All posts by Piers du Pré

Cruising

Leg 15 (2015) – Les Sables d’Olonne to Pornichet

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The day we left, the sunrise was setting the town on fire
click to enlarge
The decision was taken to make as much headway north as reasonably possible.

Northwards Ho!

After nine days in Les Sables d’Olonne of wintry cold, windy and rainy days, we had an ETD of 0700. We knew the westerly swell would be a short and steep 1½m for the first two hours but it would gradually diminish as we passed between Île d’Yeu and the mainland, destination Pornichet.

With a gentle NW2, at 0707 we quietly singled the warps, removed shore power, started Play d’eau’s Cummins engines, edged out of the Olona marina and into the fairway with a glorious sunrise and her early morning light warm on our backs.

Olona marina

Given the negative comments we’d heard about the Olona marina, we’d always chosen to stay at Quai Garnier. This time, we visited Olona simply because of our previous experience of excessive and endless noise and copious quantities of dirt at Quai Garnier, earlier this trip.

Contrary to hearsay, we found Olona peaceful and clean. We had an excellent berth (A46) and the Super U was only a five minutes walk away.

It’s sad, since Quai Garnier’s Harbour Master, Wesley, and his assistant, Plaideau, were so helpful. So would we return to Quai Garnier? Yes, but we’d have to say provided noise levels had dropped and the dirt from offloading cargo vessels had significantly decreased.

En Route

The modern, smart Olona Marina Capitainerie
click to enlarge
Almost as soon as we exited the pierheads and turned west and north west to round the town of Les Sables, the swell made its presence known. Play d’eau and her crew nodded up and down in a somewhat exuberant manner for the next two hours until we were running up the coast between Île d’Yeu and the mainland.

Knowing this is where we almost hooked a net two years ago, we doubled our watch. True to form, we spotted a net just below the surface with only two white markers some 500m apart.

Play d’eau performed a tight pirouette of which the London Ballet would have been proud, missed the net and plotted her way around it whilst we breathed a sigh of relief.

Grand Rade de La Loire

By the time we came to the Grand Rade there was only the slightest breath of wind and the swell was exhausted. It was calm. For a bit of excitement, our track took us through 14 anchored cargo vessels the largest of which was the SCF Valdai at 237m.

Pornichet

The final approach to Pornichet was through a yacht race which for some reason was being held tight across the marina and its S-bend entrance. Tough, Play d’eau was constrained by draught in the narrow channel and racing offers no additional rights of way.

Without incident, comment or raised voice, we entered the marina and settled into our berth.

Met data

We woke to find this cargo vessel on the other side of the marina. Was it capsized?
click to enlarge
Les Sables d’Olonne: NW2, clear, good
Sea state: 1½m steep westerly swell becoming smooth
Pornichet: Clear skies, NW1

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 30 July 2015
Departed Les Sables: 0707 (7 minutes late – call of nature)
Arrived Pornichet: 1432
Pinchpoint: None
Longest leg: 21.7nm
Time en route: 7hr 25min
Planned distance: 61.6nm

Tech issues: Nil

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Cruising

Quadcopter No2

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Cleared for take-off
click to enlarge
Having drowned our first Phantom Vision quadcopter in the most spectacular manner in Beaucette Marina a year ago (please don’t ask…) maybe you can understand my reticence to fly its replacement.

Quadcopter No2

Having carried No2 in Play d’eau’s pilot house ever since but never having had the courage to fly it, it’s been hassling me every day saying, ‘Come on! I want to fly. Are you a pilot or not?’

So with renewed (provoked?) confidence but with great caution and readings of manuals, I’ve been practising and taking pics and videos.

Trials

Ab-initio training started in a park with acres of land and no water. Soon, confidence returned.

Spot landings were on the agenda since I’d be operating either from the aft cockpit of Play d’eau or a pontoon.

Success!

Quad 2, you’re cleared to land…
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Being the quiet and undemonstrative sort of chap that I am, I have to say that it’s been quite successful. I’ve managed some half decent videos and stills as well.

Now I have to learn how to edit and link them to Play d’eau’s website – and can one add music to them?

Helpful advice is really welcome.

Piers
from Play d’eau’s College of Quadcopter Training
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

Cruising

Ambushed by the weather

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8am this morning, and endless black clouds and high winds assail us
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Own up – who turned our brilliant weather off?

