Home / News / Yealm Rally Report from the 8th & 9th September 23

Yealm Rally Report from the 8th & 9th September 23

Published 09:43 on 20 Oct 2023

A rally is more than just a coming of boats together for a Saturday evening meal ashore and then dispersing with a hopeful race back to Salcombe. This years Yealm Rally was no exception.

On a reasonable Thursday weatherwise three boats (Lulworth, Mulberry & Starfire) managed to assemble on the upper pontoon on the Yealm. The harbourmaster had kindly put up notices on the pontoon that there was to be a rally on the pontoon starting on Friday. A good meal of shared provision was held on board Lulworth. As the wine flowed the decision was taken that the crews would go for a walk and possible swim (including Harry the dog) on the Friday.

Friday was a nice warm day. When contact was made with the Yealm Ferryman, who had come out of retirement due to there being no trained drivers available for the new electric ferry. The crews kitted in their walking gear were then picked up from the upper pontoon & dropped off on the Yealm, Wembury side ferry point. A pleasant walk downstream along the South West Coast footpath brought the seven thirsty walkers (6 people & 1 dog) down to the National Trust Café at Wembury. In the shade of an umbrella & the café, mainly cold drinks were consumed by all. Refreshed the walking party headed further west along the coast towards Wembury Point. Inspection of the beaches in this Marine Conservation Area did not inspire the potential swimmers including the dog, who only dipped his paws & lower torso in sea! The attraction of the Wembury beach golden sand drew the party back to the beach where two thirds of the party went swimming. There was virtually no wind but some robust waves.

Post swim we were drawn again to the cold drinks at the NT café where we sat at the same table & partook of a mixture of food from the café & food where we had added to its food miles. The walk back in sunshine was very pleasant but mixed with consternation when we found ourselves looking down at a fog bound Yealm Estuary. With nine more boats due during the day we were concerned as to their ease of passage. Fortunately after we had walked up past the bar, the fog started to lift revealing boats in transit & anchored. The party arrived back at the ferry landing before the Ferryman finished for the day & went home for his tea. During the day the pontoon cleared of non rally boats & gradually started to fill with rally boats. The berthing plan was made more complicated by the harbourmaster allowing two non rally boats to join the pontoon on Friday for two nights. This lead to some boats kindly temporarily reberthing. Thank you Jenny T. By Friday early evening eight of the nine boats had arrived and it was decided to hold an impromptu bring your own drink pontoon party with most of the nibbles provided by the Rally Master. This worked well & suitably fortified the crews dispersed to eating on board their or other boats or sampling the wares of the excellent hostelries ashore. Well mellowed those on the pontoon were drawn out into the dark moonless evening by the arrival of the twelfth boat. Our octogenarian lady skipper & all girl crew had successfully navigated Hasty Fish into and up the Yealm and was assisted in berthing in the dark of the night.

Saturday dawned with the threat of some rain which fortunately did not materialize. Saturday started a new experience for the Rally Master of Yoga on the pontoon ably lead by Karen from Tilly. This was repeated on Sunday morning. The Yoga was just the start of the days activities.

A group went off to Wembury for a walk and a swim whilst fifteen people gathered on the area near to the Harbourmasters Office to go for a walk north up along the wooded east bank of the Yealm to Shortafleet Creek, then inland and up the hill for the return journey. On the way back we met Crispin, Hannah and the girls from Ganesha walking the other way to meet up with us. This brought the total involved in the walk to nineteen. On the way back we had a good view of the boats on the Upper Pontoon. Jenny T is not in the photo as she had temporarily relocated to Cellar Bay for a swim. The warmth of the day led to the ladies from Lulworth, Syrinx & Tilly being ferried down to Cellar Bay by dinghy to swim from Jenny. By Saturday evening Ardea & JuJu brought us up to fifteen boats including Ganesha. Saturday evening the pre meal drinks were held outside the Yealm Yacht Club joined by the crew of Marela who were departing early Sunday morning for Mediterranean sailing. Brett and his team at the Yealm Yacht Club looked after us well with a marvellous meal.