Left home leaving Mary with a busy weekend; three B&B plus hairdressing.
Stopped for coffee, Nigel rang, I congratulated him for picking the only sunny weekend were likely to have for the remainder of the year. I don't know, rich, handsome, married to a girl half his age and a weather Guru, how lucky can one man get!
He told me to read an e mail from Paul re the disintegration of his wife's Renaults gear box. It made me laugh out loud. Had to apologise to the Cafe queue for my outburst.
1200 Arrived Brixham Marina, It was sunny with a cool wind. Beautiful. There is a possibility we might see George Turpin tonight. It will be great to catch up. I remember sitting in his office in The Bellman hanger years ago talking about him setting up a charter business. Coming up with the name of Plain Sailing. Brave move, packing in a safe job and taking on the established businesses of the South coast.
Walked over to where Nigel Bright new boat might be and found him on board the beautiful Sun Odyessey 44 called Stargazer. He was just about to embark on a rally to Dittisham.
Boys turned up: Nigel, Dean and Paul. Paul suitably dressed in a cricket sweater, red daps and a cravat!
Two hours later....
1800 moored Town Quay Dartmouth. Dean and Paul had spent the trip rigging a fishing line with the most expensive spinners from Nigels extensive fishing box only on the first cast to loose the lot.
Olives, Salsa dip, nuts and Peroni on the mooring listening to music from the Dartmouth Festival, Purfect!
Into the action! Yacht Club for an aperitif (Cheap booze) then The Castle (Good music but dear booze) Chip Shop ( No music and almost no chips) Conservative Club (Why? Cheap booze and good singer) By this time I was fading so went back to the boat with Nigel I think. Dean and Paul went into another bar, bad move by Dean as he suffered the next day.
Saturday early. Alf Rescos for breakfast, Dean still fermenting in his sleeping bag. Full English and a bacon sandwich to go for Dean.
0945 Slipped in cool but sunny weather. Start Point confused by wind over tide but still a pussy cat. Dean very quiet resting his head against a winch.
Picked up a buoy opposite White Strand, Salcombe quiet, some racing going on, Fireball, Yawls and Solos.
Nigel fixed a water leak in the engine. Paul declares he is going swimming. Warned him of strong current and probable bollocking from the Harbour Master plus the fact that it is bloody freezing...
Paul bollocked by Harbour Master for swimming in the estuary! Another fishing attempt ends in disaster.
1630
Nice zzzzzz then shower. Dean smelling like Boots counter. Off into Salcombe to seek out the gay bars as Paul will not be allowed into respectable establishments with his red daps. Dean has sworn off strong drink as he is feeling fragile.
1930 Yacht Club for food, Dean has recovered and is taking strong drink again. General chat about RR logistic problems and a very long story of a fellow colleague who had orchestrated his life over a 30 year period by marrying a girl who looked like a boy who had an Aunt with a cat who lived in a barn whos husband was an architect who left his money to his house keeper to piss off the relatives who should have inherited his estate.......I'm confused!!!!
Final pint in The Victoria then long wait for water taxi back to the boat.
Sunday Skipper wakes me at 0600 with a cup of tea. Followed by porridge.
Motored to Start point and the boys (P&D) get out the remaining fishing tackle. They have spent hours setting up the line and reel and as they are our principle source of vitamin D or is it C I can see us all getting scurvy.
On the first cast Paul managed to unravel the whole reel. Re rigging of the kit starts again. A magnificent set of spinners with the correct swivel plus a perfect weight with the correct swivel is attached correctly to the reel and rod. The first cast sees spinners and weight arch beautifully in the air only for the line to part and £50 worth of kit sink to the bottom.
Nigels fishing box is once again plunders and a set of feathers is attached. Instantly to everyone's amazement a mackerel is hooked. This fish showed its disapproval by shitting on Paul. Then Poseidin opens his doors and eight fine specimens are landed.
Moored up Brixham and prepared a fish lunch, which was superb.
