LYME REGIS to TORQUAY 50:27.6N 3:32.5W
Callidus Harwich and Beyond
Richard Wells
Thu 19 Jun 2008 15:46
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Hello Callidus Followers!
Thank you for your patience waiting for our latest
update. Battery problems have been explained earlier...
Yachty stuff: Last night's gale had eased
off by morning, leaving a good swell but a calm sea in the F3 wind from the W.
We left Victoria Quay, scene of near-disaster in the night (see below) at about
8.30. We tacked out under staysail and motor to gain an offing in deep water a
couple of miles offshore to begin the long upwind haul acroos to Torbay, setting
the main and then the No.1 genoa to make best speed. Handling was made
interesting by the cross swell. the wind gradually backing into the SW, often
quite strong at F5. Sky overcast. We tacked into Straight Point hoping to find a
lee and thence intowards Teignmouth. The Ore Stone came in view and we tracked
in on the transit with Berry Head, finally rounding between the Ore
and Lead stones in to the bay with thatcher rock and the East Shag on
our starboard side.
Location stuff: We sadly left Lyme's
warm welcome behind and slowly crept out to sea with Golden Cap and the Jurassic
Coast astern of us. We headed into the wreck Napoli lay off Sidmouth - we
learned from the VHF that the Secretary of State would personally come out
and smack our wrists if we so much as got closer than several football pitches -
we thought about closing stable doors... Recovery activity (divers chopping it
up by now) was in progress. The red Devon cliffs emerged from the
Jurassic limestones as we made our way further into the geological past.
Gannets were in evidence so i heaved the feathers over. At 4 knots this was
a slight hope as the feathers could be seen merrily skipping across the waves a
few hundred feet behind us! Anyway the others messed up a tack, the speed
dropped off and a mackerel, no doubt exhausted by all this playful chasing,
finally caught up with them and was hooked! A first for Callidus! Time
and tide waited for no man on this ship as usual and no more were allowed to be
caught. Shame really as this little 'Joey' made me a nice supper whilst the
others went off up the town looking for a moderate meal in Torquay.
Torquay itself looks very attractive on the
seafront - I spied a smart new aviary nearby and pleasant cafes and shops around
the quays. The Marina itself is also smart and attended by rather harassed
assistants who seem over-managed and could hardly drag themselves away
from pontoon checks to open the office. their wi-fi was inaccessible to, which
they denied until they also tried it! The night watchman was very pleasant and
helpful however and located the phone number of Hertz in Torquay on the office
network....but it was Geelong Rd which he didn't recognise. Turned out to
be Vic, Australia!
Near Disaster!: Boat fell over in the
night, held only by the mooring ropes from going the full 45 derees. It stopped
at 15 and scared the life out of us. So much for my reassurance to the Lyme
fishermean when parked behind him! I told him 'Skipper's an E coast man - he's
dried out on a single keel dozens of times!' Extra hawsers round the
mast to shore helped keep her up and we slept 15 degrees to port for a couple of
hours until the rising tide from 01300 floated us off.
Folksy Stuff: Peter did a lot of
'Permping' as he called it. Dick was shattered by the uncomfortable night spent
hanging over at 15 degs which had given him a serious rick in the neck such that
his right arm was nearly useless and paracetemol & codeine were called for.
Pete couldn't decide whether or not to stay on for Dartmouth tomorrow.
Bernie did decide as the sailing would be good. Dick started packing as the
others went up into the town and was embarassed by the amount which could not
now be hidden! The lack of a Marina network prevented blogging which is why
this is being done at Dick's desktop on Saturday afternoon. Transferring the
system to Richard's laptop was abandoned as an impossible task in the circs and
the satellite phone needs cosmetic repairs and might be sent out with Jana to
meet the boat in Lisbon. Skipper fierce at sea, happy in port.
Pickies tomorrow!
Dick
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