Girls Go Sailing Cruise to Dartmouth

Published 13:19 on 26 May 2025

What a fabulous weekend we all enjoyed in Dartmouth. Five yachts with female skippers and 17 of the Girls Go Sailing group met at the Safe Water Mark at 10.30am on Saturday morning, 17th May, in a light NW breeze and sunshine to sail to Dartmouth for the weekend. A big thank you to Fiona Bolt – Andante, Tineke Dixon – Exeat, Sophie Coleman – Hiva Oa, Jane Williams – Indulgence, and Karen Melling – Zephyr for supporting this cruise.

It was the weekend of the Dartmouth Music Festival – Dartmouth was buzzing and the river was busy. We all tied up close together on the DA walk ashore pontoon. A big thank you to the Dartmouth Harbour lads, who were intrigued by all these boats with female crews! Sophie with Hiva Oa nipped onto the pontoon outside Dartmouth YC with some boats from Lyme Regis also visiting the Music Festival.

Time to enjoy some of the music at the various venues around the town.

We were lucky to have sole use of the Function Room upstairs in the Dartmouth YC for our chatty, and fun dinner of seafood and meat and cheese platters followed by home made puddings. Steve and Rachel Hughes joined us for dinner. Steve was our token male for the evening and seemed to enjoy being surrounded by noisy female company!

Light north easterly winds and sunshine met us for the sail/motor back to Exmouth on Sunday morning. All boats were safely back for early afternoon and some of us had time to head up to the Exe River Cafe for a celebratory glass at the end of a fabulous weekend.

The Royal Dart YC has a similar group – Ladies Afloat – and we are planning a combined gathering in 2026, maybe a lunch in Ansteys Cove.

Thanks to all who took part and made this weekend such a confidence boosting and fun time.

Jane Williams | Indulgence

More information about the Girls Go Sailing group and pictures of the trip can be found here

Last updated 14:13 on 26 May 2025