December Morning On The Dart

The summer is over, that’s if we really did have one this year, on my radio in my van I heard the news that snow was falling in parts of Britain. If it had been snowing here in Devon I would have known for sure the summer really was over, but it wasn’t and anyway there are so many signs here that lets you know just what time of the year it is.

One thing about the winter is the roads have fewer cars on them and how frustrating it can be in the summer driving behind someone who only drives in a city and just seems unable to drive with any confidence on our narrow roads. The same drivers who somehow believe their car is 20 feet wide and sit and wait for cars to pass them coming the other way when you know you could drive a tank through the gap.

Still we need our visitors during the year and it’s just something locals have to put up with, in saying that I do long for the winter months as I know I will not have the delays on the roads I do in the summer.

I knew this morning as soon as I drove into Dartmouth that summer was over, no cars waiting to get on the higher ferry and no coaches unloading the day trippers, the whole place just seemed empty and so very peaceful. Even on the river not one boat was moving and no boat I saw had anyone on them.

The round robin ferry was nowhere to be seen, for those that have not done the round robin it is a three part trip. You get the steam train to Dartmouth from Paignton, then on a boat ride up to Totnes and a bus from there back to Paignton. You can just get the train and a ferry over to Dartmouth, on the station side the walkway to the ferry is always packed, but today not a soul was standing on it.

As I drove toward the lower ferry I could see it was on the other side of the river, in the winter there is just the one ferry working. During the summer there are two going flat out all day and you may be lucky to get on the third or even forth one, such are the numbers of cars wanting to cross the river on the ferry.

I drove into the lane for the ferry and could not believe there were no other cars waiting to get on the ferry, had the world come to an end? If so why had nobody told me? With the ferry still on the other side I got out of my van and ignored the signs and walked down the slipway.

It was 11am and there was mist hanging in the air toward the mouth of the river Dart, but none could be seen if you looked the other way upstream toward the Royal Navel Collage. I just had to get a shot on my camera phone and then walked back up the slipway and got in my van.

Soon the ferry was on the Dartmouth side of the river and I was able to drive onto it, but strangely I was the only vehicle to do so, but a few foot passengers did get on. The gate were shut and the old tug boat pulled the floating bridge of the slipway and then the man un did the back rope that held it beside the ferry and swung the boat around so it was facing the right way to take the ferry back across the river.

As it comes back alongside the ferry it always gives it a bit of a clout and then the man gets out of the cabin and fixes another rope that keeps the boat alongside the ferry. The guys who drive the boats are very skilful; it’s an art getting all the angle spot on to get the ferry dead in line with the concrete ramps on the entrance and exit slipways.

In the summer when there are two running one so often sets of from one side before the other one, as it makes its way across the river the man in the boat may have to start taking the ferry up the river a bit as until the other ferry gets moving he can’t just stop and park it in the middle of the river.

I normally stay in my van while the ferry is crossing the river and catch up with my paperwork. But today I felt just like standing out on the ferry and was soon talking to a wonderful old gent, not that we could talk that long as the trip only takes three or four minutes.

The water was very calm and as I said there was such a peaceful feeling about Dartmouth today. The water is not always clam mind you, there are times when the tide is very high and the water is so choppy, the ferry gets lifted and banged into the wall beside the slipway. One day my van moved a few feet on the deck when the ferry hit the wall, it can be a bit scary but as far as I know apart from some old lady one day selecting reverse gear and going off the back of the ferry, there has never been any accidents happen with the ferry. The old lady sadly died as her car just sank in the river.

I do get tired out driving so many miles every week, but I could never get tired with the wonderful scenery and lifestyle of Devon, it’s a wonderful place where life moves at a slow relaxing pace and only quickens a bit faster during the summer months