Dartmouth, Devon, England
Today, the National Geographic Explorer made a visit to the beautiful old town of Dartmouth on the coast of Devon. Lindblad Expeditions has had a long and fruitful relationship with this beautiful community, having visited the town many times with ships in our fleet, but this was the inaugural visit of our newest vessel and flagship.
Dartmouth has a perfect location on the west side of the mouth of the Dart River…hence the name. We entered the river under brilliant conditions in the early morning and soon were in position to moor the vessel right in the middle of the channel just offshore from the center of this historic sea-faring town (see image on left).
There is also a community on the eastern side of the river called Kingswear. These two towns both grew from ancient fishing villages, but Dartmouth overshadowed Kingswear when it gained importance as part of a triangle of trade that shipped dried cod from Newfoundland to the Mediterranean countries in exchange for wine. King George II gave the town of Dartmouth authority to operate the River Dart (collect taxes and duties, impose port fees, etc.) in 1754. Later, the town became an important export site for both wool and grain produced in the surrounding region, but today tourism provides a significant percentage of the economy. Nearly all of the flatland in the town’s waterfront area has been reclaimed from the river.
Dartmouth has been the home to many a famous sailor and adventurer, including Francis Drake, Walter Raleigh, and John Davis. In September, 1620, a group of 102 Puritans (Separatists that broke with the Church of England) aboard the Mayflower and Speedwell stopped at Dartmouth (at Bayard Cove) for repairs and outfitting before moving to nearby Plymouth and then sailing for America.
Dartmouth also played a prominent role as a staging point in the D-Day Invasion of World War II. High on the hill overlooking the town, one can see the Royal Naval College. Today, the town has a population of about 7,000 people and the current administration is doing everything it can to preserve the historic feel and traditions of the community, even as it grows as a popular holiday destination. Being a weekend with beautiful weather, the harbour was especially busy today, with old-fashioned, side-wheeled paddleboat ferries (see image on right) zipping back and forth between the two river towns and countless private boats streaming in all directions.
The Town Crier came aboard during breakfast and officially welcomed us to the town. Soon after, once everyone was ashore, we set off in small groups for a walking tour to see the important sites, including a visit to the historic St. Savior Church (built in the 14th century) and an overview of the city. After lunch, we had free time to enjoy the town’s amenities and the ship’s staff also offered various historic, nature, and photographic walks and hikes in the region.
We were pleased to receive the local dignitaries on board for dinner this evening, including Mr. Mayor Debbie Morris (yes, the mayor is addressed as Mister Mayor, regardless of sex), the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Harbour Master…and their spouses. It was with reluctance that we finally set sail again in the late evening, but we knew there are many more adventures yet to come.
Today, the National Geographic Explorer made a visit to the beautiful old town of Dartmouth on the coast of Devon. Lindblad Expeditions has had a long and fruitful relationship with this beautiful community, having visited the town many times with ships in our fleet, but this was the inaugural visit of our newest vessel and flagship.
Dartmouth has a perfect location on the west side of the mouth of the Dart River…hence the name. We entered the river under brilliant conditions in the early morning and soon were in position to moor the vessel right in the middle of the channel just offshore from the center of this historic sea-faring town (see image on left).
There is also a community on the eastern side of the river called Kingswear. These two towns both grew from ancient fishing villages, but Dartmouth overshadowed Kingswear when it gained importance as part of a triangle of trade that shipped dried cod from Newfoundland to the Mediterranean countries in exchange for wine. King George II gave the town of Dartmouth authority to operate the River Dart (collect taxes and duties, impose port fees, etc.) in 1754. Later, the town became an important export site for both wool and grain produced in the surrounding region, but today tourism provides a significant percentage of the economy. Nearly all of the flatland in the town’s waterfront area has been reclaimed from the river.
Dartmouth has been the home to many a famous sailor and adventurer, including Francis Drake, Walter Raleigh, and John Davis. In September, 1620, a group of 102 Puritans (Separatists that broke with the Church of England) aboard the Mayflower and Speedwell stopped at Dartmouth (at Bayard Cove) for repairs and outfitting before moving to nearby Plymouth and then sailing for America.
Dartmouth also played a prominent role as a staging point in the D-Day Invasion of World War II. High on the hill overlooking the town, one can see the Royal Naval College. Today, the town has a population of about 7,000 people and the current administration is doing everything it can to preserve the historic feel and traditions of the community, even as it grows as a popular holiday destination. Being a weekend with beautiful weather, the harbour was especially busy today, with old-fashioned, side-wheeled paddleboat ferries (see image on right) zipping back and forth between the two river towns and countless private boats streaming in all directions.
The Town Crier came aboard during breakfast and officially welcomed us to the town. Soon after, once everyone was ashore, we set off in small groups for a walking tour to see the important sites, including a visit to the historic St. Savior Church (built in the 14th century) and an overview of the city. After lunch, we had free time to enjoy the town’s amenities and the ship’s staff also offered various historic, nature, and photographic walks and hikes in the region.
We were pleased to receive the local dignitaries on board for dinner this evening, including Mr. Mayor Debbie Morris (yes, the mayor is addressed as Mister Mayor, regardless of sex), the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Harbour Master…and their spouses. It was with reluctance that we finally set sail again in the late evening, but we knew there are many more adventures yet to come.
