Day 16/17 Fowey to Plymouth

Plymouth Hoe from the Lunar Sea

 Dear Readers, thank you for staying with me for this trip so far. We had an uneventful five hour motor sail from Fowey to Plymouth yesterday, arriving at Sutton Harbour Marina at 18.00. 

Lunar Sea taken for the water taxi at Fowey, just before we left this lovely mooring.

Before we left Fowey Ali and I took the water taxi into town for a look around, a bit of shopping and a coffee before returning to Lunar Sea. I found a notice on the wall by the harbour explaining the history of the Fowey river boats and the Troys, it will be of interest to some of you. 

It was flat calm seas with very little wind and we could enjoy the scenery. The auto helm is not playing ball since we had the encounter with the fishing buoy and attached ropes, so we had to helm ourselves, which Ali and I enjoyed. We did get a brief visit from some porpoises - they are much shyer than dolphins and don't play around the boat.  We also witnessed a Navy patrol boat and helicopter undertaking exercises just outside Plymouth, which was entertaining. 

Rounding the lighthouse at the end of the breakwater

Plymouth harbour entrance has a large breakwater across it with a channel either side for ships, with a prominent lighthouse at one end and a fort at the other. Then there is Drake's Island to negotiate and the Mount Batten Pier, then straight into the historic Sutton Harbour Marina in the historic Barbican area.

 It is another milestone on our trip so we celebrated with a bottle of bubbles. The guys made dinner (for a change!) and after that we were all very tired, Josh even in bed before 10pm, unheard of!

Plymouth Ho!

This morning Ali left to catch the train home and Josh and I went for a walk around the area we are in and the Hoe. The Lidstone name comes form this part of Devon and there are lots of Lidstones around, even the lady in the harbour office knows a Lidstone! We discovered the house where Josh's great grandfather and grandmother lived, and where his grandmother was born, Looe Street.  This street also has the oldest pub in Plymouth, infamous as the home of the press gang. The Mayflower steps are here, and lots of historic references to maritime history. 

Yet another art deco lido (yay, so pleased they are still around, this one has a fountain in the middle) on the seafront, and a sea swimming area, with rafts to swim out to looked fun, especially as it is a very hot day today. 

Art Deco Lido on the right, sea swimming and rafts centre and The World in the distance.

In the distance is The World, an enormous private residential cruise ship. It is operated like a condominium complex, with large apartments that can be bought as residential homes. Some residents live on board full time while others visit periodically. Its capacity at any one time is between 150 to 200 passengers, with a crew of 280!

We had to walk on the Hoe of course, and looked in on the Citadel, an enormous fort started by Charles II in the 1660s in its current form on the site of a previous fort built by Queen Elizabeth 1. It is still an Army base today, home of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.

The marina here is first class, the facilities are new and there is even a terrace with sofas to lounge on and watch marina life go by. I will enjoy our four day stay here. 

I will resume my blog when we continue our adventure, next stop Salcombe on Monday or Tuesday, depending on the weather. See you then, have a good weekend and enjoy the hot weather.