Dartmouth

The weather forecast was not good so we decided to move on to Dartmouth where we knew we should be able to get a marina mooring. If it is going to rain then it is better to have electricity and be able to get off the boat without a very wet ride in the tender.
There is always plenty to do in Dartmouth and once the rain stopped then the light was wonderful and I was able to take some great photographs of the view from the boat. We actually moored in Kingswear which is on the other side of the river to Dartmouth. This has advantages because it means that you can look at Dartmouth in the sun in the morning and then enjoy the sun shining on Kingswear in the afternoon.

Salcombe

After a couple of days in Newton Ferrers we decided to progress eastwards to Salcombe. It is only about 20 miles away so we waited until the tide was heading in that direction and for sufficient water to be over the bar at Salcombe to make entrance easy even if there were some waves at the entrance. We followed a fishing boat in and admired the splendid view of the hillside as we made our way into the harbour. Unfortunately, as usual, all of the mooring buoys (there are no marinas) were occupied and we were directed to one of the larger ones in the middle of the bay. This was already occupied by a Broom 42 which sadly decided to run their generator for several hours that evening.
Mooring against other boats is always a bit of an adventure. We have sometimes made new friends but only very occasionally have we had any problems. To be fair, they did switch their generator off when we complained.

Newton Ferrers

We have finally decided to leave Mayflower Marina and Plymouth for pastures new. Our first port of call was Newton Ferrers, which is one of our favourite spots on the whole of the Devon and Cornwall coast. We have been stranded there for days by bad weather and that was not a problem.
If the tide is in, it is possible to take your tender right up to the village and moor at the yacht club or public slip way. However, if you want to spend any time there, it is best to moor your tender at the jetty at Yealm Steps and enjoy the creek side walk down the lower path and admire the pastel painted Devon cottages with their gardens down to the water. There are a few local shops including a Co-op, Chemist and post office. But, if like me, you have a thirst after your walk then The Dolphin Inn is difficult to beat. Recently listed, by a well known yachting magazine, as one of the 40 best sailors’ pubs in the country, it is well worth a visit. There is a good choice of local beers and an impressive restaurant menu with fresh local food listed on the chalk board inside.

The Barbican

Near the three local marinas is the Mayflower Steps monument commemorating the departure of the Pilgrims for America in 1620. It is believed that they actually departed from a pier, incorporated into the West Pier, which was built in the 18th century. Nearby is the Tourist Information office and here you will find sufficient information to keep you busy for days. One particularly interesting leaflet lists 20 historic sites within walking distance. These include the Elizabethan House which is said to be one of the first speculatively-built houses in Plymouth. It was erected by John Sparke, the first Englishman to describe tobacco and potatoes. Nearby you will find the Dolphin Hotel which is where the Tolpuddle Martyrs spent their first nights, back in England, on returning from exile in Australia in 1838. The story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs is perhaps the best known case in the early history of the Trade Unions.

Today I also managed to finally fix the electricity supply to the instruments on the boat. It was finally traced to a small 20p fuse hidden behind the instruments in the roof lining!

Now heading back to Nottingham for a couple of weeks.

The Royal Citadel

There are many fortresses and defensive towers around Plymouth Sound. However, the one that I would suggest that you visit is The Royal Citadel. It is only open to the public on Tuesday afternoons, at 14:30, and it is then possible to go on a guided tour of this magnificent structure. It is in a very prominent position overlooking the harbour and was completed in 1670. Since that time it has been in continuous military use and, from 1897, it has been garrisoned by the Royal Artillery. If you are at all interested in canons then they have a fantastic selection for you to admire. It is interesting to note that the mere presence of this imposing fortress meant that, until 1939, not a single shot had been fired in anger from its massive ramparts. From the walls it is possible to get a marvellous view of the harbour including the Mount Batten peninsula opposite. For most of the last century Mount Batten was an R.A.F. seaplane base. Lawrence of Arabia was stationed there during the 1930s.

Up at Dawn

I frequently read photographic magazines and they talk about the wonderful light at dawn. Unfortunately, my body clock was not very happy when I get up at 5:00 am to try this idea out for myself. Anyway, I managed to get up on the Hoe very early. There were still some people around who had obviously not gone to bed on Saturday evening and were still up and around making a noise. I took several photographs on the Hoe and then some more down near the Barbican. I hope that you like the results.

Back in Plymouth

Returned to Plymouth last night and decided to go for a walk locally this afternoon. Not very much to see but we did manage to find a lovely little harbour and slipway. It looked as though it had not changed for centuries and probably hadn't – although the boats had. It was great to see people messing about in boats in the sunshine after such a lot of rain lately.