2 – Richmond Dry Dock
From my grandfather, via my mother, we had inherited a box of flood-affected old photographs of sailing vessels, including a large number of my grandfather’s trading ketch Ceres. Among these were several of Ceres in dry dock.
Devon
A visit to Appledore
1- The Maritime Museum
Over the years I have mentioned the trading ketch, Ceres, which belonged in turn to my great-great-grandfather, my great-grandfather and finally my grandfather. I promised myself that, when I finished the day-job and had more time, I would further explore her history.
Last week, I visited Appledore in North Devon – three reasons: to visit the small and excellent Maritime Museum , to find Richmond Dry-dock – (in the photograph of Ceres below), and to look at Bideford Bar across the entrance to the Taw/Torridge estuary.
When I arrived, a gale was blowing and there was rain in the air.
Three images of a dockyard
Passing Cattewater Wharves, the tide hurrying me on . . .
A morning at the races
We spent yesterday morning at the City of Exeter Regatta, a triumph of organisation and lycra.
A day-sail – 6 hours
I foolishly left the camera my smaller Lumix camera in Farnham at the weekend, so yesterday I took the heavier Nikon 3200 SLR instead. The problem is where to put it down in a hurry when I need to attend to the boat. It sits in one of the canvas line bags at a stretch otherwise in a bag hung just inside the companionway.
There were a number of people enjoying the water. It was one of those days when the wind was steady (F3), the sun shone, the sailing, as they say, was easy. I left the mooring about 1100 and was back at 1700. No pressure.
A cycle ride in North Devon – but no ‘forest of masts’?
On Friday, we cycled, mostly into the wind and intermittent light rain, from Barnstaple to Okehampton – 40 miles through the rolling hills of North Devon.
A short walk to Coleton Fishacre – the story in four images
We walked to Coleton Fishacre this morning . . .
Two short stories – yesterday’s sail
24 hour forecast for areas up to 12 miles offshore from Tuesday 23 June at 0600 UTC until Wednesday 24 June at 0600 UTC
Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly:
Wind: Variable 3 or less, Sea state: Slight, Weather: Fair, Visibility: Good.
~~~
Two short stories from yesterday . . .
Into the swell
Off Teignmouth sea-front, heading towards Exmouth . . .
A simple pleasure – looking
Having watched the yacht leave – (and totally failed to note her name), I indulged in the simple pleasure of looking at boats.
A film crew has been in Teignmouth for the past week or so filming the Donald Crowhurst story – Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz etc have been here, 1960’s fashions have been in evidence – (the reporting in this link seems to be all about Rachel Weisz).
I have a deep sympathy for Donald Crowhurst and his family. A lot has been written and spoken about him, the story sensationalised for public consumption; like the previous film (Deep Water), this film will bring it all out again. I hope they treat him with respect. Whatever the mistakes, and there were many from the very beginning, (each one stacked on the previous one), he put himself forward for a huge enterprise that had no precedent. That alone took a particular mind-set. Only Knox-Johnson completed the course. In terms of seamanship, there would have been no disgrace in turning back – or even in not starting at all. One can only imagine what he must have gone through once at sea. Retrospect is easy, Therein lies the fascination – the question is asked of each one of us, “Having got into the tangle, what would you have done?” Think carefully.
