After years of interest in sailing, boat building, and marine matters in general, I have gradually come to realise that dinghy cruising is the right activity for me. Sailing is not a pastime that interests my family unduly, except for my 6 year old son, so a specification for my latest boat was formulated - traditional build, easily sailed solo, stable, room for crew/passengers if required, etc. After reading Coleman, Glasspool and a few others, it became clear that I needed a Tideway, and last September I bought TW 78, 20 years old but in very good condition.

Being Midland based, decent sailing water is a fair distance away, and therefore opportunities for cruising are restricted. So after a spring and summer of day sailing with my son, including a D.C.A. rally and a Tideway Owners rally, I set off for my first cruise in an open boat.

It was September 17th and I had an easy drive to Plymouth on the M5 and A38. 'Baggywrinkle' was launched into the River Plym from Blagdon's yard at 1515 hrs. I called at the yard 'on spec' and Mr. Blagdon kindly allowed me to use his slipway and car park without charge. The weather was fine with a fresh SW wind, the lunchtime forecast said force 3 - 4 occasionally 6. The yard was upstream of Laira Bridge and I was doubtful of the clearance for mast and gaff, less than 1 hour before high water. In fact the upper (rail) bridge was successfully negotiated but the road bridge was too low and I eased the peak halyard. As both wind and tide were against me there were a few anxious moments as I tacked back and fore under the arches. (For the record I estimate that the clearance is about 14 - 15' at mean high water.) There followed a brisk beat between derelict submarines, tugs, etc., moored yachts and discharging cargo vessels in the Cattewater. It was apparent that the wind out in the Sound was all of what the forecast had said, and that I had too much sail set. In fact that was rubbed in when a gust coming off the buildings of R.A.F. Mountbatten put the gunwale well under.

When off Plymouth Citadel I realised it was decision time; I was too late for any remaining flood into the Hamoaze, and the Sound looked very angry. I had to reef and press on, or, up helm and run back up the Plym. The latter course was taken. It was now high water and on approaching Laira Bridge I furled the main and ran on under jib alone. About 1 mile upstream of the bridge, at 1715 hrs., I ran the boat ashore in the lee of a small promontory on the south shore under the wooded high ground of Saltram Park. As the tide receded the tent was rigged and a meal prepared. The spot was remote and well sheltered from the SW although one had to ignore the railway and road about a quarter mile away across the river. Of course acres of mud are exposed at low water but I was stern on the mud and bow on the stony foreshore so getting ashore presented no problem.

Alarm set for 0500 hrs. (H.W. 0437 hrs.). After breakfast and clearing up I listened without much hope to the forecast, force 5 - 6, occ. 7. I decided to stay put until the next high water. When 'Baggywrinkle' had dried out again and the drizzle eased I walked the couple of miles to Plymouth to have a look round and do some shopping. I was back on board in time for the lunchtime forecast which gave no change and from the look of the weather outside I was going nowhere that day.

Wednesday dawned much the same with a forecast one force higher although with the hint of some relief later. I was determined to go at 0715 hrs. (two hours after H.W.), with the main reefed to the first batten and the jib reduced by lashing the head to the luff wire, I beat down river again. I had guessed the sail area about right for although it was blowing hard the boat was comfortable. In fact when the Sound was reached the high ground of Mount Edgcombe was providing some shelter and I had to shake the reef out of the jib as I struggled over the last of the ebb to get into Barn Pool.

Anchored at 1015 hrs., I landed and walked to Cremyll for water and other liquid refreshment. Back at the boat I had a snack with tea from my flask before setting off up the Hamoaze with the first of the flood. The weather was poor, the rain varying from light to heavy, and visibility less than half a mile. The sail up the Tamar to Calstock was uneventful but even the conditions failed to destroy the obvious beauty of the surroundings, or the interest on the riverbanks. Above Calstock it was clear that sailing was a waste of time, the valley is so deep that the breeze that was still blowing hard, provided not even steerage way in the strong tide so that 'Baggywrinkle' proceeded out of control at about 3 knots. Therefore sail was furled and the oars shipped and what a pleasant row it was to the head of the tideway at Weir Head, Gunnislake, 20 miles from Plymouth. The minimum of effort was required to keep steerage way only.

The river winds through a breathtaking valley flanked by high cliffs topped with fir trees and its banks heavily wooded with oak. Around Morewellham the old mine chimneys poke up through the carpet of trees and at the village itself the large quay is being restored. Between Morewellham and the weir at Gunnislake the remoteness is complete; herons seem to be the only inhabitants. The tide rise at Weir Head is only a few feet and a concrete quay has been provided for boats to moor to, only about 100 yards from the weir itself. Throughout the miserable evening the only things to disturb the peace was the arrival and immediate departure of the daily pleasure boat from Plymouth, and the passage of a tractor through the riverside meadow.

The next morning was fine and crisp without a breath of air in the valley bottom although the forecast was force 8 but force 5 later. I left at 0700 hrs. shortly after high water which at Weir Head is 45 mins. after Plymouth. Another extremely pleasant row was had through the mists of early morning and I had a better chance to view the magnificent scenery. It was below Cothele Quay before the wind was felt, 5 miles from Weir Head. After about 3 miles of sailing the truth of the forecast was manifest. The strong north westerly breeze forced me to heave to and take in a deep reef. By the time South Hooe was abeam I felt that life would be easier on the run down to Cargreen without the main and I got it furled whilst drifting close under the windward bank. Cargreen was the obvious place to have lunch and wait for the tide to turn to proceed up the Tavy. It was 1045 hrs. when I arrived and with the tide sluicing past the pier heads it was necessary to approach with care and determination to beach whore intended. After some shopping and a pint at the 'Spaniards' a pleasant hour was spent sitting in the sun in the lee of the cliff, reading, watching the river, and writing up the log. Then back to the pub for crab sandwiches and another pint. On returning to the boat I congratulated myself on the timing, the tide was lapping on the transom, rising but still flowing hard towards the sea. The wind was still very fresh so whilst waiting for the boat to float I reefed the main as deep as possible, with the gaff jaws almost on the boom, and lashed the jib head again.

