Kingsbridge

Quite possibly the Town's most redeeming feature!

On Sunday I launched the dinghy for the first time since we left the Algarve. Sounds a simple enough operation but first I had to retrieve all the various bits from multiple locations. It took me ages to find the wretched pump. Finally, I remembered that I had only recently used it as packing for the now empty large propane cylinder stowed under the cockpit sole!

Once I had everything, it was a reasonably straightforward job to unpack the dinghy from its bag, fit the floor, inflate the dinghy and launch it, but even that probably took the best part of an hour.

Next the outboard (it's a couple of miles to Kingsbridge from our Anchorage and I didn't fancy rowing, even making use of the tides). It too had not been used since the Algarve and had a fair bit of the Atlantic tipped over it. Much to my relief it started on the second pull. I set off at about 1530 and the trip took about half an hour. The dinghy has an inflatable keel and will plane with enough power. However, 2.5 hp is not enough and so my trip was quite liesurely.

"Oh dear, oh dear..." though, it was hardly worth the effort. Perhaps it was because it was Sunday but the town felt rather like the weather, grey, damp and very quiet. I walked up the main street - almost everything was closed and it was practically deserted. A couple of pubs were open but they didn't look particularly attractive. I was looking forward to indulging my recently re-kindled taste for CreamTea but the only Cafe open (and there were only a few anyway) was one of the big chains and I refused to enter. I almost headed back to the dinghy after only 20 minutes, but then remembered I had passed a pub on the water side on the way in and so headed for that - about a 10 minute walk.

'Kingsbridge' by the way seems to be a bit of a misnomer to me. There is no bridge that I could see and no river either. The inlet just comes to a halt at what was once presumably, the town quay.

The pub was fine and I enjoyed a real ale outside overlooking the inlet as I chatted to Howard on the phone. After that I returned to the dinghy, collected the fuel can and headed to the co-op fuel station come shop and bought a few provisions and petrol for the outboard. Then back to the boat for around 1900, by which time it had got decidely chilly!

Dinner was left over chicken curry and rice after which I indulged myself by streaming the second episode of 'Vigil'.