The 6 weeks following our departure from Audierne on 12th June have been utterly glorious. Sun cream by the gallon (well, not quite), calm seas and blue skies, all courtesy of a friendly Azores high pressure system spreading its wings over Play d’eau. It was perfect.

But the moment John and Beryl left nine days ago, we’ve had thunder storms and high winds created by an endless march of depression after depression which have won the battle and sent the high pressure running.

Where now?

Good question. So far we’ve been holed up in Les Sables d’Olonne for six days and the first weather window seems to be next Thursday. If so, we’ll have been in Les Sables for nine days when we only intended one.

Our plan had been to visit Île d’Yeu, Pornic, Roche Bernard in the La Vilaine River, anchor off one of the beautiful, small islands of the Quiberon Peninsula, moving onto Lorient, the Glénans archipelago known as the Breton Tahiti, and finally Port la Fôret before heading for Camaret on the Finistère Peninsula on or around 9th August.

Looking further into the forecasts brings even more depressions. Growl.

Battle plan

Well, two can play at this weather game. So, planning for the worst, rather than seven stops en route to Camaret with time off to play at each, we’ll do it in three. Pornichet, Lorient and Sainte Marine, taking any available weather window.

Meanwhile, if another high pressure graces us with its presence and banishes the depressions, we’ll stay and play. If it doesn’t, at least we know ‘the plan’.

You see, there’s always next year….

Piers and Lin
from the Meteorological Observatory of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

Cruising

Leg 14 (2015) – St Martin de Ré to Les Sables d’Olonne

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St Martin de Ré marina, taken from our quadcopter
click to enlarge
John and Beryl’s fortnight of cruising on Play d’eau had come to an end.

Amidst tears, damp handkerchiefs and endless wavings, the taxi drove slowly down the road, over the roundabout and on to La Rochelle’s airport. We stood a while, looking, and hoping beyond hope that the taxi would turn around and come back.

You see, John and Beryl are accepted as part of the family. We recognise this, my parents recognised this, as do our children. Family occasions of all sorts just wouldn’t be the same if John and Beryl weren’t there.

That’s why it was so hard to say goodbye.

St Martin de Ré

Surrounded by its early 17th Century fortifications originally designed by Cardinal Richelieu and later strengthened by Vauban, the small town of St Martin on the Île de Ré gleams with worn pavements, small alleyways adorned with hollyhocks, and square stone buildings with blue shutters and roofs of old, warm orange Mediterranean tiles.

A moat surrounds the fort’s inner sanctum half of which is locked to form the marina. No longer a citadel, the inner sanctum is now a few small street cafés and shops. St Martin de Ré is abuzz with life.

The weather changed

The small town is a maze of alleyways adorned with Hollyhocks
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Almost as soon as John and Beryl left, the weather changed.

Winds increased and the seas began to deliver a short, marked swell. Temperatures dropped and the humidity rose uncomfortably high.

The next two nights saw lightning and dramatic thunder storms bringing rain laden with copious amounts of dirt and dust held suspended for these last many weeks. Play d’eau became filthy and needed another one of her soapy bubble baths.

Where now?

Given only Lin and I were on board, it was quiet. No exciting tastings of the challenge to find a drinkable red wine as close to €2 as possible (it was €1 nine years ago); John wasn’t there to raise or strike the ensign at the correct times (two alarm clocks as reminders), or to source morning croissants. The list goes on. As I said, it was quiet.

Interestingly, it didn’t seem to matter where we went now. We couldn’t make our minds up. We found ourselves saying, ‘John and Beryl would have loved…’

The option was either Les Sables d’Olonne (again) or the beautiful, small Île d’Yeu. With the weather closing in our feeling of adventure was at a low ebb. We chose the safe option of Les Sables, but to use the Olona marina rather than Quai Garnia.

Our homeward journey northwards had to start.

Our last night

Having had such a great meal at Les Embruns with John and Beryl we had to return before leaving.

Welcomed back by the Chef to this small, boutique restaurant with its 13 tables, we had another magnificent meal. Some of the most adventurous and exciting cooking we’d had in years. We tried calling John and Beryl to share the fun. The calls went unanswered.

En route

The crew of this white, British yacht was fast asleep on the deck in their sleeping bags
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The lock gate opened at 7am, but a large, white, British wooden yacht was in the way. We couldn’t bring ourselves to wake the young crew so fast asleep on the deck in their sleeping bags. It was two hours before they woke and moved the yacht, allowing us to motor gently out of the marina into the moat and out of the fortifications.