It was a comfortable run down to Neal point buoy where I put the helm up and jibed to proceed up the Tavy on the port tack. The Tavy Railway Bridge was negotiated without difficulty as it was less than half flood. The wind was dropping all the time and after passing Bere Ferrers the higher ground to windward made sailing a frustrating business so it was oars out and down sail. Whilst I was furling the sails I noticed a commotion in the water and on investigating found a squirrel in serious difficulties so being a Shoreline member I lifted it into the boat. It scampered onto the foredeck and hid in the folds of the jib. When I got to Maristow Quay I picked it up and carried it ashore whereupon it bit my finger and ran off, ungrateful animal!

The Tavy valley is almost as impressive as the Tamar and the weir at Lopwell is very striking. There was a few hours to high tide so I gave 'Baggywrinkle' a good clean and tidy up while moored immediately below the weir with swans looking on with interest. As high water approached I squeezed the boat into some saltings on the north side of the river beneath a steep wooded slope and moored to dry out for the night at about 1600 hrs. After tea it was a brisk walk to Bere Ferrers for a pint. The walk back in the half light through the woods was a bit spooky especially past an old mine engine house.

Friday dawned fine and I left at 0630 hrs., 25 mins. before high water. When I got into the stream the sails were hoisted but with the main topped up to allow room to row as the breeze had not penetrated the depths of the valley. Just below Maristow a light air from the north east made itself felt and pushed me gently down river while the sun rose over my left shoulder. By the time I was in the Tamar the wind died away completely. I had missed the morning forecast but the sky appeared to foretell a north westerly on the way so the sails were left up and steerage way was given by sculling over the transom. The tide gradually pushed 'Baggywrinkle' seaward past scores of lighters, under Saltash bridges and into the Hamoaze. By this time I began to mistrust my estimate of the imminent wind so I settled down to row.

There was plenty to watch, tugs and harbour launches bustling up and down, some towing lighters, marine commandoes in dories, warships with ensigns hanging limp, ferries and dredgers, all going this way and that. They all seemed to ignore me and the passage caused no incident. After passing the redundant Ark Royal, looking very neglected, and being passed by a frigate putting to sea I reached the Sound. The sky was still 'full of wind' and finally after the tide had taken me over the 'Bridge,' west of Drakes Island, it arrived, a fresh NW breeze. So with a mackerel line out it was a brisk beat into Cawsand Bay. I beached at 1215 hrs., cleaned the one fish, tidied up, and walked to Kingsand for lunch and some shopping. Low water was at 1300 hrs. and at 1345 I set off across the Sound towards the Shagstone with the line out again. The forecast mentioned force 4 occ. 5 from the west and by the time I approached the eastern shore it was getting quite stiff.

It was time to get back as this was the last day although it was tempting to carry on into Bigbury Bay and explore the rivers there. Sense prevailed and with four fish in the bucket I hardened the sheets and started to beat towards the Cattewater. This was completed in two long boards from Andurn Point to just west of the lighthouse along the outside of the breakwater, and from there into Sutton Harbour. It was an exciting sail made uncomfortable at one point by an R.A.F. launch which 'buzzed' me at high speed but we survived that piece of bad manners. I called at the Barbican to buy something for the children, and lost my Shoreline burgee in the depths when it got hooked on to a quayside ladder. (Now I'll have to buy a D.C.A. one!). By the time I had reached Laira Bridge, it was blowing hard again so I rowed through the bridges to Blagdon's yard. 'Baggywrinkle' was moored fore and aft on the foreshore for the last night after approximately 66 miles of sailing and rowing, in three and a half days with one day lost.

The next day saw everything packed up and on the trailer by 0900 hrs. The car would not start of course without a tow from a kind and nameless ship surveyor I met at the yard. Suddenly it was all over for another year.

For those interested in equipment it was pretty basic because it has been my first year with the boat and it was my first 'residential' cruise. The boat is a standard Tideway (12' x 4'10") - or as standard as possible after 21 years. Cover was arranged by a combination of boat cover forward of the centre thwart, and a heavy duty ground sheet slung tent fashion from the topped up boom over the after half. A mating of these covers was effected by wedging the tiller under the boat cover so it took on the shape of the forward end of the tent. The after end was left open. It was cosy and dry if a little cramped. A berth was arranged on the bottom boards to port by removing the buoyancy bag from under the thwart and using it as a pillow partially deflated. The bedding consisted of ground sheet, old ex. WD sleeping bag as mattress, and a sleeping bag on top. For a big guy like me the clearance under the thwart does not allow me to turn over without moving aft first, a minor problem. Otherwise it is very comfortable. Other equipment consisted of water carrier, plastic food boxes, stove, saucepan, and normal camping gear but kept to a minimum. After much thought I took three changes of clothing, two for use and one packed separately for emergencies, but fortunately not needed. Food consisted of dried meals only, supported by bread jam, fruit, tea, and pubs. This meant that only water was heated on the stove and I can recommend 'Pot Noodles'. Finally everything was double packed, plastic bags inside stronger fabric holdalls, which kept everything dry even with rain sluicing off the sail and sea climbing over the gunwale.

I trust the experts will bear with these ramblings of a beginner, and hope that other novices will find them encouraging.