With 12 miles to go to Wolfe Rock and Bonny ambling along at 3 knots, Bast and Joe got their heads down for a couple of hours from 2315. However, by the time I took over at 0115 we had almost reached Wolf Rock!
A further spell of lighter winds took over for a couple of hours but by the time we were half way across the Traffic Seperation Scheme, we were making 5+ knots.
It was at this point that I noticed a red light on the Port bow. My binoculars revealed that there were in fact, two, one above the other. I suspected this was of some importance, but being only a part time sailor with a bad memory, I had to refer to
my on-board crib cards to remind me of the actual reason. These were the lights displayed by vessels "not under command". Which reminds me, I must get a set permanently installed on Bonny!
"Not under command" seems to cover any circumstance in which the vessel cannot be controlled - including mechanical failure and I guess the absence of someone competent to command her!
I kept the lights under observation for some time and as far as I could judge (guess) they were a couple of miles off and just south of the traffic seperation scheme. As far as I could tell, the vessel wasn't transmitting on AIS. Being, so close to the busy Traffic Seperation Scheme it occurred to me that "there may be trouble ahead" and so being a good citizen I called up the coastguard and reported my 'find'. After a lengthy pause they merely asked me what my intentions were. I told them I was going to Scilly and they simply replied "Falmouth Coastguard out". I must say I thought my public spirited action deserved rather more than that!
The lights seemed to receed on the same bearing over the next couple of hours until daylight obscured them.
Once anchored in Porth Cressa...
it occurred to me that perhaps there was some other explanation for the lights - such as a well known navigational mark or Airport tower and that's why I got such short thrift from the coastguard. I can just imagine them cracking up privately - "what a plonker he thought 'it' was a ship not under command". Bishop's Rock was a prime candidate - a bloody great tower sticking out of the sea on roughly the same bearing ...
but unless they've changed the light since my charts were updated a couple of years ago it wasn't that. Perhaps the Airport on St Mary's? Well, the chart does show a tower with a red light but not two! So, I'm really non the wiser. If anyone has any suggestions do let me know.
Anyway we continued on our way downwind towards St Mary's and after a pleasant trouble-free passage under sail, dropped anchor in the crowded anchorage at Porth Cressa on St Mary's at around 0915.
After a hearty breakfast cooked by Joe
followed by a kip we launched the dinghy and went ashore around 3pm for a swim off the beach....
and then explored Hugh Town including a pint at The Atlantic....
It's one of two pubs in Hugh Town, the other being The Mermaid.
Then a walk around the nearby numerous beaches in search of eating places. "Shock-horror" however, it turned out there is a severe shortage of chefs in Scilly hence two promising eateries turned us away. So after admiring some local history....
it was back to town in the hope that we could get food at the Atlantic. We were in luck - a last minute cancellation delivered us a table. Bast and I had Lemon Sole and Joe had Fish and Chips. All very good.
Our first impressions of the Isles of Scilly based on just one corner of St Mary's, were most positive. Little did we know this was just a taster for the main courses yet to be served!
Tomorrow, Monday, we head over to "The Cove" - St Agnes/Gugh - two islands in the "English Caribbean" joined by a beach after high water.
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