Being sheltered by the island, the sea was flat. A number of shoals of sardines were creating energetic ruffles on the surface. We wondered what was chasing them for their breakfast.

As we neared the north of the island the swell rose and the ride became uncomfy.

Nearing Les Sables, the numerous trawlers and small fishing boats which inhabit (plague?) this area appeared on the radar.

Checking into Olona’s Capitainerie we were given one of the best moorings in this large but quiet marina.

Where next- and when?

The weather has certainly changed. The wind and swell are both high angered by a series of tight depressions ganging up against the west coast. The forecast shows we could be stuck in Les Sables for well over a week.

So where next? We have no idea. We may end up making an unsightly dash up the west coast and around the Finistère Peninsula to be in Roscoff for the 19 August where we hope to pick up our next guest, David, whom we’ve known since the early 1970s. We’ll see.

Met data

Les Embruns served some of the most exciting and adventurous food we’ve had in years
click to enlarge
St Martin de Ré: NW2, 8/8 cloud (stratus), good, calm with a swell
Sea state: 1½m swell from the west
Les Sables d’Olonne: Clear skies, NW3

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 21 July 2015
Departed St Martin de Ré: 0920
Arrived Les Sables d’Olonne: 1242
Pinchpoint: St Martin lock times
Longest leg: 17.5nm
Time en route: 3hr 22min
Planned distance: 25.9nm

Tech issues: Nil

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Cruising

Leg 13 (2015) – La Rochelle to St Martin de Ré

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We anchoed in 3m of water in this glorious bay
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I was in the middle of a lovely dream when the alarm rudely intruded and woke me. We had an hour before we needed to be hovering outside the 0645 lock, ready to exit the Les Chalutiers basin.

Today, the destination was St Martin de Ré.

Plan A

First, a hearing check. Thankfully, all eight of our collective’s ears were in good working condition despite the previous night’s Franco Folies’ best attempts to increase the sales of hearing aids.

Second, the mandatory visit to the boulangerie for our breakfast croissants and pains au chocolat.

Third, a review of the proposed passage: lock out at 0645, motor to a lovely sandy bay on the south east coast of the Île de Ré, anchor, have breakfast, swim and have lunch before motoring north along the east coast of the island to take the first lock into the heavily fortified town of St Martin.

Plan B

John dived off Play d’eau and swam in the 23°C sea
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Given the cloudy skies and breezy weather, we implemented plan B and nipped into the close-by Les Minimes marina to wait for the weak weather front to pass. Spending time at anchor in these conditions would not be pleasant.

Two hours after croissants the sun came out, the breeze disappeared and the waters calmed. Time to revert to Plan A.

Anchoring out

What a great time we had. The sunlit bay was a pure delight.

Having anchored in 3m of water, Beryl and Lin sat on the transom dangling their feet in the sea whilst John showed us to be the wimps we were by diving in and having a great swim.

St Martin, here we come

After 40 minutes of motoring we entered the fortified walls of St Martin, passed through the open lock and were directed to the same mooring we’d had two years ago.

It’s such a treat to be back here. Such a beautiful ancient town. A gem.

Met data

An alien spacecraft disguised as a boat?
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La Rochelle: NE3/4, low cloud cover, moderate visibility
Sea state: Choppy
St Martin de Ré: N2, clear skies, hot sun, no loud music

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 15 July 2015
Departed La Rochelle: 0645
Arrived St Martin de Ré: 1520
Pinchpoint: Les Chalutiers and St Martin lock times
Navigation: Pilotage
Time en route: 8hr 35min, inlcuding time in Les Minimes and anchoring time
Planned distance: 11.6nm

Tech issues: Nil

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Cruising

What on earth is it?

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En route to La Rochelle the other day, we saw an extremely fast and strange shaped boat in the distance.

We didn’t have time to target it on radar – it seemed to disappear as fast as it came.

What is it?

Whilst in Les Minimes yesterday, we found it. But what on earth is it?

Have I been watching too much Star Trek?

Piers and Lin
from the Master Mind studio of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Cruising

Leg 12 (2015) – St Denis d’Oléron to La Rochelle

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Staging for the threatened ‘Pop Concert Énorm’ was assembled in St Denis
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As the staging for a ‘Grand Groupe Pop Orchestre’ was being assembled, a large multi-coloured van was prowling around with its public address system booming to one and all that a ‘Pop Concert Énorme’ would be held in the marina ‘Ce Soir’.

