What can I expect on a day out?
'The day is ours to enjoy!
Your day with the DSA starts about a week before when our Admin will have emailed you with the start time, who else is on the boat and other relevant advice. Our departure point is the 'Town Quay' gate outside the Harvesters Inn. For members with disabilities, you will normally be asked to arrive there by 10:30 where you will be met by the skipper who first fit you out with a life-jacket and escort you down to your boat.
The crew would have already prepared the boat and once everybody is safely aboard the Skipper will give a safety briefing and as well as checking on any specific needs anyone has. He will then explain the sail-plan for the day taking into account the prevailing weather and any other safety factors.
Do we go further afield?
The River Dart
If the weather and tides are favourable we can sail further afield into Dartmouth and make our way up the river through the busy waterway. This is always an interesting run as there is plenty to see as we travel up through the main harbour, up past the Brittania Naval College and on along the tree-lined banks fo the Dart. We pass Agatha Christie's Boathouse on our right as we open out into the river opposite a the picturesque riverside village of Dittisham, usually picking up a spare buoy for a restful lunch, or sometimes continuing into the basin before returning. This is a longer day but always worth it with fair wind and tide.
Teignmouth
If the wind is favourable by can often make a trip up to and into Teignmouth Harbour. This trip is very tide dependent but is an interesting sail around this small commercial port. If the wind is set fair the run back down to home can be quite exhilarating!
Away Trips
The DSA usually competes in the Annual Eddystone Challenge Pursuit race off Plymouth which is an opportunity for both disabled members and crew to 'overnight' on the boats. Recently we have elected to travl down and back via a stop-over in Salcombe giving us four nights away overall.
Split crewing enables members totake part in some or all of the 'legs' as well as the event itself. This is a major fund-raiser for the DSA and provides a competitive challenge for those aboard!
Once everybody is briefed, the crew will take the boat off its berth and set out into the bay. This is a busy time for the skipper and crew but things then settle down quite quickly. Once the vessel is settled down and safely under way the skipper will often invite one of the disabled members to take a turn on the helm.
Where might we sail to?
There are various locations the skipper might decide to take you to dependent on the prevailing weather and other traffic activities. You may well sail south out to Berry Head and on down to a quiet little bay called St. Marys. this is a good place to drop anchor and have a relaxed lunch before returning back towards Berry Head always keeping a good eye out for dolphins running nearby.
A trip around the coast past Preston sands, Paignton beach and Goodrington sands is an interesting trip and you can then berth up in Brixham Harbour for a leg-stretch or lasso a spare buoy out amongst the other boats on their moorings and watch the boating traffic come and go whilst having some refeshments.
Another popular trip is to set off east, rounding Hopes' Nose and on past Thatchers Rock and on to either Ansteys Cove or slightly further north to Babbacombe beach and the nearby Carey Arms. Again, these are both a good places to anchor for lunch.
Open Sea
Sometimes the skipper will go for a sail 'out and back' further into Lyme Bay where cleaner winds and a more predictable sea can make for some fun sailing. You may even just 'hove-to' on the open water and break for lunch whilst watching out for any wildlife. These trips can offer faster sailing as we are free to 'sail to the wind' rather than on a defined course.
