Meet the Crew
Boat: Moody DS41 (sailing yacht)
Home Port: Plymouth
Crew: My wife, our Son (if we can convince him), any friends that are keen and me (John, Gill CEO)
Cruising Area: Start Point – Fowey
Our boat is berthed in Plymouth which puts us are right in the centre of some great sailing water.
Due to work, life and family commitments we are mostly restricted to weekend sailing currently, which is ok as we have lots of day sailing options locally as well as some slightly longer 2-night trips.
We can do a quick afternoon in Plymouth sound or stretch our legs and drop the hook in some extremely picturesque anchorages that are either miles from civilization or a short tender ride to the pub!
If you are heading to South Devon this summer, here are a few of my favourite spots.
Cawsand/Kingsand
A short 30 min sail from our berth is this idyllic anchorage. It’s in Cornwall so you can claim to have sailed over the border where the jam goes on first before the cream (which I would agree with, despite living in Devon!). We’ve always headed to Cawsand, regardless of the boats we’ve owned as it has space for everything from our Wanderer Dinghy, Our Cape Cutter trailer sailor, our Westerly Griffon, our Merry Fisher and now our current Moody, with its deeper keel.
-Cawsand
It’s fully protected from SW-N winds (clockwise)and is a great spot to sit out the weather if you are on a longer passage, but equally good if there’s a fresh to strong SW wind and you don’t want to get out amongst that. It’s great for paddle boarding and snorkeling and there are a few good restaurants and pubs to choose from. The Devonport is our favorite, but it needs booking well in advance. The anchorage gets busy, but if you can anchor in slightly deeper water or further around the bay, there is always a spot for you.
-Cawsand anchorage
The River Yealm
About 1 hour from our home berth is the beautiful River Yealm. While the river itself is fairly tight (if you are over 36’), with only a few visitor moorings, the bay just at the entrance (Cellars Bay) has plenty of space and good holding. You can still dinghy into Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo for shops and pubs (best to use the tide to get in and out as it flows quickly through there).
-River Yealm Sunset
On a sunny weekend there is quite the scene in Cellars Bay.
Protected in Southerly winds, anticlockwise to Northerlies. We use it for a day sail if the wind is wrong for Cawsand.
-Cellars Bay
The Erme River Mouth
A sandy bottom estuary that dries to a trickle at low tide – there are some anchoring restrictions around here so check your charts (nature reserve and some rocks, not to mention the drying estuary) but you can find some great little spots in the bay. It’s generally quiet and peaceful here. The water is crystal clear – you can feel like you are in the Med at times.
It’s protected in NNW clockwise round to E winds. The swell can get into here though, so avoid in SW swell of more than 0.5ft. In NE winds though it does tend to be flat.
There are no facilities locally, so you need to come prepared for your time there.
-Heading home from the Erme
Thurlestone and Hope Cove
This one feels like sailing home, as we live locally, but it is one of my favorite spots. It only really works in NE – S (clockwise) and with no SW swell in the forecast, but when the conditions line up it is fantastic.
-Hope Cove
You can anchor off Leasfoot beach – you need to pay close attention to the chart as there are some reefs to watch out for, but you are rewarded with a great spot to drop the hook. There’s only room for one or two boats in here (more if smaller than 20’). Ashore you can grab a coffee and ice cream from the little trailer up on the footpath or take a walk up the hill into the village where you will find a pub, post office and shop. It’s really only a day anchorage unless it is extremely settled.
-Leafsfoot Beach
Directly south across the bay is Hope Cove. A lot more space over there and a great overnight spot in settled weather. 2 pubs and a shop are waiting for you ashore. In a decent breeze it’s about a 3hour sail from Plymouth.
- Hope Cove Sunset
Those are my favorite weekend retreats. If we can get away earlier on a Friday then we sometimes head down to Fowey and the surrounding anchorages of Lantic Bay and some spots around Mevagissey.
