Girls Go Sailing Cruise to Dartmouth | 16-17 May 2026

Published 17:44 on 31 May 2026

Six boats with female skippers and 25 women and girls crewing sailed to beautiful Dartmouth from Exe Sailing Club to enjoy the Music Festival on the weekend of 16th-17th May.

A brisk SW wind meant a beat from Exmouth in cold grey conditions. One boat, Zawadi sailed from Plymouth for the weekend to join us, which was brilliant.

All were safely tied up by early afternoon and drinks on board Exeat significantly lowered the waterline, before a lovely dinner in the Dartmouth YC. The upstairs room gives panoramic views of the R Dart and Kingsweir. Time to enjoy the music and the busy atmosphere in town.

Sunday morning dawned with a light westerly breeze to take us home via Ansteys Cove to anchor for lunch. Great for those sailing back to the R Exe, but a long motor sail for Zawadi heading back to Plymouth. All boats were safely home to enter the R Exe on a rising tide.

Special congratulations to Sophie Coleman in the smallest boat, Hiva Oa, and to Goshawk and Nicola Hill for sending crew up the mast to broaden the experience(!), also to Mei Tan and Zawadi for their sail from Plymouth to Dartmouth.

All in all a great experience of weekend cruising along our beautiful coast. A big thank you to all our skippers for sharing their lovely boats and for the enthusiasm and charm of all the crew who joined us.

Exeat Tink Dixon
Goshawk Nicola Hill
Hiva Oa Sophie Coleman
Indulgence Jane Williams
Zawadi Mei Tan and Jules E
Zephyr Hazel Acland and Ruth Carter

Jane Williams
Indulgence

Last updated 17:46 on 31 May 2026