Devonport Times

26th July 2025

Launched Torpoint – 13.00

LW – 14.01 – 0.9m

Arrived Gunnislake – 19.00 – 6 Hours

HW – 19.59 – 5.5m

27th – July

LW – 02.25 – 0.7m

Depart Gunnislake – 07.30

HW – 08.32 – 5.2m

Arrived Torpoint – 12.30 – 5 Hours

HW – 14.41 – 0.8m

I have lived in Torpoint for a year less two weeks having moved to the banks of the Tamar purely for the Dinghy Cruising. This move had involved years of research and studying charts dreaming of the delights of the upper reaches of the Tamar. This weekend the I experienced the reality. 

I have made it as far as Calstock twice but this weekend the tides were right attempt getting to Ginnislake. Here there is a weir and the tidal Tamar ends. The Tamar itself carries on and almost reaches the North coast, Cornwall is nearly an island. 

I launched at 13.00, an hour of ebb to fight against but that would then give me a good 6 hours of magic carpet riding up from Saltash. The wind fresh and blowing right down the river, I set off under reefed main and jib.  

To the plan, I was at the narrowing of Tamar at Saltash at 14.00, low water (Devonport). Aware there there is a lag up river I kept close inshore tacking up the Devon side. Progress was slow with the tall banks the wind fickle, occasionally taking to the oars. Once under the bridges the moorings end and I could close tack up the muddy shore. This strategy was thwarted as the Navy have a jetty going into the deep water and so I was forced to tack out into the main channel. The shore on the Cornish side was clear of obstructions so I headed over to that side. North of Saltash there a mile and a half of broad open water and white horses were building. The wind had come around a little and Vivant had the bit between her teeth even with the jib dropped. The sky had hints of blue but littered with cumulus clouds and the associated chaotic wind. The tide was now running strongly in my favour which and concentration was required as I sped through the moored yachts at Cargreen and Weir Quay. Final free of moorings I wasn’t able to relax, vicious  gusts had the jib up and down frequently and when up it could never be cleated. The Tamar is now very pretty with plenty of interest, Halton Quay, Cotehele and through Casltock off wind at over six knots, crazy tides.

The River changed again narrowing and with steep tree lined banks. Along the bank are the remnants of the rivers industrial past were evident with occasional chimney shooting out of the forest.

I was now finally able to shake out the reef as I weaved up the meandering river funnelled the wind ….. on the nose. The oars were on standby and used frequently. Tacking was interesting as we drifted twenty foot during the tack risking hitting trees or broken branches in the water. The Devon bank was now seriously steep, raising to a neck straining hundred meters with occasional shear rocky cliff. My jaw dropped as the iconic Chimney Rock hove too, I was no longer in the South West but on the Missouri of the cowboy films of my childhood.

Getting tired I final recognised my surroundings from a riverbank scouting trip. The banks have the occasional no landing signs so as I approached the exquisitely renovated Lock Keepers cottage I was pleased to be greeted with cheery waves and smiles.

I anchored and dropped the sails then rowed up the weir, the end of the navigable Tamar. Above the weir is controlled by fishing and sadly I won’t see any more even by canoe.

I retraced my steps and found a wide-ish part of the river to spend the night. I put two anchors out at angles to keep me mid river. The depth was checked and I was mid stream in deep water. 

It’s now 19.30 time for pre-prepared veggie sausages and potato salad, a little reading and soaking in the views and memories of an amazing trip. Sorting out the sleeping arrangements and putting up the anchor light soon had the clock passing 22.00 and my sleeping bag called me. I woke every few hours to check everything, anchoring in a new place during spring tides wasn’t relaxing. I didn’t dry out or drag in fact in the morning I could see the anchor lying lazily on the river bed, the chain had never been taught. 

A quick coffee and some cereal as I again marvelled in the views of a Tamar unknown to most of its visitors. There was no wind and what flood there was was light so I started rowing back down the river. There was no phone signal for a forecast update, I didn’t know if I would get wind and had to get back before the next flood. 

Slowly the tide changed, the mirrored surface of the dark water giving pretty reflections. Rowing gave me more time to soak in magnificent views and a mile from Calstock I came accros a man sitting in a rowing boat doing just the same, coffee in hand. I held station and we chatted  philosophically of time on the river and tides, a man like me best suited to solitude in natural surroundings. 

At 09.20 I tied up at the pontoon at Calstock and hunted for a second coffee.

I stood outside the cafe for ten minutes before noticing the sign saying they were shut this weekend. Down at the  river the Gelato was opening up, would they do me a coffee? fortified with my brew I rowed on.

The ebb was building and the rowing was easy, half a mile south of Cotehele and optimist would even say there was zephyr of wind. I have raised sail too early before and Navionics was giving an eta between two hours and thirty minutes. Rowing on and a shorter long haul up the slip was appealing, especially as there is a massive bow in the river ahead. Five minutes latter we are sailing the banks funnelling the wind so we were  always off wind despite traveling south then north. 

Approaching Cargreen there is a Gaffer ahead, two boats on the water and my dinghy racing brain takes over. Goose winged to get every tenth of a knot I can,  well before Saltash we leave the Shrimper 28 in our wake. Past the entrance to Lynher the wind always builds but today it doesn’t and lazily we drift past the dockyard stepping ashore twenty four hours after our departure

So with the Tamer ticked off just the Lynher, Tiddy and Tavy to go what a magical sailing area