so that the boat lies in line with the incline of the beach. Drying out is just the start of the time frame. What will the wind be doing whilst aground? What will happen to the strength and direction? If it does change direction might it swing you into a hazardous area once you refloat? If this is the case how can it be mitigated?

I always drop a kedge before beaching so that I have extra control and the ability to pull myself off if I’m not initially happy. If I know the wind will change I will sometimes redeploy the kedge on foot once the tide is out.

Swell

Once I’m happy with the wind I move on to the swell which is probably more important than wind but for me better sequenced in that order. The problem with swell is that the boat can take a horrific pounding as it is about to float. I’ve experienced this once and the impotence of having to wait whilst the hull and rig echoes with juddering impact is desperate.

The thing about swells is that they can come out of nowhere and from any direction on a perfectly glassy day, a pulsating threat that ripples out from a distant storm like a malevolent heart beat set on destruction. Various online forecasts include a wave and swell prediction and it’s worth paying attention to these.

Dodging storms

Having said all this there is an upside to drying out in a storm as was proven in Evert. Such was its strength that moorings, let alone anchors, were dragging. Those lucky few that could dry out ran up the beach and sat it out in complete safety. Be wary of beaching but don’t forget that it can at times be the safest of options. Beyond drying out we are also lucky to have the option of dropping our mast to dramatically reduce windage.

Scouting the anchorage

We often anchor off our chosen beach for a cycle of tide. This allows us to get a sense of the bay and to dinghy in at low tide to check the ground for obstacles and hidden rocks. Our preference is a moderate incline so that Oddity dries out level. Once we have chosen our spot I’ll shove some sticks above the high water mark to act as a transit. If the bay curves around us I might consider a side transit to pinpoint our location but this is for fun as much as anything.

Secure the boat

We will then consider securing the boat. The kedge is checked and everything flaked out for ease of deployment. We approach with the dinghy launched so we have a ready tug to push or pull should the need arise. Is there a good rock or tree that we can secure the bow to? Some suggest running beyond your drying out position to drop the main anchor before backing into position on the kedge.

That’s great in theory but can become unnecessarily complicated, particularly if there are only two of you on board. We tend to run into the beach and leave the engine on tick-over for a few minutes to let the bow take the ground. It really is amazing how quickly the tide falls. If needs be, I will set the main anchor by foot once we’re dried out.

Tools for jobs

‘Tide waits for no man’ in many ways and I am always amazed at how quickly the boat dries out so I prepare for any jobs before we beach. A good long-handled scrubbing brush.A small hard-bristled brush for those gnarly bits and a set of screw drivers to clear out small barnacles within the skin fittings. I’ll dig out the new prop anode and make sure the right tools are to hand.

Boarding

Having designed Oddity for just this sort of thing we don’t have to worry about a ladder as our transom is multi-functional: a transom when up, bathing platform when horizontal and a boarding ladder when down. If you’re
in a taller bilge-keeler or a boat with sea-legs, you’ll need to ensure you can reach climb back aboard from the sand. Our rudders have about a foot of clearance and the prop is well clear of the bottom. All things, if not designed into the boat, that need to be considered before grounding.

Finally, a tip from Breton sailors: fill a bucket or two with seawater before the tide disappears. One can be used for washing muddy, sandy feet to keep the boat clean when you clamber back aboard. The other can be used to flush the heads if needed (into the holding tank ideally).

There’s nothing more satisfying than floating on a clean bottom and so it was that we re-anchored under Tean Island to carry on with our Scilly foray. With so many nooks, crannies and rock outcrops it’s a perfect place for my paddle board. Next time I shall have a speargun so that I can put food on the table.

Of all the Islands I think our favourite is St Martin’s, as it seems the least touristy and being bigger and furthest from Hugh Town, it’s less crowded. The residents are an eclectic bunch and its always fascinating to find out what bought them to such a unique location.

The ex environment officer who runs Polreath Tea Room. The landlady of the Seven Stones Inn who came here on her honeymoon 30 years ago, saw that the Inn was for sale and the rest is history. There’s a vineyard for which we ran out of time and have saved for next time; we will be back before long.

After a wonderful week, our final picnic offered a view of Land’s End and the waters to Mousehole, our next destination. Keeping close to the Cornish coast we slipped under a packed Minack Theatre to be serenaded by their latest production. Not a bad end to another rejuvenating trip to the Isles of Scilly.

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