For those of you that don’t already know..........every single snap on this website is taken from one place -

our garden in Above Town, Dartmouth, Devon, England

Sunday November 2nd 2025 9.00m

Apologies for the extreme delay in updating this front page - some techie issues are to blame.

But pix have been taken most days so sit back and wade through the photos from September and October.

As always, this page shows a few taster pix, there are hundreds more inside the various albums.

Click any pic to reach all that month's pix.

TVFTDO is a unique record of life in, on, around and above the wonderful river Dart.

PREVIOUSLY ON TVFTDO

11-08-2025 - 15:40:17

With two tugs of the forelock, harmony was restored.

Well, the ferry service resumed with just one ferry operating.

09-08-2025 - 16:36:36

The Nunney Castle loco popped in for a special rail tour visit.

There's some power on display as it departed Kingswear.

08-08-2025 - 16:52:32

Outside of the craft's main cabin, this captain manoevred expedition superyacht Grey Wolf, a return visitor onto the town jetty.

14-08-2025 - 11:04:13

Passing Out parade at BRNC gave us two flypasts - a Royal Navy Merlin, pix of which you can see inside the August album and this little gem, a Harvard T6 trainer built in Ontario in 1954 for the United States Air Force.

Its appearance over Dartmouth was all too brief, but there are three more pix inside this months album. Just click the pic.

16-08-2025 - 03:49:52

Couldn't sleep so was witness to the stillest river ever.

Superyacht Constance and super yacht Mini Y stayed stock still during this thirty second exposure.

Rather pleased with it. See it, and more, inside. Click the pic.

13-08-2025 - 12:53:00

The searchlight emplacement at Froward Point is over two and a half kilometres away.

So if it looks like a Jack Vetriano painting, that might be the reason.

19-08-2025 - 05:09:17

Dramatic scene at the entrance to Waterhead Creek. Three boats caught fire and drifted out towards the main stream.

Fire Brigade, Coastguard and RNLI joined Dart Harbour staff in keeping the blazing craft away from other moored boats.

Lots more pix inside the August album. Just click the pic.

19-08-2025 - 06:29:04

After the fires were extinguished and dawn broke, one of the burned out boats could be seen dragged to the shore

More pix inside the August album. Click the pic.

19-08-2025 - 05:15:29

At one point smoke enveloped the entire marine.

Luckily the flames were confined to the initial three boats.

More pix inside the August album. Click the pic.

20-08-2025 - 17:37:33

An expedition superyacht sashayed into the river Dart this afternoon. Called Shinkai (it says on the tin) it's 55 metres long.

Built in 2021 by Feadship and reportedly owned by a Belgian who made his billions in sugar.

But that might be waffles.

Loads more pix of Shingkai inside the August album, just click the pic.

20-08-2025 - 22:50:55

Unusually for a 55 metre vessel, Shinkai moored up on Dartmouth's town jetty.

Saves getting the runaround out.

24-08-2025 - 14:57:27

When you get rowing properly, it appears you end up pulling the oar down not along.

It's tough going, that rowing.

26-08-2025 - 12:34:02

Military day in Dartmouth today as the town prepares for Regatta proper. First of all an incredibly low, incredibly quiet and incredibly impressive, this Royal Air Force A-400M Atlass transporter flew down river before exeuting a sharp right turn over Dyers Wood.

Lots more pix of this Atlas inside the August album. Just click the pic.

26-08-2025 - 14:48:28

Coming back downriver to it mooring spot in the centre of the river.

26-08-2025 - 13:45:43

Meanwhile, a little earlier this diesel loco came down the line from Paignton.

Looked very smart and being driven with a bit of caution. There was a reason........

26-08-2025 - 13:45:43

.....it's the rail company's class 37 diesel, just overhauled and repainted in the livery of the Railfrieght Coal sector.

Seems to be a big thing for the diesel spotters. Regardless, it looks very smart.

28-08-2025 - 09:20:03

As with any August travel, there was the inevitable hold up at the ferry

27-08-2025 - 11:41:06

Dragon boat racing was fun to watch.

