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

Joey wasn’t feeling well

A cold winter's evening sky

‘We regret to announce a delay to Aurigny’s 1300 flight to Dinard,’ came the announcement over Guernsey Airport’s public address.

Sadly, Joey wasn’t feeling well and had to be taken to Sick Bay in his hanger whilst a replacement Trilander was found. …

Continue reading Joey wasn’t feeling well

Frozen Shoulder

Having drawn pretty pictures on my shoulder, two incisions were made

I know it’s winter but it has nothing to do with a Frozen Shoulder – really. It’s where the range of shoulder movement becomes progressively restricted.

Having had my left shoulder operated on successfully in November 2011, my consultant at the time advised there was a 20% chance of the Frozen Shoulder condition migrating to the right shoulder …

Continue reading Frozen Shoulder

I flew on Joey

Joey, the courageous Trilander of Aurigny Air Services

I had to attend a 3 hour meeting in Dubai the other day. The round trip took 6 days.

The route from Guernsey was to Dinard, Rennes, Paris de Gaulle, Dubai (for the 3 hour meeting), Paris de Gaulle, Rennes, Dinard and finally home to Guernsey, using small, big and huge planes, taxis, hire cars and hotels. …

Continue reading I flew on Joey

A flash of orange and turquoise

A kingfisher watches for his lunch near to Play d'eau

It was a sudden flash of colour that caught my attention. Orange and turquoise. Looking up, I espied a Kingfisher on the wall by Play d’eau.

You never have a camera to hand when you need one, do you? So whilst Lin brought me the camera, changed lenses, I kept watch on this bundle of colour. …

Continue reading A flash of orange and turquoise

Post prostate

Claudine and a selection of her nursing staff

Having so enjoyed my stay in The Victoria Wing of The Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Guernsey, where I was so thoroughly spoiled by the nursing staff and Chef Dave, I returned to take some pics of the team and Chef Dave’s food.

The upshot is that du Pré Guernsey Ltd has been engaged as an advisor to the CEO’s team to re-design The Medical Specialist Group’s new web-site, and also that of The Victoria Wing …

Continue reading Post prostate

Preferred channel marker?

Piers has a red eye

As the song goes, “Woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head”. And then I looked in the mirror, and saw an horrific sight! A red eye looking back at me.

For some unknown reason, it was completely bloodshot. Possibly not the prettiest sight know to man. …

Continue reading Preferred channel marker?

Did the walls fall down?

Holes were drilled into the granite walls

Following our previous post (The Trumpet sounded), we can happily report that the walls didn’t fall down.

But just to be on the safe side, Beaucette Marina is taking precautions.

For the last two months, quarry engineers have been working in Beaucette marina, pegging walls with two metre rods, strapping with cable, and on part of the west wall, covering with netting. …

Continue reading Did the walls fall down?

The trumpet shall sound

Alain played on the back of Play d'eau

The phone rang. It was a French number. I answered cautiously. ‘Allo?’

It was Alain, the trumpeter from the Cornouaille Jazz Band! He’d arrived in St Peter Port from Port La Forêt in his 6m yacht and could we meet …

Continue reading The trumpet shall sound

Coming and Going

Diccon and family on the south coast

As soon as Diccon and Charlottes’ two children, Oscar and Maia, scrambled down the Flybe aircraft steps, they started running towards the terminal building leaving Mum and Dad behind. Baggage in hand, all four emerged from Customs and the children ran into our arms.

With cries of ‘Can we go to the beach?’ and ‘Can we go on the boat?’ we find the car, drive to Beaucette Marina and board Play d’eau …

Continue reading Coming and Going

Family comes to stay

Ricky takes the family to Herm for the afternoon

A treat! Our eldest and his family flew over to stay with us on Play d’eau for a long Bank Holiday weekend.

Mid-afternoon last Saturday, we met his family at Guernsey’s airport and took the coast road back to Beaucette. In a display of welcome to Guernsey, out came the sun banishing the grey clouds to England and creating a clear blue sky just for us. …

Continue reading Family comes to stay