Category Archives: Cruising

Cruising posts will detail each passage we make, including the nav planning, weather conditions and anything of influence and interest en route

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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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?
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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
click to enlarge
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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Letter from Port la Fôret

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The patisserie was calorific cruelty
click to enlarge
This is just a postcard – not a letter.

Boulangerie

A short and delightful walk away is the boulangerie at La Fôret-Fouesnant. It’s a patisserie and chocolaterie as well, and has the most mouth watering and calorifically impressive displays imaginable.

One fine morning I arrived at 10am and asked for, ‘Trois croissants, s’il vous plaît.’ The young mademoiselle politely told me they were sold out and that in any case (glancing at her watch and giving me a look of disdain that only a French Mademoiselle can give) it wasn’t petit déjeuner any more, but déjeuner. Well, there’s telling you.

Suitably admonished I asked for a baguette and was rewarded with a beautiful smile.

Twixt the Marina and La Fôret-Fouesnant

The 18th century Le Manoir de Mesmeur is now the prestigious Cornouaille Golf Club
click to enlarge
The mile and a half walk from the marina to the village is through a cooling wood and along a narrow walkway by the lake, passing on one side the prestigious Cornouaille Golf Club and the eccentric Crêperie Quartier d’été and smart houses on the other. Making this a round trip to acquire one’s breakfast croissants (don’t be late) is a joy.

The lake dries at low tide and re-fills to capacity as the tide comes in.

Fouesnant’s church

The ancient, weathered church stands proud near the water’s edge. Its tall and reasonably ornate spire houses its bells. Sadly, they must be cracked for they no longer ring with vibrancy, but more of a sad and empty ‘dong’.

Archipel des Glénan

Port la Flôret runs a ferry service to and from the Îles de Glénan, an archipelago off the coast. Known as the Breton Tahiti and only accessible in summer, the islands, sand and turquoise seas are spectacular.

The Aigrette III would moor next to Play d’eau overnight
click to enlarge
Ferries shuttle passengers back and forth, and one of the vedettes, the Aigrette III, would moor next to us, overnight.

Having waxed lyrical about the archipelago, we have yet to go there!

The Union Flag

Originally the 18th century Le Manoir Mesmeur, The Cornouaille Golf Club displays an array of flags of many nations. For at least the last two years, the Union Flag has been flown upside down.

Flying the flag this way has two meanings. Declaring a state of distress (maybe because the British players are always winning) or as a deliberate insult (maybe because the British players are always winning).

By the way, there’s only one time when the Union Flag can be called the Union Jack. Any idea when?

Piers and Lin
from the Writing Bureau of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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Leg 8 (2015) – Les Sables d’Olonne to La Rochelle

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Dawn breaks over Les Sables d’Olonne
click to enlarge
It was Sunday morning. We’d slept well. The endless succession of trawlers that passed by the marina en route to the busy 24hr Maritime Cooperative auction market at the end of the port had taken the weekend off. Well, almost all of them.

In their place, the Saturday night revellers had tried but failed in their attempt to compete, thankfully.

Quai Garnier

During our six days in Quai Garnier we’d cleaned and polished Play d’eau, eaten at our favourite restaurant Le Clipper and attended to many cabin and the engine room housekeeping chores. With John and Beryl coming on 3 July to spend two weeks cruising with us, Play d’eau had to look her very best.

To our delight, boaters we’d met along this coastal region with its beaches of golden sand two years ago seemed to materialise during our stay. So Play d’eau just had to host an early evening party, didn’t she? Lin created some delicious Canapés whilst I created (well, bought) the wines and beers.

Paul from Rowena was in Les Sables and filled my dive tank. I knew Paul and Sue from MBM Cruise in Company days
click to enlarge
Rowena, a Grand Banks that used to come with us on Motor Boat Monthly cruises in company was there as well. Paul and Sue

In addition, great evenings were spent on board Harvester (Glyn and Pat) and Stress Breaker (Nick and Rhona), and a breakfast of pain au chocolat and excellent coffee was consumed with gusto on Deo Jubilate with Trevor and Gill.

We had a wonderful time in Quai Garnier, even though the trawlers motored past us 24 hours a day, refuelled and re-iced opposite our pontoon whilst squadrons of seagulls never seemed to cease their incessant war cry….

Plaideau? Play d’eau?

Would you believe the Harbour Master’s assistant is known to her friends as Plaideau? Can you imagine the fun on the radio? ‘Play d’eau, this is Plaideau, over?’

Leaving Sables d’Olonne

Skipper Lin piloted Play d’eau from the fly bridge
click to enlarge
With checks complete, we were ready to go but the washing machine delayed out departure. A neighbouring boat had allowed their dog to pee on the pontoon cleats and the last thing we wanted was dog pee ropes. So we singled up ready to go, stood guard, and put the infected ropes in the washing machine – with an overdose of powder and fabric softener.

Hence, we left 14 minutes late, but we had beautifully white, soft ‘dog pee free’ ropes that had a fresh wonderful laundry aroma about them.

En route

Sandy beaches and good fishing are the hallmarks of Sables d’Olonne. So for the first ten miles, we threaded our way through endless lobster pots and small fishing boats whilst dodging trawlers with their long nets on even longer wire cables.

Nearing La Rochelle, we navigated between the mainland and the small Ile de Ré before passing under the 2.9km bridge which spans the island and La Rochelle.

