Dartmouth
14 May 2008 | Dartmouth
Phil
Today is Saturday-I think- and we are tied up to a deepwater floating pontoon in the middle of Dartmouth harbour.
Dartmouth is beautiful. It is approached from the sea through a narrow, quite precipitous but easy entrance with the ruins of an old Tudor castle dominating the western side. This is the mouth of the Dart River. As we entered the river it opened up to reveal the harbour and the town. The harbour is several kilometres long and four or five hundred metres wide, and on all sides quite steep hills run down to the water. An old stone quay built by the prisoners from the Napoleonic Wars runs the entire length of the western side, and seems to serve to stop the jumble of houses and shops that seem to pile on one another from tumbling into the water. The houses themselves are stunning... they date from a variety of periods, and their character has been carefully preserved. Many are painted in a variety of pastel shades and the result is a surprising contrast to the standard red brick and slate of the others. The harbour contains lines and lines of pontoons and moorings crowded with yachts and cruisers, and a vast red brick mock Italianate pile which houses the Britannia Royal Naval College looms over the lot. As I write this a huge white cruise ship has slid into the place, and is currently attaching itself to the mooring buoys. Dartmouth will be packed with tourists today.
Summer has arrived. The weather for the last few days has been stunning- warm and clear. The indigenes are behaving as advertised. As the sun gets more effective, to a man- or woman-they seek out a patch of grass, remove their clothing and lie prone in order to turn the exposed bits from white to pink. It is clearly an ancient and deeply ingrained behavioural trait-perhaps the vestige of some ancient and long forgotten Druid summer solstice ritual. Very odd. Every bit as odd as sailing in the snow!!!
We have been in Dartmouth since Thursday, and could stay here for a very long time indeed. It is very pleasant. We are waiting for our effects from Australia to arrive. Now they have been in the UK for over two weeks, but Customs here are excited about quarantine issues for another consignment which shares the container with us, and so all has been on hold whilst the agents fight a paper war. We have been assured that Customs are not excited about an assignment destined for some Australians living on a yacht, and we can only believe them. We have been promised delivery this week, and are keen to get our stuff.