About this site

Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003.

She was berthed in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands at N49° 30’.197 W002° 30’.350 until she was sold in October 2021.

This site charts the thrilling adventures they had in her.

You can contact us here.

Where’s Play d’eau?

If the new owners have the AIS on, you can find where Play d'eau is right now.

Click here.

Zoom in and our position will be shown on a map.

Recent Posts

Leg 21 – L’Aber Wrac’h to Roscoff – 30 August 2013

Large patches of weed were waiting to strangle our props and rudders

Three weeks ago when we left Rochefort, we had the distinct feeling we were starting our journey home; latitude was increasing and we were heading north – homeward bound. The feeling became a reality yesterday on reaching L’Aber Wrac’h …

Continue reading Leg 21 – L’Aber Wrac’h to Roscoff – 30 August 2013

Leg 20 – Camaret to L’Aber Wrac’h – 29 August 2013

We left Camaret in thick fog

Yes, yes, yes! Fog – and lots of it. Maybe 100m maximum. So today we’d be on full weapons using our new radar seriously after all these hours of practising. And let’s not forget the Kahlenbergs and their auto-signaller for those four second blasts every two minutes …

Continue reading Leg 20 – Camaret to L’Aber Wrac’h – 29 August 2013

Leg 19 – Sainte Marine to Camaret – 28 August 2013

Sunrise over Sainte Marine

The Brest peninsula is the gateway twixt Brittany’s west and north coasts around which the Atlantic rushes in its desperate attempt to reach the North Sea before time is called for it to turn around and dash back some six hours later …

Continue reading Leg 19 – Sainte Marine to Camaret – 28 August 2013

Leg 18 – Port Louis to Sainte Marine – 26 August 2013

We reversed between the pontoon and the trawlers

This was a perfect journey. So gentle, so beautiful. Why Sainte Marine when we had planned for one our favourite marinas, Port La Fôret? Vendée Globe racing yachts had filled the marina leaving no room to spare for Play d’eau, but Sainte Marine opened their arms to us …

Continue reading Leg 18 – Port Louis to Sainte Marine – 26 August 2013

Leg 17 – La Roche Bernard to Port Louis – 25 August 2013

Our inaccessible river pontoon at La Roche Bernard

0530 and the alarm woke us from a deep sleep. As I struggled to prise my eyes open I was thinking of good reasons not to go, but a strong cup of coffee from Lin soon put paid to the ideas …

Continue reading Leg 17 – La Roche Bernard to Port Louis – 25 August 2013

Rounding the Brest Peninsula

This pigeon rested on Play d'eau for ten hours

We are about to head for the Brest peninsula to take advantage of the neap tides. This will involve us travelling from La Roche Bernard via Port Louis (Lorient), Port La Foret, Camaret and L’Aber Wrac’h, in the next few days …

Continue reading Rounding the Brest Peninsula

A Year of Firsts

Lin and our four boys

When this year began we had no idea some of the ‘firsts’ that would happen. In October 2012 we spent a week in Guernsey making sure we knew the practical details surrounding our move to the island in March 2013 where we’d live …

Continue reading A Year of Firsts

Leg 16 – Pornic to La Roche Bernard – 20 August 2013

We motored through a shoal (wobble?) of these huge jelly fish

The falling spring tide would bring today’s special challenges. La Roche Bernard is some 10nm up the beautiful La Vilaine river. Just beyond midway is the Arzal lock and the 1400 écluse would be perfect – if the planning allowed it …

Continue reading Leg 16 – Pornic to La Roche Bernard – 20 August 2013

Leg 15 – Les Sables d’Olonne to Pornic – 15 August 2013

A lovely calm sea for cruising

Looking forward to another FLIR experience, we cast off from Quai Garnier’s pontoon A ‘exterieur’ and headed into the black an hour and a half before sunrise, destination Pornic in the départment Loire Atlantique, some 60nm to the North …

Continue reading Leg 15 – Les Sables d’Olonne to Pornic – 15 August 2013

When do we return to Guernsey?

Calm seas as the sun rises

Whilst moored in Port Garnier marina, Les Sables d’Olonne, local trawlers of all sizes pass us by heading for their cooperative some 300m beyond the marina. Since they bring fresh catch every moment of the day, we really don’t mind the noise or being tossed around by their wakes since the cooperative’s …

Continue reading When do we return to Guernsey?