As we approached la Rochelle, we saw a sad looking face under a ‘witch’s hat’
click to enlarge
Turning into the strait that leads to La Rochelle, the water became quite choppy and Play d’eau seemed to became a moving target for speedboats, water skis and boats rushing to find an anchorage on the already crowded Ile de Ré beaches. That’s apart from the many flotillas of tiny sail boats racing across the fairway.

Arrival

Access to the Les Chalutiers basin is through a single lock gate above which a short bridge carries a road. The gate is opened 2hrs before high water and closes 45 minutes thereafter.

With the gate open, we only had to wait for ten minutes before the siren sounded, the traffic stopped and the bridge lifted.

Having moored up, we found a yacht we’d met in Sables d’Olonne was opposite us, a Guernsey registered yacht was behind us as well as a huge Explorer Yacht, Med Adventure.

To bless Play d’eau, we found our mooring was on the Quai d’Honneur.

Of course!

Met data

Les Sables d’Olonne: Wind calm, clear skies, good visibility
En route: Wind became WNW F3
Sea state: Glassy flat, to smooth, to ruffled at La Rochelle
La Rochelle: NW3, mainly due to local sea breeze. Clear skies, good vis.

Nav data

The heavily fortified entrance to the ancient town of La Rochelle and its port
click to enlarge
Times are FST.

Departed Les Sables d’Olonne (Quay Garnier): 0914, 28 June 2015
(14 minutes late waiting for the washing machine to complete its cycle!)
Arrived La Rochelle (Les Chalutiers): 1356
(26 mins late due to late lock gate opening)
Pinchpoint: Lock times at Les Chalutiers
Longest individual leg: 13.7nm
Time en route: 4hr 22min
Planned distance: 34.3nm

Tech issues: None

Piers and Lin
from the Chart Table of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

(click on the photos below to enlarge, and use the left/right arrows)

Click here for a slideshow, or click on a pic and arrow left/right

Cruising

Leg 7 (2015) – Pornichet to Les Sables d’Olonne

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Play d’eau sets out for another lovely day of cruising
click to enlarge
It was the Festival of Music, ‘a speciality’ we were told. What we didn’t know was that it started late evening and ended early morning.

It’s official

We’re well and truly addicted. Yet another day of flat calm seas, blue skies and calm winds. Even dodging lobster pots is becoming fun – who can see the next one, first?

Pornichet

Two days ago, the question was whether our destination was to be Pornic or Pornichet. Two years ago it was Pornic and it has to be said that although the village was lovely we found the marina oppressive. Having never visited Pornichet before, Pornichet it was.

Approaching along the 2nm channel, Pornichet’s lovely, long and golden beach was to the north of us, equally as long as the channel. But sadly, immediately behind the beach is an equally long line of multi-floored high rise ‘modern’ apartments.

Dawn lights up the high rise apartments on Pornichet’s lovely beach
click to enlarge
What a marina! Coping with large boats, pontoons are large and the fingers are super long. Long enough for Play d’eau to have almost no overhang. Never known that before. We moored in ‘Oscar 13’, stern too, amongst other large and larger (but not quite as shiny) boats.

Walking to the Capitainerie, cars were parked everywhere. Range Rover after Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne after Porsche Cayenne, BMWs with no model numbers, their tyres seemingly wider than the cars themselves. Definitely no Sparkys.

Cafés line the long marina front rubbing shoulders with chandlers, marine engineering and bodywork specialists. Pornichet’s more a marina town than a marina.

‘But you have come at the right time,’ we were told. ‘It’s Music Festival week.’ I have to say we found it hard to exhibit as much excitement as the bearer of these tidings.

En route

After two bad nights, we woke early and cast off at 7am. Bad nights? The Music Festival started at 10pm in the marina cafés and ended around 2am. Thud, thud, thud from the over-amplified bass. Oh joy!

Looking behind us, we saw a huge moustache heading for us…
click to enlarge
But the passage was brilliant. Smooth as ever. So much so that Piers set to with continuing Play d’eau’s polishing regime.

(Message for Jason – since we left, Play d’eau’s had two full snow-foam washes, and we’ve almost finished a total polishing.)

Arrival

‘Quai Garnier. Ici Play d’eau,’ I said in my best French accent on channel 09. ‘Play d’eau, this is Quai Garnier,’ said the Capitaine in perfect English. ‘We have a place for you on pontoon A. I am here with your two friends from Yacht Harvester to greet you.’

It can’t get much better than this, can it?

Met data

Pornichet: NE1/2, clear skies, good visibility
En route: Wind backed to NW3
Sea state: Calm, glassy flat to ruffled
Les Sables d’Olonne: W3/4, mainly due to local sea breeze. Clear skies, good vis.

Nav data

...the boat jumped our wake, and the skipper waved
…the boat jumped our wake, and the skipper waved
click to enlarge
Times are FST.

Departed Pornichet: 0700, 22 June 2015
Arrived Les Sables d’Olonne (Quay Garnier): 1451 (16 mins ahead of schedule – must plan better!)
Pinchpoints: None
Longest individual leg: 21.7nm
Time en route: 7hr 51min
Planned distance: 61.2nm

Tech issues: None

Piers and Lin
from the Chart Table of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

(click on the photos below to enlarge, and use the left/right arrows)

Click here for a slideshow, or click on a pic and arrow left/right