Wed 22nd
A grey day! We left La Rochelle about 7am local time and the weather was very heavy, overcast & grey. We had also topped up the water tanks in port & that was a mistake – it didn’t taste very nice at all. Thank goodness for bottled water (MW), we have now pumped out all the tank and refilled with really sweet water here in Port Medoc – not quite as sweet as Scottish rain water but close to it. Anyway back to the grey day – the water was an even darker grey than the skies and it didn’t get any better; we’ve now had 2 days in lang breeks & simmits (the weather must improve soon). It was a reasonable sail down to Port Medoc but the seas were still quite big – it had been over a week in port so we were both looking a bit grey. There is a warning in the pilot book not to enter into the Girronde estuary during the ebb and it looked like we were going to be early. So we put some sail away and tried to slow down – but the wind picked up – and so the seas didn’t get any less.. and we were still going to be early ! But back to the grey day – just at the entrance to the channel which starts about 4 miles out from the estuary - a big grey ship was charging our way…… It circled us a couple of times, taking pictures and generally checking us out then turned and pulled up as close as his blues eyes thought he could get and shouted us on the loudhailer to switch to channel 10 on the radio. We had a chat over the radio (the very nice French Customs man & me) about where were we from (Oban --- ‘can you spell that please’..), a few other questions and then the crunch ‘Have you been checked by French Customs since you got here?’ Reply – ‘No, Sir we have not!’ silence for a few seconds then ‘Standby on channel 10..’ they must have been tossing euros to see who they were going to send over -- anyway we won because the came back on the radio to say that they were happy for us to carry on. That would have been an interesting boat transfer if they had decided to come over for a look. However that was the first visit from F. Customs – others we have spoken to have been boarded 3 times.
Thurs 23rd
Port Medoc is a new marina that is improving its facilities for visiting yachts but still lacks any shops for normal things like food and milk, hopefully that will change soon. WiFi is not very good here and we have to walk up and sit outside the office to get reasonable signal – when it was good in L Rochelle it was very good and just before we left Carolyn had a chance to make a few phone calls via skype and I had a very good chat with nephew Craig on Windows Messenger.
We’ve checked the weather (grib files and magic seaweed) and we’re heading off to Santander tomorrow morning and should be there by Saturday evening – watch this space. Oh , it’s real by the way – check it out http://magicseaweed.com I wasn’t kidding!
One other thing has been hurricane Dean over in the Bahamas and there abouts – our friends Dave & Nora are over that way in their boat and we hope that they are OK. We tried to get in touch but haven’t heard yet.
Last? update from La Rochelle, 21st Aug
Tues 21st Aug
Well, we’re still here in La Rochelle the weather forecasts have not been good for heading out into the Bay of Biscay since we got here and it is a little later clearing away than we had hoped. So the updated plan is to leave here tomorrow (Wednesday 22nd) and go down to Port Medoc and onwards to Santander from there a couple of days later.
The weather here has been several days of showers and heavy rain so we have been pottering about on the boat during the rain and trying not to get caught out in the worst of the showers. The days that we did go out were up into La Rochelle, both walking and by bike, so that was OK. It’s a very vibrant city and absolutely mobbed with people.
It’s quite a trek to the big supermarket but the Capitainerie (marina office) hires out bikes for the deposit of some form of photo ID. The bikes are in very good condition, if not new, but don’t have gears – but that’s OK, the first 2 hours are free and only 1 euro / hour after that. So we have used the bikes quite a few times – just remember which way the traffic is coming from…… and which way to go on the roundabout.
What else has been happening, ah yes, I’ve been playing with the HF radio and managed to talk to some people back in UK, someone in the Orkneys, at Barns Ness lighthouse near Dunbar, Isle of Man and also someone in Swansea. All those contacts were in the Amateur frequencies (either 14 MHz or 18 MHz), we also tried to get in touch with some friends near Oban on their boat by using the marine bands but although they had managed to hear us – we couldn’t hear them – maybe next time.
We have also met a few couples on Brit boats that have helped to quench Carolyn’s thirst to hear British voices now and again (other than mine). One couple are on their way back north to winter their boat nearer UK after having been in the French canals for most of the year and another couple (Bob & Nicky) are on their way south to Bordeaux to get into the canals and to the Mediterranean that way; we may see them next year in the Med. Their web diary is at http://www.getjealous.com/bob-and-nicky .
One of the days that we ventured into La Rochelle we visited the Museum of Automata which is a very good and well laid out exhibition of models, mannequins and toys, which all (most?) still operate even though some were made at the end of the 1800s or early 1900s. There did seem to be a lot of examples from 1920 so I suppose it was probably an in vogue thing to make around about then.
Good luck to all the kids now back at school and thanks to everyone for their messages. We have been asked to include some photos of the blog-meisters; so we will shave off our beards and make some new palm-frond clothes ready for the photo shoot. More pics soon… promise.
Well, we’re still here in La Rochelle the weather forecasts have not been good for heading out into the Bay of Biscay since we got here and it is a little later clearing away than we had hoped. So the updated plan is to leave here tomorrow (Wednesday 22nd) and go down to Port Medoc and onwards to Santander from there a couple of days later.
The weather here has been several days of showers and heavy rain so we have been pottering about on the boat during the rain and trying not to get caught out in the worst of the showers. The days that we did go out were up into La Rochelle, both walking and by bike, so that was OK. It’s a very vibrant city and absolutely mobbed with people.
It’s quite a trek to the big supermarket but the Capitainerie (marina office) hires out bikes for the deposit of some form of photo ID. The bikes are in very good condition, if not new, but don’t have gears – but that’s OK, the first 2 hours are free and only 1 euro / hour after that. So we have used the bikes quite a few times – just remember which way the traffic is coming from…… and which way to go on the roundabout.
