What was supposed to be a wet day has turned into a beautiful day. We left Salcombe mid morning and motored sailed to the lighthouse at Start Point, then took advantage of the wind and sailed the rest of the journey to the castle at Dartmouth before heading up river to Dittisham arriving around lunchtime.

We had literally bitten into our long awaited sandwiches, enjoying the piece and quite which was disturbed by the boom creaking. Bruce pulled the mainsheet to stop the boom creaking which disturbed the wooden boat hook which in slow motion rolled off the aft cabin roof and deck and, just like a torpedo dived overboard.

So yet again, we put into practice our 'man overboard' techniques ... Bruce shouted 'it's gone under the boat' and that it may 'pop out between the bows' so I promptly hung myself over the bows keeping an eye out in the hope I could reach and grab it, without falling in myself. I could see nothing floating so whilst Bruce went to lower the dinghy, I went to fetch the oars (during this time the boat hook had resurfaced and just outside arms reach bobbing away from us). Suddenly I remembered that we have a second, spare boat hook that's extendable...it was a long shot as I didn't know if it was going to reach it, but it did - I managed to hook the boat hook with our spare boat hook - hurray and panic over!

We resumed munching our sandwiches and wonder what else can possibly fall overboard in the future.

Staying overnight before returning possibly tomorrow to our berth (just as long as it's available as we originally planned to be away until the end of September).