Padstow

The passage from the Scillies had been quite hard work, with some big seas, and generally light following winds. We had a visit from a pod of dolphins at about 10-00, just before we turned to 090degrees to cross the traffic separation scheme off Lands End. Once clear of the TSS we turned up to about 060degrees towards Padstow. We arrived at Padstow just about spot on the HW-2Hr opening time for the flap gate installed across the inner harbour entrance.

By 19-50 we were moored up against the harbour wall, with a pub just at the top of the ladder!

The Camel Estuary is a very beautiful place, with large expanses of drying sand at low water. Unfortunately, this attracts masses of people, and the town was very busy, most of the time.

One of Padstows claims to fame is the seafood restaurant empire built up by Rick Stein, this is now supplemented by a deli, pattiserie, fish & chip restaurant, a bistro, and at least two hotels - we sampled the delights of the fish & chips ( very good ! ), and the pattiserie ( twice !!! ).

Pasties seemed to be de rigour, and near the town centre we spotted three purveyors of pasties next door to one another - we sampled Rick Stein's from his patisserie.

After three nights in Padstow we decided it was time for a change of scenery. The tide was getting later and later, delaying our escape. Looking over the charts, the anchorages off Lundy, and Clovelly looked good, and the timing of the exit from the harbour meant that we could not reach Swansea before the locks closed at 22-00. In the end the weather made the decision for us, with a nasty burst of E or NE wind forecast - this meant that Lundy and Clovelly were untenable, so a course was set for Milford Haven, unfortunately missing out most of the Bristol channel. The harbour gate opended at 09-50 on 27th June, and we were through by 10-00 ready for a long day at sea.