Abandoned boat drifting off the Mewstone

Walkers on the South West Coastal path sighted what they presumed to be an upturned dinghy off Old Mill Cove, north east of the Mewstone. They reported this to the volunteers at Froward Point Coast Watch who relayed the information to HMCG Solent. The RNLI Dart inshore lifeboat was on exercise in Old Mill Creek on the River Dart when they were deployed to investigate the sighting. They found an eight foot, cream coloured tender, practically submerged. It had drifted to a position off Kelly's Cove. The small outboard was in the elevated position, there were no oars on-board and the painter was hanging over the bow. These indicated that it was unlikely that there had been anyone in the boat when it was lost. The tender was towed to the double steps in Dartmouth Harbour.