Sail way out west into Mounts Bay

IDEAL VOYAGE

Tallulah is relatively new to charter, but her skipper and owner Debbie has explored Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by pilot cutter for over 23 years. If you sailed with Debbie on ‘Eve of St Mawes’ then you know she like to anchor off secret coves or small historic fishing villages, rather than the bright lights of tourist seaside towns.

Tallulah sails around the Lizard lighthouse on every trip to the Isles of Scilly but there is rarely time to sail deep into Mounts Bay and explore. This is a good opportunity to do just that. 

The Lizard Peninsula is made of a dark rock called serpentine. It makes great caves with dark black rock sculptured and polished by wave action and criss crossed with red veins. The hard cliffs on the west facing side resist the winter gales from the Atlantic and their remoteness is great for breeding birds like choughs, peregrine falcons and ravens.

The other side of Mounts Bay is protected by the large granite mass of West Penwith. Nestled in its shelter are the ports of Newlyn and Penzance and the unbelievably pretty port of Mousehole. A once every two years festival called Mousehole Sea Salt and Sail is being held here between 5th and 7th July 2023, so Tallulah will not be the only good looking boat on her way to the festival.

You may want to stay on in the area to soak up this great little festival, or stay on board Tallulah for the next voyage – which has an art and sketching theme, and course run by illustrator and art teacher Claudia Myatt.

 A great voyage for intermediate and experienced sailors but not beyond the sights of adventurous beginners wanting coastalsailing and remote anchorages.

VOYAGE HIGHLIGHTS

• sail around the Lizard with fast tides and great scenery
• ‘Out there’ anchorages with significant wildlife & seabirds
• explore Mounts Bay with iconic St Michaels Mount as a backdrop

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

Sail West to Mounts Bay

Tallulah is based in St Mawes Bay, so like the pilot cutters of old, she has easy access to the open sea. Your 40 mile sea journey to Newlyn begins with a sail down the Lizard Peninsula. The strong tides give us a helping hand towards our destination and also attract basking sharks, dolphins and pilot whales. We might sail to Helford River or Coverack on the first evening or somewhere different to enjoy the sunset.

From the Lizard Lighthouse Tallulah crosses Mounts Bay and you may loose sight of land, before the high granite cliffs of West Penwith come into view. Mounts Bay is not far from the Atlantic Ocean and it sometimes has an ocean feel to its seas. Gannets wheel overhead and pods of dolphins are common.

Prussia Cove, Mullion or St Michaels Mount

None of the tiny ports and settlements around Mounts Bay offer guarenteed shelter, but if the wind direction is right they are superb places to anchor off and explore ashore. As Tallulah is heading off to France in mid July she will not be bringing her wooden rowing punt but she does have a rubber tender with outboard and paddleboards. Mullion has some great sea caves to explore. Prussia Cove is great for sea swimming and St Micheals Mount is just great to enjoy as an evening backdrop at anchor.

Closer to Newlyn is Mousehole. If we arrive early we can anchor off St Clements Island and go ashore in Mousehole to see how the festival preparations are coming on. Lamorna Cove is great in settled weather. Penzance Wet Dock or Newlyn fish harbour are good shelter options if the weather is wilder.

Wild Swimming

Swimming from Tallulah in a beautiful anchorage is often a big part of the fun on our sailing activity holidays

The availability of Wild Swimming from Tallulah is at the skippers discretion. Supervision is provided from Tallulah and her dinghies. All our skippers are qualified with First Aid at Sea but not all are lifesaving guards.

Introduction to Tallulah

Tallulah is 59ft overall with her bowsprit and her designer and builder Luke Powell is still convinced her hull shape and lighter construction makes her the fastest pilot cutter he has built. We have yet to prove that pedigree as Tallulah has only been lightly used as a private yacht since her launch on 2008.

Having a longer waterline than our previous pilot cutter Eve means Tallulah will make faster passages to the islands, and with a lot more space below decks for the same number of guests (max 6 and 2 crew).

On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best sailing and shore landings for the forecast and most idyllic or sheltered anchors and ports. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights described below, but you have to go with mother nature, not fight her. The description below is based on what we think might be possible, based on past trips, or experience, but nothing is guaranteed on a sailing voyage. If it is too dangerous to be in the Isles of Scilly or we need to leave early, then the skipper will try and create a voyage similar in style to our Scilly Expeditions, but in more sheltered waters.

