Dave and Sue outside La Sablonnerie, Sark

Tuesday 4 May 2010

May Day Bank Holiday weekend and beyond

Friday 30th April

Took our final loads down to the boat and loaded them onboard after two trips out on the dinghy. On the second return trip I discovered that the propeller was not going round therefore no drive. This ws caused by a broken shear pin which fits behind the propeller to protect it should it hit something in the water. After rowing for a while and deciding the tide was stronger than I was I tied on to a friend’s moored boat and replaced the broken pin, not easy with no tools but achieved using just a key ring – result. No more rowing.

We decided to head off to Paignton for a night despite rain being forecast. What a good sail we had, almost keeping up with friends on a larger boat (Eonmor, a Legend 33 who left at the same time) despite putting a reef in the mainsail. A night in Paignton (a drying harbour) was very tranquil with the SW winds blowing above us. Fish and chips with our friends off Eonmor and two friends who joined us by road were delicious despite a mix up with orders at the fryer.

Saturday 1st May

We left Paignton at 10.00 as we were well afloat and headed across to Torquay harbour where we were due to meet some more sailing friends who were already there having abandoned a longer cruise due to bad weather forecasts. Four boats were there with two more arriving later. To make the most of the muscle power available I persuaded and cajoled some assistance to winch me up the mast to replace a blown anchor light bulb. I explained the new method I had thought out (convinced it would work) and up the mast I shot. Arriving at the top I opened up the light fitting to be met by a bulb nothing like the new one I had bought. As I fiddled with it to see how it fitted, on it came. A dirty connection was all that caused it to fail. I dropped a long line down to the deck and explained what I wanted in the bucket to pull up so I could do a proper repair. Five minutes later it was finished. Unfortunately in the meantime it had started to rain (and rain) so while those on deck sheltered or put on the jackets I was swaying at the top of the mast getting rather wet. Such is the life of a skipper. As soon as I had finished down the mast I shot to get changed and put all the lines back in their proper places.

Later that day 20 of us sat down to a meal at the Marina Restaurant, overlooking the Torquay inner harbour. A good time was had by all. After the meal several of us retired to another boat that had just been bought by its proud owner and sailed back from Falmouth. You have to toast these important occasions.

Sunday 2nd May

Sunday was a lazy day. Some friends departed, others went to Brixham to a used boat show, only to be disappointed at the lack of sailing boats there. We did a little shopping, a little boat maintenance and some reading. All quite relaxing. Evening came and we met friends again for a drink and a bite to eat.




Monday 3rd May.

All the boats that had friends on returned to their home ports. Shortly after the last one departed we had a phone call from our son asking where we were and whether we wanted some visitors. His partner was due to have a baby last Monday so we were concerned about the stress of travelling by rail but said yes, we’d like to see them and Jake, Tanya’s son. We met them from the station and after having a meal and a walk along the seafront the day had vanished and it was time for them to return to Plymouth to await the arrival of their daughter.

Tuesday 4th May

Tuesday was spent enduring travel by bus to pick up our car from our friends drive and parking it in our garage at home to leave it before returning to our boat in Torquay. It seemed to take most of the day. Tomorrow we hope to head on again to the River Dart and maybe visit ‘Greenaway’, Agatha Christie’s home overlooking the river. Now owned by the National Trust, it is one we have yet to visit.

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