Not necessarily fun to hear. That drum danced to a different beat.

28-08-2025 - 15:45:06

A dramatic yet slow (ish) flypast from a Royal Air Force Airbus A-400M Atlas transporter.

Flying in low over Gallants Bower and passing upriver towards Dittisham.

Loads more pix inside. Just click the pic.

28-08-2025 - 14:13:35

Among more than one hundred Boats taking part in Dartmouth Sailing Week a few breakages are to be expected.

This one, however looks a bit more serious than a broken shackle, it's called Further West.

And hopefully there were no injuries.

28-08-2025 - 14:11:58

But it appears to be more than one boat returning injured.

Two expensive carbon fibre masts are ruined.

On the left is Checkmate XX  and on the right is Further West.

29-08-2025 - 20:51:36

James Prestwood's flyboarding displays never disappoints and Friday evening's illuminated show was a dazzler.

Masses more pix inside. Click the pic

29-08-2025 - 13:17:48

One of Al Fresco's ladies teams celebrate their hard won victory in the rowing.

29-08-2025 - 14:14:24

Classic yacht Cynthia has a reputation as a Regatta scene stealer. Sails are always up and the crew never stop smiling.

And here, we have two Pete's aboard.

Inside the August album you can find the moment when Cynthia let decorum slip and gave the town a glimpse of her derriere.

30-08-2025 - 18:23:25

Ocean going paddle steamer Waverley arrived to be met just inside the castles by our own paddle steamer, the Kingswear Castle.

30-08-2025 - 18:24:48

Moored up on the town jetty, Ps Waverley and PS Kingswear eyed each other up.

With mutual admiration, one hopes.

30-08-2025 - 21:10:32

Later came the end of Regatta Fireworks.

A good display. Badly photographed (by me, anyway).

But if you want to see more, there's a few others inside the August album.

30-08-2025 - 19:33:58

Earlier we had a more natural light display. One of the best ever double rainbows that I have captured.

And here, on the rainbow river Dart, I've snapped a few.

30-08-2025 - 16:23:00

The RNLI demonstration was one of the casualties of the weather.

But the Atlantic class lifeboat crew took the opportunity for some rough weather training using one of the ferries for a practice transfer.

More pix inside - just click the pic.

30-08-2025 - 18:23:59

As the two vessels passed Kingswear, their relevant sizes are apparent.

Waverley is a giant of a steamer. For the record:

                                   Waverley                 73.18m long  (239ft 11ins)           17.45m wide (57ft 3ins)

                                   Kingswear Castle      34.67m long  (113ft 9ins)           5.3m wide    (17ft 4ins)

01-09-2025 - 09:50:22

Quite possibly my favourite 'Dartmouth departure' pic ever.

HMS Mersey sails out as the crew acknowledge a fellow seaman's best wishes.

01-09-2025 - 09:46:48

And, oh look, there's our Dartmouth pilot again.

12-09-2025 - 11:48:02

The Hebridean Princess was expected to be the final cruise ship of the season, but this morning, in came Island Sky, a last minute request as their intended destination of the Scilly Isles looked a bit rough. Weatherwise, that is.

Loads more pix of Island Sky inside, just click the pic.

12-09-2025 - 08:41:51

Staff on Island Sky enjoyed their unexpected surroundings. Even if lunch was expected to be prepared.

04-09-2025 - 08:22:33

Wild water swimming in the river Dart remains popular even after the summer.

And here is why Dartmouth prefers swimmers to people who cannot read. Also know as jet ski riders.

05-09-2025 - 05:59:05

It has been three years since I captured a cruise ship overnighting in Dartmouth.

And wouldn't you know it - it was also the Hebridean Princess.

A longer visit than originally planned and very welcome.

05-10-2025 - 09:52:39

Brave bird that cormorant. Click the pic to see a full sequence and find out the winner. Oh, yes, there's a winner alright.

And probably not the one you might be expecting.

