South West

Welcome to the South West Section

Welcome to the CA’s South West Section which covers from Portland Bill to the Isles of Scilly and then along the north coasts of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset to Bristol. It is a stunning area offering unspoilt estuaries, rivers and creeks with tranquil anchorages and some challenging offshore passages.

With more than 400 miles of stunning and varied coastline it’s no surprise the south west is the destination of choice of so many CA members. The area is steeped in nautical history, myths and legends and whether you seek quiet, peaceful, scenic anchorages or are setting off on an epic ocean voyage the south west has it all.

Many members of the South West Section live locally but even more live elsewhere and keep their boats in the south west or cruise these popular waters.

SWNet

One of the strengths of the South West Section is the wealth of knowledge and experience residing with our members. You can be sure that whatever you are planning another member has been there and done it. This vast pool of reliable and accurate knowledge is available to everyone through the new SWNet – an online forum which puts SW members in touch with one another. "What’s the best tidal strategy for going to the Scillies?", "What’s the best protected anchorage in The Dart?", "Can anyone recommend a good, reliable engineer in Plymouth?" – whatever your request an entry on SWNet will bring virtually instant replies from fellow members.

Podcasts

A new innovation for 2018 is the introduction of podcasts, free audio guides to popular ports, harbours and anchorages. Download the podcasts and listen to them at leisure – at home, in the car or afloat without further need to be online. These podcasts give you an insider’s guide to the popular destinations – it’s like having a local on board talking you through visiting a port for the first time.

This podcast is the first of a growing library of podcasts covering ports, harbours and anchorages in the South West.

Please note that different browsers will display the audio controls for this podcast differently and some will not include the download button on the audio controls. An additional download facility is therefore provided - simply click on the CA podcast icon, to the right of the podcast, below. If your browser then prompts for what action to take, select 'Save File'. If you are using Safari on Mac, you will need to click CTRL + left click on the podcast icon, then select 'Download Linked File'.

Dartmouth and the River Dart	(30MB)
Interview with Mitch Tonks: award winning chef, restaurateur, food writer, keen sailor and CA member	(30MB)

These podcasts make a valuable contribution but they do not negate the use of charts or pilots.

Meetings and Events

With many of the South West Section’s members spread over such a wide geographic area it is challenging to arrange events and meetings but that does not stop us. A major rally is planned for Friday 8th June to Sunday 10th June at Plymouth Yacht Haven to mark the 50th anniversary of The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race which was won by CA Patron Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Sir Robin is expected to be guest of honour at the rally dinner on 9th June. Demand for this rally is expected to be high – please see Events on how to apply.