Brixham to Lyme Regis 31nm
Monday 29 September
We set off knowing the forecast was for light airs and variable. Neither of those words are what sailors want to hear.
Lily the pink helped with speed as we left Torbay and she went out perfectly this time
But the wind headed round extraordinarily and unless we wanted to head for Alderney (we didn’t) we had to drop her and furled out the Yankee and Stay sail instead.
We made 6 knots in barely 7-8 knots of wind. Enough to go for plan B and Portland? But it started to fade to 5 then 4 knots…
Then we had dolphins!
The wind was dying and at this stage we know there’s no way to get round Portland Bill and arrive at a civilised time. So we put on the motor and go for plan A to practise our anchoring off Lyme Regis.
It’s neaps and the sea couldn’t be flatter.
There’s a wee swell but we have a lovely view
and I have told David all about Mary Anning who found ichthyosaurs and pterosaurs in these cliffs back in the 1820s. You can see her amazing finds today in the National History Museum.
We were too lazy to get Zigzags out. We will be rocked asleep after our dinner which will include finishing off Penny’s garden vegetables.