17-10-2025 - 11:19:07

The extensive rebuild of Inverdart Boathouse continues apace.

That rock always did look a liability.

21-10-2025 - 12:40:42

It took a few days to make it disappear.

17-10-2025 - 11:19:07

But the digger driver got stuck between a rock and a hard place.....with the tide coming in.

This is the repair man, sorting the issue as the waves lapped around the tracks.

06-10-2025 - 07:44:11

A really good photogrspher would be showing you a pic of the space station crossing the sun.

Here's the cut price version from TVFTDO - a Ryan Air holiday jet returning a plane load of sunseekers.

Passing the very thing they had been looking for.

23-10-2025 - 18:06:52

But, to state the blindingly obvious, the sun is powerful and can turn up at any time of the day to produce its magic.

18-10-2025 - 10:40:39

Lots of shooting and shouting on the river over the last few weeks as BRNC cadets practise their warfare skills.

Here's one of the 'villains' (in the smaller boat) chasing an Officer Training Boat out of the river.

Not the calmest of days.

03-10-2025 - 09:47:19

The Fire Brigade off on a shout across the river via the Lower Ferry.

Not in such a rush that they can't say thank you to the ferry crew.

29-09-2025 - 13:24:33

Somewhat reminiscent of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - with a Spitfire and a Hurricane riding shotgun for a Lancaster.

29-09-2025 - 13:26:03

Clearly the crows were up in arms about the circling buzzard which might have attacked their young.

But Mr, or Mrs Buzzard had its hands full with its pre-packed lunch. A very sorry looking rodent.

24-10-2025 - 10:00:39

Tall ship Pelican of London has been in port for some time.

Tall ships have tall masts. People get sent up those masts.

Luckily they don't have far to go. Sorry, I misheard that....they don't have vertigo.

26-09-2025 - 20:40:04

Farming never stops.

27-10-2025 - 09:21:18

An astonishing amount of steel is going on to the roof of Noss-on-Dart's new apartment building.

This is just a small section of what looks like might become a huge butterfly wing.

23-10-2025 - 07:08:20

All together now - yes, it's...........ships that pass in the night.

On the left is 168m RCC Prestige, going from Grimsby to Setubal in Portugal, it's 12.6km away from me. And coming in from the right is Maersk Columbua, 299.47m long and travelling from Norfolk, Virginia to Antwerp in Belgium. It's 10.6 km away.

So the ships are actually two kilometres apart. Probably safe enough.

19-10-2025 - 19:08:54

A wierd one. I saw this aircraft flying fast in front of Kingswear one night. No sound, so soon realised it had to be a drone.

Now normally there would be no chance of taking a pic, but as it reached

Waterhead Creek a car was coming down from Hillhead and backlit the craft.

19-10-2025 - 19:08:56

You have no idea how happy that made me to capture a drone at night.

Small pleasures eh ?

08-10-2025 - 19:10:07

Trawler fishermen have a dangerous enough job as it is, without having to practice for a figurehead role.

24-10-2025 - 13:41:40

A bit of a sorry and embarassing sight in Above Town. Thankfully now taken down.

25-10-2025 - 08:57:36

Another sad sight in Above Town. Even more sadly it is still there and likely to remain so.

But then my broadband is connected to it, so there would be no TVFTDO without this eyesore.

15-10-2025 - 11:43:05

For the record: most of the pontoons at RDYC and Dart Harbour's went in the middle of October. Back next Spring.

28-10-2025 - 10:30:24

Tall ship Pelican of London had its liferafts removed / replaced / inspected.

23-10-2025 - 15:14:48

Incidentally, if anyone was wondering just how the digger got onto lighthouse boach to remove the big rock (see up above), here's your answer.

29-10-2025 - 14:13:48

This week saw a visit from four rather tough looking Commando Raiding Craft. Each containing four rather tough looking Commandos.

31 August 2012 - 17:30:28

And here, from the magic that is my archive is the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Dartmouth Regatta in 2012.

Hurricane LF363, Spitfire AB910 and Lancaster PA474 City of Lincoln.