PennCirrus up the Tamar

Panoramic view of Calstock

Being of a cautious nature I generally keep a bungee on the breakwater so as not to go too far. This day I went as far as I could up the tamar, to morwellham. in PennCirrus a Hurley 22.

Tides Wed 1st July 2009  1:47 PM BST / 4.59 m.  I choose to go up 4hours before HW. Devonport and arrive back 4hours after HW. Devonport, HW. Cotehele Quay is about 15 min after Devonport.

That is off about 10am and back about 6pm. a long day half can often be done on sail.

Up past the river lyner and under saltash bridge 1st point of care is where the River Tavy divides from the Tamar in between Neal Point and Warren Point where there is shallow water 200m to port of these marks; up between the moorings in cargreen then past weirquay. Now we come to the biggest meanders of the river, the first you keep right close to the trees on the out side of the bend. Here the use of the echo sounder going up with the rising tide is good practice, together with the Admiralty chart 871 and enlargements A & B you can go up checking your pilotage.

On the second bend we saw a Seal sunbathing on the mud going up, coming back we saw him swimming quite close to the boat. You can see a dead tree, often with Cormorants sitting in a row. Egrets and Herons are seen on the mud banks.

Viewed along the strait before Calstock Bridge going up, is a number of really attractive designed Homes

Under the bridge and along the moored boats keeps us in plenty of water, PennCirrus draws 1m water which I checked out by running aground back by the club. After the next bend it starts to go shallow the last bend before Morwellham is shallow the final problem can be the trees if you do not keep a look out. The dock with historic 100-year old Tamar sailing ship garlandstone  is where I turn, deeper water is in the middle of the river opposite the dock.