The Oldest Pub

September 10
Dartmouth
We have finally given up on seeing the sun anytime soon so we took the dingy canvas off today. At this point all it was accomplishing was making our butts wet.



Dartmouth Harbour pontoon

Arrived yesterday and at the direction of the Harbour Master had our first pontoon experience. No water, no power, and you are expected to raft up 2 deep should the need for space occur. To add insult to injury, to get access to land you must either call a water taxi or drop in the dinghy. For these lux accommodations they charge £19. The first trip into town was by water taxi (yes Kim and Barbara, at this rate your inheritance will be long gone before we get out of Great Britain). Upon return the water taxi driver wanted to make sure we knew there was another American boat in the harbor so he zipped us by for a look. It was Alchemy. A nice surprise as we did not expect to see them again until London. Later joined them and their pontoon neighbors at a local pub for some music and drinks. The pub was built in the 1300's. We're talking old. But it wasn't a pub then....the oldest pub recognition goes to the Seven Stars. It didn't show up until the 1800s. I'm feeling that's still pretty old. Back at the boat, every few hours a steam train passes by the anchorage taking tourists to Agatha Christy's holiday home. It startles me every time I hear that damn whistle.

Sept 11
Next stop Weymouth where the Olympics sailing competitions were held. It's a beautiful bay and the anchorage is right in the middle of the city. Ostinato was surrounded by tall ships at the city quay. The city marina gets the prize to date for the nicest showers.

Sept 15
Arrived in Southampton for the boat show after a rock and rolling night off of Yarmouth followed by a quiet anchorage run by the National Trust just an hour away. The most exciting part of the jump was passing through the Needles where the water squeezes in between the coast and the Isle of Wight. The water looked like we were going through rapids. We took the sails down and motored through it.

Southampton is big. Huge ships followed us up the channel. We tied Ostinato to the dock and walked what seemed like 20 miles to the show. Ok, maybe it was on 2.5. Yes, it's big, but I don't think it compares with Miami. Saying that, we are still going back for a second day.

Dartmouth Harbour

You have got to be kidding!

Ostinato at Weymouth Harbour

Arriving in Dartmouth

Dartmouth entrance

The Needles off the Isle of White