Friday 21 August 2015

A River Trip

On the basis that most of you will never have seen the River Dart, Roger and I thought it would e rather fun to take you on a boat trip down to the mouth of the river and then back as far as the Higher Ferry.


We are now in the mouth of the river looking back towards Castle and St Petrox Church.


This might not be particularly photogenic but is of extreme importance to the seamen who use the river after dark. A series of leading lights, of which this is the first, guide them safely into the harbour itself.


A glimpse up Warfleet Creek at the head of which is the old Dartmouth Pottery now converted into luxury accommodation.


As we move inland we see some of Dartmouth's most prestigious properties hanging on the steep hillside.


Low tide reveals narrow beaches.



Somewhere in this picture you will find Evie's Merchant House and, crouching on the foreshore, her boathouse.


We are now opposite the North Embankment. The yellow coloured building is the old station cafe on the end of the Boat Float.


Roger, very sensibly, gave the lower ferries a wide berth. The ferryman are superb but these ferries are extraordinarily difficult to control.



Last year a fully refurbished and gleaming paddle-steamer, The Kingswear Castle, returned to the river after an absence of many years.


A general view of the town of the town looking over to the North Embankment with the Britannia Royal Naval College on the skyline.


All aboard for Paignton.


The Higher Ferry.