What else has been happening, ah yes, I’ve been playing with the HF radio and managed to talk to some people back in UK, someone in the Orkneys, at Barns Ness lighthouse near Dunbar, Isle of Man and also someone in Swansea. All those contacts were in the Amateur frequencies (either 14 MHz or 18 MHz), we also tried to get in touch with some friends near Oban on their boat by using the marine bands but although they had managed to hear us – we couldn’t hear them – maybe next time.
We have also met a few couples on Brit boats that have helped to quench Carolyn’s thirst to hear British voices now and again (other than mine). One couple are on their way back north to winter their boat nearer UK after having been in the French canals for most of the year and another couple (Bob & Nicky) are on their way south to Bordeaux to get into the canals and to the Mediterranean that way; we may see them next year in the Med. Their web diary is at http://www.getjealous.com/bob-and-nicky .
One of the days that we ventured into La Rochelle we visited the Museum of Automata which is a very good and well laid out exhibition of models, mannequins and toys, which all (most?) still operate even though some were made at the end of the 1800s or early 1900s. There did seem to be a lot of examples from 1920 so I suppose it was probably an in vogue thing to make around about then.
Good luck to all the kids now back at school and thanks to everyone for their messages. We have been asked to include some photos of the blog-meisters; so we will shave off our beards and make some new palm-frond clothes ready for the photo shoot. More pics soon… promise.
Update Mon 13th from La Rochelle
Thurs 9th Aug
Left Port Joinville, Ile D’ Yeu to go to Bourgenay and arrived about 5:30pm, quite a good sail after the wind picked up later in the morning (quite exciting by the time we were going into the marina – cranking along at 6 & 1/2 knots with just the cruising chute). Purpose built marina with no town just holiday lets so it was clean, quiet and very pleasant.
Fri 10th
Had thought about going to La Rochelle but changed our minds for St Denis on Ile D’Oleron because we thought it would be quieter --– wrong…. Squeezed into the very end of the trot, didn’t think they could fit on another boat but they did. However, it is the French version of Glasgow Fair Fortnight so everywhere is mega busy. We were going to stay another day and try to make for Royan (so that we could meet up with some friends) but the tides and difficult entry timing would have made it all too difficult.
Sat 11th
Anyway; Saturday afternoon tide – most people in the raft of boats were wanting to move so we had to get out of the way and didn’t fancy being the inboard boat on a raft of 6 (everybody traipsing over the decks – nae piece). So a hasty decision was made to head for La Rochelle, roughly 3 hours. Wind was wrong and it may have been moving backwards on the map but there is everything in L’Rochelle. Zoom in on the google map (link from the route) for a good look at the marina and city. Oh – another bonus pay for 2 and the 3rd night is free.
Sun 12th
Checked the 5 day forecast and see that there is a major weather front arriving in South Biscay in a couple of days. The next step had been to head for Santander but we would like a definite clear couple of days because it is about 36 – 40 hours passage. Well the forecast is for 35 knot winds off Finesterre and the seas building up to 18 feet – so we are staying here for at least a week til the seas and wind settles out.
Sun 12th
Rechecked the weather and updated the pins on Google map for the route, 1st mate did some laundry; ate dozens of crepes (in the interests of research – trying to find the best). Walked up as far as the city towers & decided that Monday would be a day in the town. Found out the hard way that the HOT showers are not included in the price…..
Mon 13th
Day in town, prepared the photos and diary notes. Rechecked the weather and will definitely stay until about 20th. Will let you know when we are moving and what we are up to.
Left Port Joinville, Ile D’ Yeu to go to Bourgenay and arrived about 5:30pm, quite a good sail after the wind picked up later in the morning (quite exciting by the time we were going into the marina – cranking along at 6 & 1/2 knots with just the cruising chute). Purpose built marina with no town just holiday lets so it was clean, quiet and very pleasant.
Fri 10th
Had thought about going to La Rochelle but changed our minds for St Denis on Ile D’Oleron because we thought it would be quieter --– wrong…. Squeezed into the very end of the trot, didn’t think they could fit on another boat but they did. However, it is the French version of Glasgow Fair Fortnight so everywhere is mega busy. We were going to stay another day and try to make for Royan (so that we could meet up with some friends) but the tides and difficult entry timing would have made it all too difficult.
Sat 11th
Anyway; Saturday afternoon tide – most people in the raft of boats were wanting to move so we had to get out of the way and didn’t fancy being the inboard boat on a raft of 6 (everybody traipsing over the decks – nae piece). So a hasty decision was made to head for La Rochelle, roughly 3 hours. Wind was wrong and it may have been moving backwards on the map but there is everything in L’Rochelle. Zoom in on the google map (link from the route) for a good look at the marina and city. Oh – another bonus pay for 2 and the 3rd night is free.
Sun 12th
Checked the 5 day forecast and see that there is a major weather front arriving in South Biscay in a couple of days. The next step had been to head for Santander but we would like a definite clear couple of days because it is about 36 – 40 hours passage. Well the forecast is for 35 knot winds off Finesterre and the seas building up to 18 feet – so we are staying here for at least a week til the seas and wind settles out.
Sun 12th
Rechecked the weather and updated the pins on Google map for the route, 1st mate did some laundry; ate dozens of crepes (in the interests of research – trying to find the best). Walked up as far as the city towers & decided that Monday would be a day in the town. Found out the hard way that the HOT showers are not included in the price…..
Mon 13th
Day in town, prepared the photos and diary notes. Rechecked the weather and will definitely stay until about 20th. Will let you know when we are moving and what we are up to.
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