Things Continue to go Our Way

Mount Batten also has an acclaimed Yachtmaster sailing school (Plymouth Sailing School).

We will be able to obtain any coursework we feel we need and also set up the (on the water) RYA exam through them.

I discussed our situation with the owner, Richard and his son (shares the same name) and they were very helpful in laying out our options for obtaining the certification.

I also mentioned my need to find an affordable place to keep the boat (the marina was running $60 per night) and he offered the use of a buoy (not usual for them to do this) for a very reasonable $50 per week.

So, taking Bill's advice to do this at slack tide, we tied the dinghy to the side of our transmission-less boat and motored out to the mooring using the 5 horse outboard.

We're right in the path of the ferries, so we can flag one down if we wish, and within easy dinghy range of both sides of the harbor.

The weather has been very cooperative in providing us with gale force winds providing as much as 17 amps of wind gen power.

Solar is another story, however (they don't do very well in fog and rain).

The boat has a great sea motion now as we are battered by tidal current and rain, it gives us a feeling that we are making great progress as we bob and weave around the mooring, even though the scenery looks the same when we peer out a rain covered port.

No need for air conditioning, so we're saving on power there.

Customs came by for an extended visit yesterday morning; they explained it was too rough to work in the channel so they elected to work the harbor...great luck for us!

Ok....time to put on the foulies for a dinghy ride to the shore, we're out of coffee, food and alcohol, we both need to go as the dinghy might blow over with the weight of only one person!