Eight days later "lockdown" began.
Now, it was obviously a good idea not engage in any activity likely to spread the virus and so it did seem reasonable to discourage people from "sleeping away from home". Unfortunately, "sleeping away from home" included sleeping on a boat. I was never convinced that drifting around at sea with my lovely wife would result in any significant risk to public health .. but anyway, such activity was banned.
Instead of sailing, we went running 3 times a week and had long walks in between. This did however, affect my health, in as much that, my feet still hurt.
Was it Moses who first declared "Thou shalt not Covid thy neighbour's yacht, nor his wife, nor his ox, nor his goat ...etc. " ? Anyway we didn't. We didn't knowingly Covid anybody; nor did we go sailing.
Summer drifted on.
Wednesday 10th June 2020
We visited our Albatross on her mooring. She deserved a visit. All (well, almost all) was well and the wagtails hadn't left any poo. I re-examined my very nice and rather splendid new Yanmar engine to find that some red coolant had been leaking from the calorifier connection. After much research I decided that it needed a new set of "copper crush washers for the banjo pipe fitting". You try and buy such a thing in Devon, let alone during "lockdown".
A leaking Banjo fitting
Friday 10th July 2020
We were free! Lockdown had been eased. We headed out to Albatross in the pre-sanitised, socially distanced and pre-booked yacht taxi and climbed aboard without difficult. We had been instructed to wear face-masks for the taxi ride. We did. The boatman did. It was a cool morning. All our glasses fogged up. None of us could see where we were going. We took our masks off. Normal vision was restored.
Saturday 11th July
After a "romantic night on our mooring" we decided to start the season with a trip across Lyme Bay to Portland Marina. We left at 0700. I had already checked with Portland Marina that they were open. "Yes, but you'll need to book".
"Rubbish" I thought. "No one ever books. Portland is never full."
We motored most of the way to Portland. We saw lots of dolphins.
I phoned.
No spaces.
Weymouth. Likewise.
Weymouth town quay. Likewise.
They were "social distancing" the yachts.
I am not often lost for words.
Unfortunately, despite having motored for about 7 hours, our batteries were all flat.
Unfortunately, this meant that we had "engineering problems".
Helen (as wonderful as ever) explained all this to the very nice team at Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy and arranged for us to stay at their very nice (and almost empty) pontoon for the night and so that I could effect urgent electrical repairs.
Fish and Chips with H and A at "The boat that rocks". Good company. Average F&C.
Sunday 12th July 2020.
Weymouth Marina had room for us!
We re-fuelled and motored off to Weymouth.
Under the lifting bridge; quite exciting for a man of my age.
Berthed in Weymouth marina without hitting anything.
A walk to a nearby chandlery where we narrowly avoided buying some new batteries.
Monday 13th July
We explored Weymouth on foot.
Martin and Julie came aboard for coffee.
It's always nice to see them and it also makes it feel that Summer has started when they come aboard.
Isabel and Caitlin came aboard for an exciting sail to Portland.
The bridge still worked and we left the marina without an major crises.
We motored most of the way. We usually do.
Anchored near Castle Cove Sailing Club.
(The windlass wouldn't work and its clutch was jammed .. it always is a the beginning of the season).
We survived.
Tea.
The wind got up. "Too windy for my little flubber and its un-serviced outboard motor", I thought.
Helen and Andy arrived on SUPs and paddled their children home.
Too windy for a dinghy but OK for a SUP. I am getting old.
Tuesday 14th July
Back to Dartmouth.
Wednesday 22 July 2020
To Cawsand Bay.
We anchored.
I had a swim. (all the way around the boat).
Thursday 23rd July
To the Yealm.
Eleven year old cartography on a plotter that is getting erratic is not ideal without Martin on board but we made it anyway.
We berthed at that nice little pontoon, on the left (port) hand side of the river.
I watched a novice helm learning how to leave the pontoon without hitting anything. She did it beautifully.
It would be quiet and peaceful on that pontoon on the Yealm were it not for the home improvements underway on the opposite bank.
We went ashore for a walk and supper at the pub. Whitebait and chips. Good.
A selfie after supper, but look at the excellent flag in the background. Viva Newton Ferrers.
Friday 24th July
Up at 0530. Leave at 0600.
Spring tide. Flood. 4 hours before HW.
We sprang off the pontoon.
I engaged reverse. Jean swiftly and skilfully undid the spring.
We went astern (initially as planned), the current took the stern to port and then smashed us back into the end of the pontoon.
I can't see a hole but the gel coat isn't so pretty.
Something to fix next winter.
An easy trip back to Dartmouth and SG.
The Yealm from our pontoon
