Yesterday it stopped raining and the sun shone.

But today, in many areas of the Westcountry, 

people are preparing for high winds, high tides and more heavy rain 

as the ex hurricane Lorenzo hits the Atlantic shores of the UK, 

on Thursday and sweeps across the country.

The safety boats are busy

shepherding their young crews out of the way of the tugs 
as they move this rig across the Plymouth Sound.

Racing down the River Tamar

There were ideal conditions for the regular Thursday evening race

as craft from the Saltash Sailing Club, set off down river..

They were heading for the first mark where the River Lynher joins the Tamar.

Running before the wind

Yesterday was bitterly cold (by our standards).

The thermometer read -2°C, but the wind chill factor on board that yacht 

would have made it seem very much lower than that. 

 

The tallest mast in the marina.

This beautiful visitor is the 92 feet / 28 metres long yacht SAVARONA.

Click Here

to come aboard and take a close look at  the sumptuous accommodation.

Another beautiful Autumn morning

Making leisurely progress across Plymouth Sound on Friday morning.

Leading the fleet

Very young students being towed out around Mount Batten Pier, to their "classroom" 

in the calm water of Jennycliff Bay.

Follow the leader

A lovely day to be afloat in Plymouth Sound.

Timeless

The sight of a vessel sailing along the shore of Mount Edgecumbe Park, 

on the Cornish shore of Plymouth Sound, would have been commonplace for hundreds of years.

Today, a vessel like this, under sail, attracts attention.

Sails on the Super Store

It is very rare to find an out of town shopping shed where any attempt has been made 

to do anything other than stick the company name above the entrance.

These "Sails" adorn the frontage of Sainsbury's at Marsh Mills, on the outskirts of Plymouth.

Click here to see what the architect had in mind 

Muscle Power versus Wind Power in Plymouth Sound

Tectona

Built in Southern India in 1929, for a Major in the Indian Medical Corps, on completion,

Tectona was shipped back to the UK as deck cargo and her long and varied life began.

She is now in the hands of The Tectona Trust, whose objective is

to bring the benefits of Adventure Sailing to people with mental health or rehab problems.

 Based on research evidence and personal experience, this is something that really can make a difference.

This picture was made yesterday

but it could have been made on any grey day since the advent of sailed craft.

The Flotilla

This beats a double maths lesson on any Friday morning.

The cool of the evening

For the last few days we have had a return to superb, hot, sunny weather.

One of the best places to be after work was on Plymouth Hoe, 

looking out onto Plymouth Sound, enjoying the evening breeze.

Shepherding the flock.

 The guards in the safety boat are keeping a watchful eye on this group of youngsters
 as they enjoy the fresh breeze in Plymouth Sound, during the Half Term Break.

Swimming and Sailing in Plymouth Sound

I joined the Strollers along the Waterfront 

where we enjoyed the fabulous evening sunshine after work on Thursday.

Sailing in Plymouth Sound

 

Watercolour sketches by Yannick Tonnelier, on a calm autumn afternoon.

A beautiful Autumn day.

A fair breeze, sunny and warm, and virtually the whole of Plymouth Sound to himself.

Nao Victoria

This beautiful replica of the first ship to circumnavigate the globe

will be in Sutton Harbour for most of August, and is certainly attracting a lot of attention.