050:21.23 N

003:34.24 W

Thanks for following our blog and for kind feedback, we are enjoying sharing the trip thus far.

So we slipped our lines as planned around 2230 last night and headed out into the dark night, the moon had just set so we had a beautiful starry night overhead.

Our plan to catch the last of the west going flood helped us get around the western end of both the Shambles Bank and Portland Race, both invisible in the darkness. It took over an hour and a half of slightly anxious motor-sailing to ensure we hadn’t messed up the tides to get swept into the rough water, but all was well. Once south of Portland Bill, with the lighthouse looming brightly and confidently over the waves at us, we set our course 260 towards Dartmouth and began our watch system.

Thursday’s Child is a very comfortable boat and I felt so lucky and grateful to Harry and Bunty for choosing her almost 40 years ago. Bol has maintained her meticulously and recently invested in several navigation systems, it was of great comfort to see all working and agreeing with each other last night; the overall chart we’d used in the afternoon soon had little dots across Lyme Bay on it. We had a clear route ahead with a little fishing activity visible and were inside of any shipping lanes, so it was solely a question of keeping alert and trying to stay awake.

Entering Dartmouth is always exciting, there is nothing visible until you are almost right outside, then the hidden gem opens up as the ancient and historical port comes into view. We are moored on a visitor pontoon in the middle of the river so pumped up our dinghy and puttered ashore. Coincidentally Godmother Sue was in town so rather wonderfully we managed to meet up and have a chat and an ice cream, what fun.

Great walk to the entrance to see Dartmouth Castle, Harry clicked away with his camera and we hope to share some of his finds in due course. Fun to see and hear the old steam train puffing back and forth alongside the River Dart, great sight and sound.

Back to checking the weather forecast …. we asked for easterly winds and we are getting them in spades ….. 30-40 knots due on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday…..