It was our cue to depart. Leaving the concert énorme behind we made our escape, motored out of the marina and along the narrow fairway between the channel markers.

Anaesthetised

With Play d’eau having been the collision target for so many boats (is it something we’ve done?), we’ve become anaesthetised to being surprised.

Only once on this short passage were we attacked. A small 18′ motor boat from the St Denis Bateau École was hovering outside the fairway ahead and to port of us. Engaging its outboard engine, it turned, sped up, and made to cross the fairway aiming just ahead of us.

‘Here we go, again,’ I said to John. ‘How many COLREGS is this one about to disobey?’

This Newfoundland dog, keeping an eye on the skipper, was bigger and heavier than any of its crew
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All five on board the small boat were seemed to be talking at the same time to the poor chap under training, probably drowning the student with ‘wise guidance’ oblivious of what was happening or where they were going.

With my finger hovering to fire five shots from the Kahlenbergs, I held off. Were any of the five people on board the training boat looking out? Ah, one of them, leaning against the stern, looked up and saw us. Would he alert the others? No. Was he hypnotised? Was he so excited at the thought of the concert énorme that he couldn’t speak?

We watched in amazement. With power off, we slowed down and the Bateau École gently slipped in front of us. Only as the boat passed under our bow did they look up. None looked surprised. Some even waved, and I think the word they uses was ‘Bonjour’.

Énorme becomes Gigantic

We thought we’d escaped until we neared La Rochelle and saw the most gigantic staging, and above the sound of our engines we felt, more than heard, bass with a power that defied explanation. We vibrated.

Although half a mile away from where we were berthed, the noise was horrendous. Thankfully, it stopped sometime around 3.30am.

Next morning

Dusk fell on the marina front in St Denis
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Somewhat blurry eyed, we surfaced, yawned, stretched, scratched, made teas and coffees and opened the saloon doors only to see staging being erected immediately behind us on the waterfront.

We learned that at 10am sharp a military parade would be made in front of local dignitaries. So not another concert, just a parade.

Being next to the waterfront, we decided to dress Play d’eau overall. We had twenty minutes before ‘kick-off’. We made it. She looked lovely.

People began assembling, military began lining up, PA systems were checked, and at 10am sharp – nothing happened. It seemed no one knew what to do. With many discussions, scratching of kepis and examinations of clipboards, someone began introducing the assembly forty minutes later.

We never quite understood what the parade was for. Yes, there was a lot to say over the PA, and yes, some decorations were handed out, and yes, someone inspected the parade, and yes, colours were paraded with much marching music played over the PA.

With a final march pass it was over. Whilst dignitaries left in their cars and some on their motorcycles, we undressed Play d’eau and had lunch.

Met data

Sea sports are taught from year dot
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St Denis d’Oléron: WSW3, cloudy, hot sun, good visibility
Sea state: Smooth, with a swell from the west
La Rochelle: W3, clear skies, hot sun, and loud music

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 13 July 2015
Departed St Denis: 1128
Arrived La Rochelle (lock): 1500
Pinchpoint: Access to Les Chalutiers
Longest individual leg: 4.2nm
Time en route: 1hr 32min
Planned distance: 11.2nm

Tech issues: Nil

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Cruising

Leg 11 (2015) – La Rochelle to St Denis d’Oléron

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Yacht Joshua, which circumnavigated the world between 1966 and 1969
click to enlarge
With a following wind, blue skies and an almost too hot sun, we cast off for the short 1½ hour trip to St Denis.

At a gentlemanly time of morning, we nosed our way between the many pontoons of the 5,000 berth Les Minimes marina and entered the fairway to meet the day’s challenge.

Challenges

Wall to wall yachts. They were everywhere. Yet with such a large yachting fraternity should we really be surprised? Maybe not, but today seemed like an overload.

First, we were targeted by the red, steel ketch, Joshua, which circumnavigated the world between 1966 and 1969 with Bernard Moitessier. She looked great, but not when coming straight for us!

Second, fleets of small racers with their multi-coloured sails lit by the sun, looking so deceptively pretty.

And then…

Fleets of small yachts were racing all around us
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Ah yes. And then. Third, and potentially by far the most dangerous, was an 8m yacht, no more than 100m ahead and to starboard of us, which suddenly tacked but thankfully aimed to go behind us.

