We took on fuel at the Dalrymple YC then bid our farewells to Steve who needed to return home to his family. He has been congenial company, a good sailor and the best helmsman of the three of us as well. It was sad to leave him at the dock as we sailed off but Tegwen is likely to see him again on another cruise. From a helming perspective we had restored the autopilot to life just in the nick of time and it was successfully put to use later in the day.
Heading out down the sinuous channel in the Tamar, we had a 3 knot boost from the outgoing tide and passed the occasional seal lounging around in the fairway. With the wind on the nose it was another day of motor sailing until at last, after a predicted wind shift, we were able to sail the last 14 miles to Devonport and our home for the night at the Mersey YC. The autopilot was put to good use both under power and sail and we were pleased to have it operational.
We approached the Mersey YC with a classic "ferry glide" against the wind and incoming tide. With the Yanmar at idle speed Tegwen had a slight forward movement, allowing a very controlled sidling up to the pontoon. It was a very satisfying piece of boat handling.
A visit to the nearby award winning bakery followed by a bus trip into Devonport city enabled us to have a coffee, stretch our legs and pick up some essential goodies. Dinner was had at the yacht club with their congenial members, topped off by watching the turning and departure of the Spirit of Tasmania car ferry from the club deck.
