An evening stroll around the barbican and Hoe

I managed to get a short walk around Plymouth Hoe in last night with 'her wot must be obeyed'. It was lovely weather - sunny with little breeze and a high spring tide to boot. It gave me an opportunity to get some photographs to show you.  This is Cap'n Jaspers on Plymouth's barbican. Now Jaspers must be world famous I am sure....it is an iconic Plymouth eatery! Cap'n Jaspers is a take away, specialising in burgers, it is situated on Plymouth Barbican, Devon. Don't be mistaken into thinking this is just some greasy shack diner....far from it! Jaspers has a nautical theme; there is a seating area overlooking Sutton Harbour moorings and pontoons and the tables legs are mooring chains!  Everything is cooked fresh and to order.....there is plenty of it; it's value for money and cooked to perfection. A fresh crab salad with crab straight off the crabbing boats is a delight as is the half a yard hot dog roll - 2 jumbo sausages, fried onions; and then the almighty jasperizer.....two beef burgers cheese, bacon and onions........oh my! With tea strong enough to dissolve teaspoons .....this is an absolute must visit place in the city. Visit on a sunny evening and a Sunday morning and all the city's bikers will be down there and there are some fantastic machines to see!

This is the northern end of Queen Anne's Battery Marina where I launch Arwen from

Down from Jaspers, just outside the lock gates are the QAB pontoons. The one facing us is where QAB launch their boats from. Nice little boat drifting back in under sail - winds were perfect blowing straight onto the pontoon.

Within Sutton harbour is the Plymouth fish market......the city has a much smaller trawler fleet but there are a number of smaller local lobster/crabbing boats

Sutton harbour is only entered via the lock gates that exit just north of Queen Anne's Battery. Boats wishing to enter have to contact the lock office and then wait until the pedestrian footbridge is swung back and the locks have filled/emptied. It was the original Plymouth port and has a long history. there were railway sidings along the old docks and many of the original port buildings survive in the historic barbican. It's where Drake set sail from as did the Pilgrim fathers...............

Mayflower Steps...where the Pilgrim Fathers departed . The building in the left background is our national marine aquarium.

Further out from the locks towards the cattedown is the new cruise ship unloading pontoon....well that's the idea....but call me a cynic....but I haven't noticed many cruise ships calling at Plymouth......so I'm slightly confused as to its purpose. I know that all our dockyard cruise boats use it....so there is some value I guess.

Our new floating pontoon for boats from the many cruise ships.....that don't appear to have Plymouth on their charts!

Still at least the bridge over to the pontoon from the dockside is finding a use.....as a diving station for local teenagers!

We carried on our walk up the road past he Citadel to emerge on Plymouth Hoe....and what a lovely view. Plymouth sound was flat calm, the sun was shining and two frigates, a RFA ship and a coastguard ship were all moored in the Sound. The breakwater was only just above high water level way off in the distance.

The little trawler made it back inside Mountbatten breakwater with the dinghies from Mount Batten water sports centre and the Coastguard boat in the background

All in all it was an excellent little stroll in good company.......my good lady is fun to be with.....always.

Next weekend I'm sailing in a friend's boat at Salcombe as part of the Character 'post boat' rally and I'll post a little report on the blog next Sunday.  I'm really looking forward to it

Steve