A few seconds later the skipper changed his mind to cut right in front of us. It was a question of immediate power off, engage reverse and open the throttles in an attempt not to mow him down and add him as decoration to Play d’eau’s anchor.

He passed not more than 10m in front of us. He lifted his hand in thanks. Did he know what he’d just done? Did he realise what we’d had to do?

Maybe the name of his yacht is more than just a name but a description of the skipper. It was ‘Bozo’.

Annoyingly, it happened too quickly to pick up the camera and take photos.

En route

Entering the approach channel to St Denis d’Oléron
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An hour or so later, we were entering the channel for St Denis.

Met data

Les Minimes: E3/4, clear skies, hot sun, good visibility
Sea state: Choppy, with wind against tide
St Denis d’Oléron: E4

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 10 July 2015
Departed La Rochelle (Les Minimes): 1049
Arrived St Denis: 1223
(2 minutes late – I blame ‘Bozo’)
Moored: 1233
Pinchpoint: Access to St Denis
Longest individual leg: 4.9nmTime en route: 1hr 34min
Planned distance: 11.2nm

Tech issues: Nil, but still monitoring the Sat Compass and stbd engine charging voltage

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Leg 10 (2105) – Rochefort to La Rochelle

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The early morning sun chases the cloud away
click to enlarge
Hmmm. The best laid plans….

We’d be unable to anchor out. The wind was forecast to rise significantly in the afternoon and stay strong overnight.

Where to?

The plan was to leave peaceful Rochefort at HW when the lock gate opened and anchor overnight at the southern end of Île d’Aix before making passage the next day to the St Denis marina on the island of d’Oléron.

But with a forecast strong F5 veering from NW to NE, it would be really uncomfy wherever we anchored. Instead, we altered the plan to head back to the marina at Les Minimes, La Rochelle, before making way to St Denis the next morning.

La Charente

Cargo ships use the river and go faster than you
click to enlarge
After a breakfast of fresh LIDL croissants (LIDL came fourth in our 2013 croissant competition), we had a lazy morning, casting off at 1150 as the lock began to open.

Exiting, we were first into the muddy river. With a gentle breeze of 5kts behind us, John navigated the 12.9nm along the delightful La Charente accompanied at one time by a buzzard flying lazy circles looking for his lunch.

Nearing the river’s mouth it was as if a switch was thrown. The wind suddenly jumped from 8kts to 19kts, and I mean jumped. No warning such as a ruffling of the water and no apparent reason such as coming out of the protection of buildings. The wind just jumped.

One for the book of experience.

North to La Rochelle

With the wind agitating the sea into a short, steep, side swiping annoyance, salty spray began to fly for the forty minute sector to La Rochelle.

Harvesting oysters from the shell fish farm
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North of Île d’Aix we pass a huge, protected shell fish farm measuring 1.7km by ½km, covered in hundreds if not thousands of markers.

Nearing destination, the racing and leisure yachts seem to appear from nowhere accompanied by a smattering of jet skies, ferries and speedboats, making it a concentration challenge to navigate. Nothing seemed predictable with goings-about, gibings and wanderings, seemingly with no thought for where other boats may be.

But hey-ho, it’s all part of the challenge; all part of the fun! Isn’t it?

Les Minimes

With an excellent berth in Les Minimes (pontoon 7), John and Beryl insisted on bathing Play d’eau to chase away the salt whilst I tended to a potential mechanical problem and Lin planned dinner.

Phew. Life’s so hectic, isn’t it?

Met data

Moored in hot, peaceful Les Minimes
click to enlarge
Rochefort: NE2, clear skies with a few ‘good weather’ cumulus balls of fluff, good visibility
En route: Wind increased NE5. Skies remained clear
Sea state: River smooth, becoming slight to annoying
La Rochelle: A strong ENE5, clear skies

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: Thursday 9 July 2015
Cast off Rochefort: 1150
Exited the lock: 1158
Arrived Les Minimes: 1510
(2 minutes ahead of plan)
Moored: 1515
Pinchpoint: Lock time leaving Rochefort
Longest individual leg: 12.9nm
(pilotage along La Charente)
Time en route: 3hr 12min
Planned distance: 25.4nm

Tech issues:

  • Sat Compass. No issues this leg.
  • Voltage drop stbd engine. Alternator wiring and battery connections checked. Beginning to blame the 9 year old bank of 4 x 8D batteries

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Leg 9 (2105) – La Rochelle to Rochefort

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John and Beryl have joined us for a fortnight
click to enlarge
Our dear friends, John and Beryl, have joined us after a nine year absence from cruising.

