Favourite cruising spots - Rod Carr 

Rod Carr may recently have ended his watch at the helm of the RYA, but this certainly doesn't mean he will be doing less cruising- quite the reverse: Rod will be using his spare time to explore some far flung destinations in his 38ft catamaran. Before he heads off into the sunset, he took the time to tell us about a few of his favourite cruising corners

He's in a good position to talk you through aswell; having worked for many years as a Yachtmaster Instructor, there aren't too many corners of our coastline that he hasn't explored. An admirer of the Hiscock's cruising adventures, he took a cruising sabbatical in the 80's and 90's to concentrate on racing, before seeing the error of his ways and returning to a more leisurely way of life.

He explained: "I love sailing, so cruising naturally appeals to me. I enjoy the peace and solitude that cruising affords you, particularly when you have a shallow draft boat.

"I've never been that keen on marinas, so I tend to hunt out some of the more obscure anchorages. I'm by no means a reckless sailor, but I do enjoy a bit of a challenge, provided  that there is a peaceful, tranquil berth at the end of it with no-one there bothering me about the price of red diesel!"

Top five cruising grounds

"I tried to pick a top five that included some which would be accessible to deeper draft boats, but kept a couple that are much more accessible to lifting keel boats and, of course, cats" Rod added.  

Shipstal Point anchorage- Poole Harbour- Dorset

This is a lovely haven located in the Upper Wych Channel between Shipstal Point and Long Island. This is a restful anchorage that enjoys shelter from the land and also surrounding mudflats. Although the approach is shallow, once in, there is plenty of water in the pool for a fairly deep keeled vessel.

"This is just an incredibly restful spot" Rod explains: "You have a nature reserve nearby and the only civilisation is the small hamlet of Arne, which is a pleasant stroll through the woods.

"The place is thriving with wildlife, and I well remember seeing a deer come down to the water's edge. To get that level of peace on this stretch of the coastline is special."

River Avon- Bigbury Bay- Devon

This one is for cats, centreboarders and bilge keelers only, as the moorings dry out completely. Located to the west of Salcombe up the Avon River, It's not for the faint hearted and should only be attempted in calm weather with offshore breezes.

Heading in from the west to carry the flood tide, you will probably have to anchor in the lee of Burgh Island, with its legendary art deco hotel, to await high water.

Once in the river, head towards Bantham Sailing Club and drop the hook on beautiful clean sand. From there you can explore the river by dinghy or enjoy the pubs of Bantham.

"This is one of the hidden jewels of the West Country" Rod enthused: "A beautiful natural harbour, a quaint village and a stunning location with nobody around. What more could you ask for? Just be very careful on your approach, because it is tricky."

Rye Harbour- East Sussex

Another of Rod's favourites- and the only urban one- is the beautiful medieval port of Rye. Located two miles up the River Rother, Rye was originally on the coast, but violent storms in the 13th century cut the port off from the sea.

Approaches to the port are straightforward and once the fairway buoy is picked up, you simply proceed up the channel, stopping to report to the harbourmaster at his office halfway up the river.

Once you have been allocated a berth, you proceed to the Strand Quay in the centre of town and dry out in the thick mud.

Rod explains the appeal of Rye: "It's just a nice peaceful town. The architecture is magnificent and there is an excellent range of pubs. I love the fact that the Strand Quay is right in the heart of the town.

"Rye is also a convenient and different stopoff point for boats heading between the traditional cruising grounds on the East and South coasts."

Brittany- Havre de Rotheneuf  

Lying about five nautical miles to the North of St Malo, Havre de Rotheneuf is another of Rod's favourites and is Rod's favourite alternative to the hurly burly of St Malo.

You need to be able to dry out if you want to use this one and the rewards will be great: level hard sands, a sheltered anchorage and completely unspoilt scenery.

 

Drying out at Rotheneuf

 

"This is a great alternative to St Malo but it is still only a bus ride away" Rod explained: "I think when we visited, there were three other boats in the harbour. from my point of view, that's ideal.

"The entrance is unlit and would be challenging to the novice, but you also have huge tides in the area, so that makes it easier and if you are feeling a little bit adventurous, this may well be the place for you."

Brittany- Ploumanach

Heading Southeast from St Malo, you come to Rod's final choice and the stunnig approach through a moonscape of granite is a compelling enough reason to include this quaint Breton fishing village.

 

The approach is actually relatively simple although a night time entrance is not recommended unless you know it well. Once in the sheltered harbour, there is plenty of depth on the fore and aft moorings, although timing the tides is everything on the shallow, drying approach.

 

 

Ploumanach idyll

 

"What really sets this place apart is the stunning rock formations" Rod said: "Beyond that you have a pretty typical quaint fishing village with enough local amenities to enjoy a meal and a beer overlooking your boat. In addition to this, there are some lovely headland walks."

With that, we left Rod to head off into the wild blue yonder and enjoy his retirement after a decade at the helm. He plans to expand his horizons with the North West Highlands and the Baltic high on his list of new cruising grounds. We wish him bon voyage.