Denis Denis

Taxi, EasyJet, Navette (whatever that might be), Train, Mini-bus .. alors   .. Port Medoc  again.

Port Medoc.

Royan .. nice, mais les WC terrible

Man dressed in banana (at Royan)

Denis de’Oleron   .. “generally a good thing”

30 degrees, sunny, good swimming.

Rob and Katie took out an F1  (cat  .. chat?)

Banoffee Pie tonight

Up at 0645 mane.

Something about tides

As we are home feeding the dogs for the next few weeks, and therefore not blogging, it may be a good time to  ponder the Brittany Tides.

Tides are something to do with the moon and Einstein's General Theory of Relativity.

Here's Al holding down a pile at L'Aberwrac'h

Here's the same pile 6 hours later. (note how the moon has made it grow).

More on Advanced Physics for Sailors next  month.

Bordeaux .. almost

Next stop Saint Denis d'Oleron.
Lovely.
Unfortunately we arrived at the same time as 50 or more old gaffers on a rally.  The French seem to love rallies.
Extremely helpful Harbour Master  found us an easy spot on the end of a pontoon.

Up early  .. too early .. I blame the Captain (me).  After looking at the sums again we delayed our departure to 0830 on account of a minor error in my tidal calculations.

Motor-sailed  down to the Garonne.  Beware the tides and the sand banks of  this mighty river!
Also beware not having updated your chart.
Anyway, we didn't hit the bottom and arrived safely in Port Medoc.
Large modern, spacious, easy  with staff that speak English even better than I speak French.  Remarkable ne c'est pas, eh ?

(a not-very-good picture of Port Medoc)

Another run with Jeannie  (nuf said)

Port Medoc is  quiet near the airport (I thought)
Mini bus to  Le Verdun  (whose Train Station is indeed a testament to public transport subsidy and whose Station Master  may one day appear on  Have You Got Talent).
2 hours train to  Bordeaux St Jean

40 mins Shuttle to Bordeaux airoporte
3 hours sensory deprivation at the aforementioned airport.
1 hour "Easy Jet"
Gatters
Train
Taxi
HOME!

Remarkably  Bonzo had either not had the opportunity to eat any intruders, or if he had, he'd left no crumbs.
But then he's a tidy (if mildly  psychopathic) dog.

Life, the Universe, Everything

After Joinville we sailed onward to  Les Sables D'Olonne.
A nice marina full of nice people.
Soon after we'd tied up, a familiar-looking boat appeared and docked next to us.  Jean, Mark and Gill went on an important shopping expedition, leaving me to re-water the boat (and chat to neighbours).  On their return the boat hadn't been re-watered but I had.  Anyway, after another hour or two aboard "Midnight Sky" we went out to supper.  This brings me on to "Allegra"  (CCRC). She'd seen her  moored outside the Capitainerie and remembering that her skipper and crew were not only charming, friendly and invariably welcoming but also that they are probably the best cooks  afloat, we popped in for a chat.
Sloe Gin is even better than I remembered.

So much for Les Sables  (it's where the Vendee Globe starts from of course  .. had  hoped to  bump into  Pete Goss and perhaps my mate Tony Bullimore  and give them a few tips about the Southern Ocean but apparently the  next Globe doesnt start till next year.)

From Les Sables we were aiming at La Rochelle  but Jean sensibly suggested that instead we should anchor off the end of Ile-de-Re. We had a pleasant afternoon being interogated by the very pleasant Customes Team  that boarded us  in their flubber-francaise  whilst their 70 foot  grey steel mother ship  circled us  with  guns suitably aimed.  Anyway, I did eventually  find the "ship's papers" and we left to suffer the night on our rolling mooring  (those of us, that is, who  werent up at  0230  and 0300  fiddling  with  straining mooring lines).

Next on to Ile D'aix for an very pleasant lunchtime anchorage  (not Douanes there), thence 13  miles up (the very very beautiful) River Charente  to Rochefort, were we are now.  A lovely town,something of a cross  between  Chatham, Dartmouth and Beaulieu.
Very hot.
Went for a 6 mile run with Jean before breakfast .. it's either love or the sun's getting to me.