The forecast is for sun and light breezes. Our passengers, a family of four on holiday in the area, join us at Falmouth Marina. We don’t hesitate to leave the dock and within minutes we are under sail in Falmouth harbour. We have set our mainsail and foresail, and lower a leeboard into the water. We are moving along nicely and the engine is switched off.
It is a Sunday and the harbour is busy with boats of all sorts, both sail and power including a huge barge being towed in and under escort by pilot boats. As we sail out of the inner harbour we see there are Falmouth Working Boats racing in the Carrick Roads, these are always a spectacular sight with their large sails and long bowsprits.
Other boats are coming close to Drifter, complementing our beautiful vessel. The family are enjoying the sights and the attention.
We sail on towards St Just in Roseland, having sailed along the shore of Trufusis. We have great views of Pendennis and St Mawes Castles. The white wall of Saint Anthony’s Lighthouse is reflecting the bright sunshine clearly marking the entrance from the sea into the harbour. This really is a great day to be out on the water the family exclaimed and we did not hesitate to agree.
Sailing along the unspoilt shoreline of the Roseland is next on the Agenda. We see walkers with their dogs on the path above, and below there are hundreds of birds feeding on the quiet rocks. This part of the harbour is shallow but is no problem for Drifter. We are now sailing with the wind on the beam, perfect.
We approach Trelissick house and lower our sails. The anchor is prepared and quickly find a quiet spot beyond the many boats already anchored here. Our ‘front-row seat’ view of the house and gardens is spectacular.
The family have bought along a picnic which is leisurely enjoyed as we watch the activities around us. There are paddle boards and kayaks. On the shore of Trelissick people are swimming. The Harbour patrol boat comes by and stops for a chat.
The two young boys take our dinghy for a bit of rowing, we enjoy watching them tussling over who will row. A while later, having explored the bay they are back and are now having fun in the bowsprit netting. Then we here a splash and they are in the water swimming. The adults soon join them.
Everyone is then back on board, drying in the sunshine as we lift the anchor and set off upriver under power. We pass close to the Philleigh shoreline with its impressive steep, rocky, wooded bank. The river divides the two estates of Trelissick and Tregothnan, both of which continue to ensure the unspoilt wild nature of the river, as they have for centuries. After passing the beautiful King Harry ferry crossing and Smugglers Cottage, we get a great view of Tregothnan House, home for centuries of the Boscawen family and Lord Falmouth.
We then head towards Malpas. The low water is revealing the twisted roots of trees on the shoreline, some of which look serpent like rising from the mud. Herons are feeding, curlews are first heard and then seen. Soon after a seal pops up its head and watches us go by.
After reaching Malpas and envying the waterside properties here, we turn around and head back down river. We notice even more on the way back. Old quays that were historically used for delivering coal and provisions to the estates, also passing by Roundwood Quay, which is home to an ancient fort and was used by sailing ships during the days of mining in the area.
We are soon back in the Carrick roads and heading back to the marina. We travel directly over the shallow banks of the harbour, while watching other boats having to the follow the longer and twisting deep water channel.
The inner harbour is quieter now, the ferries have stopped and the racing fleets returned home. We talk a little about the history of the area as we pass by Falmouth before docking back at the marina.
The family tell us they have had a great day, in fact the best day of their holiday. They have seen and experienced the area from its best vantage point, the water, and they have done it in style onboard sailing barge Drifter. We are thrilled.
More information about our sailing trips at sailingbargedrifter.co.uk
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