Flying into La Rochelle two days ago, we’ve already been having a ball; dinner at Safron (first there, last to leave), exploring the ancient town and climbing the recently restored tower that guards the entrance to the vieux port.

Un petit navigational challenge

Our nav plan showed the passage would take 3hrs 10mins. But with the Les Chalutiers lock opening only 2hrs before high water (HW) and the Rochefort lock closing some 30mins after HW, we’d have some 2hrs 30mins in which to execute our 3hrs 10mins nav plan. I say some, since HW at both locations is almost the same.

It didn’t take an Oxford mathematics don to see this was not possible unless we installed warp drive. Note to self: add warp drive to the wish list.

5,000 boat marina

A sea of 5,000 masts at Les Minimes marina, La Rochelle
click to enlarge
However, the solution was simple. The day before, we’d take the Les Chalutiers evening lock and motor all of 0.7nm to the Les Minimes marina which is open 24hrs a day with no lock. High five!

Enlarged over the last two years, Les Minimes is home to 5,000 leisure boats and the largest marina on the Atlantic east coast. When we say, ‘C’est énorme!’ we really are making a severe factual understatement. Gigantic would be a better description.

En route

On Monday, the alarm woke us at 0445 to give us time to prepare for our ETD of 0535. Again we were blessed with clear skies, a light N’ly breeze and warm air. C’est la vie.

We left at 0533. Two minutes early. We couldn’t wait – too excited. Pre-dawn light was just starting to take the edge off the star studded darkness as we crept out of the marina and into the fairway.

Captain John took his rightful place on the helm seat.

Sunrise illuminated John as he was in the helm seat
click to enlarge
The sun made her rich orange appearance over the landscape forty five minutes later as we were motoring SSE along the Plateau des Duraignes, heading to pass just east of Ile d’Aix, before entering the Embouchure de La Charente.

La Charente

Approaching La Charente, you can’t miss the numerous forts that guard this seaway, including Fort Boyard. It’s no surprise given Rochefort, some 12 miles upriver, was a major naval shipbuilding town between the late 1600s and early 1900s.

The river is so pretty albeit the water is a muddy brown. Flat land either side, fringed by reeds and carrelets, small fishing huts on stilts dangling large square nets waiting to be lowered by rope and pulley into the muddy waters to catch – who knows what?

Rochefort

Having piloted Play d’eau the 12.9nm upriver, we arrived outside Rochefort lock at 0844, one minute early of the time we were given. The nav plan had worked! But actually it hadn’t. The lock hadn’t yet opened.

La Charente has many strange looking carrelets on her banks
click to enlarge
Hovering outside in the river, the lock opened at 0853 allowing a stream of boats to leave before we entered at 0910 and were moored by 0915.

Might that extra 25 minutes have allowed us to have made the journey in one hop from Les Chalutiers rather than stopping at Les Minimes?

‘But hey!’ I answer with a Gallic Shrug. ‘This La Belle France. C’est la vie!’

Met data

La Rochelle: N2, clear skies, good visibility
En route: Wind veered and increased to NE3. Skies remained clear
Sea state: Very smooth
Rochefort: Outside the lock, NE3. Inside, NE2 (the trees and buildings offered shelter)

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 6 July 2015
Departed La Rochelle (Les Minimes): 0833
Arrived Rochefort: 0844

Moored in Rochefort on her own pontoon
click to enlarge
(1 minute ahead of plan)
Moored: 0915
Pinchpoint: Lock times Rochefort
Longest individual leg: 12.9nm
(pilotage along the river La Charente)
Time en route: 3hr 11min
plus 31 minutes waiting for the lock and mooring
Planned distance: 25.2nm

Tech issues:

  • Sat Compass. This has suffered two problems since Les Minimes. ‘Aborting’ & ‘Output Error’. Changed sources to the fluxgate compass and No 2 GPS. Will monitor the Sat Compass over the coming three days whilst we are in Rochefort.
  • Over the last few legs, there’s been a gradual reduction in the starboard engine instrument readings. Not a problem in itself apart from creating a furrowed brow. The cause appears to be a lowering of DC voltage. Need to eliminate probable causes sooner rather then later

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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