When it
comes to engineering, I have learnt that ignorance is king.
Jean
(anxiously) “What do you think is wrong,
Darling?”
Me
(convincingly) “No idea at all, Dear”
Jean
(anxiously) “What do you think we should
do, Darling?”
Me
(authoritatively) “Ignore it”.
We ignored
the “black stuff everywhere” and motored into Dartmouth, moored on our trots,
slept, and next morning found our way back to Stoke Gabriel. Oblivious to the
fact that our engine had just trashed its fresh water pump bearings and was, technically
speaking, “entirely stuffed”.
Having
narrowly survived a trip around Ireland without assistance from any of the
emergency services, and having installed a new fresh water pump, we soon
started to feel that it was time to go sailing again.
25th July 2019
We sailed to
Anstey’s Cove. The Summer Heatwave of
2019 was well established and we both thought that a brief trip eastward along
the Devon coast was indicated. Anstey’s
Cove is a very pleasant bay, just east of Torbay and perfect for an “overnight
anchorage in settled weather”. So we
did. Swimming around the boat before
supper was lovely.
Anstey's Cove, Beach and Anchorage
We motored
back to Dartmouth next morning, and nothing broke.
31st July 2019
To
Teignmouth.
We usually
avoid harbours that appear to be shallow, crowded with leisure craft, difficult
to berth in or, simply appear to be rather challenging. In other words “like Teignmouth”.
As far as I
could tell, we would only be able to get in with at least half a tide under us
and that tide needed to be rising.
Jean phoned
the Harbour Master.
“No problem at all, there is plenty of water
all day today and lots of space on the visitors’ pontoons.”
We enjoyed
an easy visit to Teignmouth and stayed 2 nights.
We motored
home to Dartmouth, stopping for lunch and a swim at Scabbacombe Sands, and nothing broke.
