The river is only about 5 miles long, running in an easterly direction from Gweek to the sea between Dennis and Rosemullion Heads. Sail round Rosemullion Head north-easterly for 3 miles along the Cornish coast and there is the entrance to the Fal Estuary.

The river is tidal — 19 foot rise at springs — and the banks are sand and gravel. There are no rock hazards. The shoreline is densely wooded with the occasional open area where sit the few villages that border the river.

The upper reaches of the Helford and the creeks become impassable about 2 hours either side of low water — an ideal time for bird watching ashore. There are egrets resident on the river. Curlews are plentiful together with common sandpipers. No redshanks were seen in mid-May. Buzzards abound and there is a heronry in the woodland on the east shore quarter of a mile before reaching Polpenwith Creek.

Winds tend to blow up and down the river but with a width only widening to half a mile at Durgan about one mile from the sea, direction and strength vary rapidly particularly in the creeks.

LAUNCHING SITES

Durgan

A small hamlet on the north shore owned by the National Trust. A steep narrow road leads to a small gravely beach that will be fully covered at spring high waters. There is likely to be a small charge payable for launching but permission from the National Trust is needed to keep a dinghy here and a charge will be made. Cars cannot be left in the village and are parked half a mile up the hill. Contact:- NT Properties Booking Department, Lanhydrock, Bodmin, Cornwall tel 01208 73880 Properties for rent available at Durgan and at top of hill at Bosloe. Free launching and beach storage for occupants of cottage. There is a small beach — Grebe Beach — just around the seaward corner from Durgan that is suitable for landing on. No accurate information is available about leaving a dinghy there. Unlikely to be a safe venue at high water.

J & E Badger (Store Hire Boats) Durgan tel 01326 250675 have a Wayfarer, Laser and Mirror for hire.

There is no Yacht Yard as marked on the Imray chart Y57.

Helford Passage

The best known launching and beach storage site. A gravel beach about 100 yards wide in front of the Ferry Boat Inn. Possible to launch and retrieve 3 hours either side of high water. The ferry going across to Helford does not run for 1 hour either side of low water springs.

Charge made for launching and storage. Apply to Cove Boats 01326 25016.

Steep narrow road to the Passage. Car park up the hill.

The inn offers food, drink and accommodation. Very busy during the summer season.

Other accommodation. Apply Helford River Properties. H Gaunt 01326 250278.

About 600 yards upriver is a private beach with a notice stating that permission is required to leave a dinghy there. No road access. I surmise that the beach is used for dinghies belonging to yachts moored out on the river.

Porth Navas

A small village at the head of the creek running northerly about half a mile upriver from Helford Passage. Dries out almost completely at low water. There is a public launching slipway at head of creek — no charge.

The Porth Navas Yacht Club 01326 40419, Constantine, Falmouth TR11 5RJ has its own slip, moorings which dry out on the mud at low tide, and quay with berths. Casual launching not permitted but launching in association with mooring and berthing available — fees on application. Accommodation available.

Calamansack

Steep launching slipway seen. Available to people staying in nearby rented cottages. Condition unknown.

Scott’s Quay

A small private quay lying ¾ of a mile up the northern branch of the river which commences about ¾ of a mile upriver of Porth Navas creek. The quay is at the head of a peninsula bounded by the Polpenwith and Polwheveral Creeks.

Charles Pugh, Goongilings Cottages, Constantine, Falmouth, Cornwall tel 01326 340693/340289, farms this land. He is a keen yachtsman and has three properties — the Farm House, the Barn and the Flower House — to let situated about ¾ of a mile from the quay. If one rents a property, then Charles will be pleased to tow the dinghy slowly and with care down the track, across a field to the quay and help with launching onto a sand/gravel beach. He will advise on beaching or mooring and will retrieve the dinghy at the end of your stay. He does not charge for this friendly service. We stayed at the Flower House and hope to go again soon.

Sailing from Scott’s Quay to the river was never easy. Wind too light, too strong, gusting or failing at critical moments; typical narrow, wooded river sailing. Charles uses his engine to negotiate this stretch in his bilge keeled Kingfisher 24, moored fore and aft in the channel which is a trickle at low tide.

At the head of the river down another steep hill lies a small village with a large boatyard offering full facilities for storage of large yachts and yet very happy to help the sailing dinghy owner. Possible to launch, moor and retrieve on a trolley — with a good pull up if tide is not high — and leave in the yard. Prices on application to: Gweek Quay Boatyard, Gweek Quay, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6YF tel 01326 221657.

CHART: Imray Y57 Helford River with Falmouth approaches Imray Laurie, Norie & Wilson, Wych House, The Broadway, St Ives, Huntingdon PE17 4BT

MAPS: OS Landranger 1:50,000 204 OS 1:25,000 Parts of SW72 & SW82 Pathfinder