The 248' Super Yacht 'Northern Star' visited Dartmouth this week - for a  wedding reception! Dartmouth dot TV were told that former local boy Guy Barnett has married the owner's daughter and following their wedding last  week in Nova Scotia, the yacht travelled from the Mediterranean to Dartmouth for the party with local family and friends. Our very own Philip Watts did the catering.  Guy Savage, who went to school with the groom was best man at the wedding said they had all had a fantastic time at both the wedding and the party.

For the techies amongst you, the Northern Star was built in Germany by  Lurssen Yachts, she is 75.4m long, has six-decks, is equipped with a helipad and sports a French country-house style interior. Her draft is 3.6 metres, she has Twin Caterpillar 2000kW diesel engines with a maximum speed of 18  knots and a cruising speed of 15 knots and offers accommodation for 12 guests and a crew of 22. Should you think you can afford it, the Northern Star is available for  charter through Moran Yacht and Ship, it only costs £53 a minute!

2.   A Star is Born

Whilst the nation was watching the skies late Thursday night for the Meteor Shower, a ‘star was born’ at a local Theme Park in Devon.  Late on the night of 12th August Samantha the Donkey, at Woodlands Family Theme Park near Dartmouth, gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy.

Animal Keeper Natalie Veale discovered the gorgeous foal and mother in the early hours of Friday morning. “He was already up, feeding and walking around when I came into work”, she said. “We decided on the name Comet as he was born on the night of the Perseid Meteor Shower”.

“The baby boy is a stunning chocolate colour and the spitting image of his Dad Nutmeg”, Natalie explained. “He already has such a mischievous character and is having great fun getting to know his surroundings”. He loves having a fuss from the park’s keepers & visitors, I can’t believe how friendly he is for two days old”, Natalie said. “The gestation period for Donkeys is usually 12 months but it has been just over 13 months so we were all very excited to see Comet when he finally arrived”, Natalie told us.

Comet has settled in really well, both Mum and baby are doing great. Comet and his parents can be seen at the Zoo-Farm at Woodlands Family Theme Park near Dartmouth, Devon UK.  Click here to see more.

3.   How do we get such good photographs?

We get asked this all the time, we are lucky because Dartmouth must be the most beautiful place in the world and it changes every day, every month and every year.  A simple low cost compact camera can give fantastic results.

We are also lucky to have Andy Kyle, Kevin Pyne, Colin Cadle and Tony Pike to help us.  They all support what we are doing for dartmouth and like us want to " Keep Dartmouth Special "

Last week we had the big picture of the Ocean Princes click here to see it.  We were inundated with requests on how the photograph was taken.  It was turning around by the Higher Ferry and Tony Pike took it from South Town (TQ6 9BU) using an 'EOS-1D MkIV' full frame SLR with a 'EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM'  It was developed in Photoshop by Dave Cawley.

Dave & Jill Cawley are both Nikon registered professional photographers, their work horse camera is a Nikon D700 full frame SLR with 24-70mm f/2.8 fitted most of the time.  Three other Nikon lenses are used including the lovely 50mm f/1.4 AF-S for extra low light and especially intimate gatherings as the lens is so very small.

Our resident photographer Andy Kyle has now his own website www.TheViewFromTheDartmouthOffice.com or click here to see it ?  Andy has the advantage of working every day looking over the river, lucky chap!

As Regatta is just around the corner, check out the photographs of the last four years by clicking here?

4.   Cheque this out!

On Monday, August 16th, outside Kingswear Village Hall at 6pm, Kingswear Regatta Committee were very pleased to be able to donate over £2,800 to local organisations and charities. The two main beneficiaries this year were Kingswear Rowing Club and Kingswear Primary School. The Regatta weekend in July was organised in tandem with an ‘Auction of Promises’ at Kingswear Village School which raised an amazing £5,000 to support a wide range of outdoor activities. A Regatta cheque for a further £800 towards these activities was received by Mrs Emma Jones, one of the school governors. Linked with the theme of supporting outdoor activities, Mrs Wendy Ryan, Chair of Kingswear Rowing Club received a cheque for £1,600 towards renovating an old clubhouse on Waterhead Creek and maintaining the growing number of club boats used by all ages, helping to ensure rowing remains a passion on both sides of the River Dart!

Mrs Sam Furneaux, outgoing Chair of the Regatta Committee, also presented cheques to Mrs Penny Noble, on behalf of the Friends of St. Thomas Church in Kingswear, and to Mr Harry Escott, on behalf of Dartmouth Lifeboat. Mrs Furneaux was herself presented with a large bouquet as a thank you for all her hard work for the Regatta over the past few years.

This was the fifth annual village Regatta (of recent times), which combines rowing races on Waterhead Creek with stalls, refreshments and fun events for all, with raising money to support local activities. The cheques presented today bring the total sum donated by Kingswear Regatta to local charities to nearly £19,000. Organisations benefitting from the event have included the Dartmouth Inshore Lifeboat Appeal; Dart Sailability for the disabled; Devon Air Ambulance; the Friends of St. Thomas Church, Kingswear; Froward Point Coast Watch; Kingswear Primary School; Kingswear Rowing Club; Kingswear Village Hall and the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta.

Kingswear Regatta Committee would like to say an enormous thank you to the many people and organisations who donated time, effort and money to help raise this sum, and to all those who supported the event. 

5.   Small News

• Following on from last week's comments about whether we were the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) which of course we are not, we are also not Dartmouth dot org or the Dartmouth Directory either! 
  
  We are Dartmouth dot TV and Dartmouth News dot com.   So why advertise with us? Well it's less than £5 a month for an entry with your links and five pictures included.  And we have the biggest Dartmouth website Consider the Tourist Information Centre too, they really are nice people. Click here to contact us or call 01803 833366.
   

• We are pleased to announce that the South Devon Coastal Local Action Group (SDCLAG) have award a grant of £95,000 for the remainder of the regeneration of the Market.  The Flavel received £45,000 and the Dartmouth Museum £20,000. Future projects not yet processed include a Townstal Community Bus, Events Manager and the Heated Indoor Swimming Pool.   Founder Members Tessa de Galleani and Dave Cawley were delighted with the news as they remember the very first meeting in the Harbourmaster's Office in Salcombe five years ago!
   

• Helen Woodman reports: Don't miss The Dittisham Arts Festival this Saturday and Sunday, 21 and 22 August.
  
  There's an Art Exhibition in the Village Hall & St. George's Church, with a Flower Festival themed 'Interpretation of Art' also in the church.  Open 10:00 - 7:00 Saturday, 21 August and 10:00 - 5:00 Sunday, 22 August
  
  Also on Saturday evening in St George's Church, The Dittisham Arts Festival Concert with Jonathan Watts, piano & Colin Parr, clarinet (Rtd Principal Clarinet, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra)  Doors open 7.00pm, Concert 7.45pm Tickets £6 (Bar) from John Wells 01803 722414
   

• If you are looking for accommodation over Regatta click here.

The Earl of Pembroke in Dartmouth Harbour last week

Why not come and visit Dartmouth?

• Self catering accommodation click here
   
• Dartmouth B and B  click here
   
• Dartmouth Hotels click here
   
• A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

Images copyright  Dave Cawley,  Andy Kyle,  Tony Pike  & others.