 

HANDS ON HOLIDAYS

Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, the professional crew will train you to be guest crew from the moment you arrive, with the intention that everybody works together to sail the ship. The common thread to all Classic Sailing holidays is ‘Hands on’ participation on ships that use ropes, blocks and tackles and ‘people power’ to set sail.

SAILING STYLE & LIFE ON BOARD

We cater for a wide range of ages and physical abilities, and how much you are expected to do varies a bit between vessels. See the vessel tab above which explains all about the ‘sailing style’ and what to expect in terms of hands on participation.  There is a lot of information about day to day life, the ships facilities and accommodation on the vessel pages.

AGILITY & FITNESS

Every customer sailing with us will need to fill in basic medical questions on their booking application.  If you are not sure if your current level of fitness and agility are up to a voyage, then please ring the Classic Sailing Office and we can chat through your concerns and possibly find options that might suit you better. 

What to pack for a sailing holiday on Tallulah

Included

• Sailing Instruction
• Safety Equipment (Life jackets and harnesses)
• All meals on board & refreshments throughout the day
• Bed linen, duvet, pillows
• Wooden rowing boat activities
• 2 x Stand Up Paddleboards & buoyancy jackets (on summer voyages)

What is not included

• Alcoholic beverages
• Towels
• Wellie boots
• Waterproof jackets & trousers 

What to Bring

Please limit yourself to one soft bag or rucksack as there is limited storage space on board. No suitcases please!

Tallulah does not have waterproof jacket and trousers yet, so please bring a properly waterproof jacket and trousers on all voyages.

Walking and cycling waterproofs are usually adequate and much lighter to pack, so there really is no need to buy a coastal sailing jacket (unless you really want an excuse to invest in your future sailing). If you need any advice, or lack of a jacket is preventing you participating, please ring us on 01326 53 1234

• warm, windproof jacket for days when you don't want to wear a waterproof jacket
• Hats for sun and cold weather.
• At least two sets of warm clothes - layers e.g. tracksuit bottoms, shirts, fleece jacket, wool jumpers, thick socks, and neck scarf. It can get cold at sea even in mid summer.
• Swim suit, towel, and suntan lotion.
• we have space if you want to bring a wetsuit for wild swimming or SUP adventures
• Flat shoes with a good grip e.g. trainers or sailing deck shoes.
• Sailing boots or wellies as the sea can come over deck if rough*.
• (An alternative to boots in summer is to bring another pair of flat shoes with a good grip in case the first pair get wet).
• All terrain type sandals are great for dinghy trips ashore – but you do need shoes which protect your toes for sailing.
• Scillies trips – Walking boots are useful and can be these can be worn on deck too
• A small rucksack is useful for going ashore
• Camera, binoculars, sketchbook, a relaxing read.
• Passport for European or Ireland Voyages, Reciprocal Free Health Care card in Europe.
• Please bring a passport on French trips
• Any medication, spare spectacles. Seasick tablets - check with your Doctor, which brand if you suffer asthma or are on medication.
• RYA Cruising Logbook or similar if you want to log your sailing experience e.g. sea miles, night hours
• Musical instruments are always welcome.

Alcohol

Tallulah does not always have wine bottles for sale on board so you are welcome to bring modest quantities of alcohol, (unless it is an alcohol free voyage) e.g. to drink with evening meals, but drinking whilst sailing is not allowed.

A Note on Covid 19

While Tallulah's guests do not need to prove Covid Vaccination status at this time, it is expected that if a guest feels unwell prior to joining the ship they should always use common sense and test when appropriate to decide whether they should join the voyage, for their own safety and the safety of others onboard. It is a requirement that guests on residential voyages take out appropriate Travel Insurance and care should be taken to ensure insurance includes cover for such a case. Likewise, should members of Tallulah's professional crew including the skipper feel unwell prior to a voyage, they will always use common sense & test when appropriate.

 

Photos and images of the striking 44ft pilot cutter Tallulah, offering charter voyages for individuals, couples and groups from 2022.  Based in St Mawes, Cornwall. No experience is necessary and a local skipper as your guide.