Tag Archives: Charentes Maritime

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
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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 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
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
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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
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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
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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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Leg 14 – St Martin de Ré to Les Sables d’Olonne – 11 August 2013

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Ian and Wendy on their Moody 422 bound for the Caribbean
click to enlarge
A UNESCO World Heritage site, St Martin is Île de Ré’s historic capital and ancient port surrounded by the citadel.

Small, old, full of history, buzzing with life. We cherished our time there.

You have to live the dream

Ian and Wendy’s Moody 422 yacht, Silver Slipper, was moored directly behind us. Having met in March 2012 and married in April 2013, they are gradually making their way to Las Palmas to take the ARC to the Caribbean.

‘We’ll cruise the hundreds of Caribbean islands until we feel it’s time to move on to the Pacific through the Panama Canal.

‘You have to live the dream – you must live the dream,’ emphasised Ian, ‘so we’ve sold everything to make it happen while we can.’

Watch the video of their departure from the UK bound initially for Guernsey, complete with their dog, Bumble.

Play d’eau makes a graceful stage exit

‘Living the dream’ captured as the sun rose behind us
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With clear skies, a calm wind and the temperature already in the mid-twenties, it would be another perfect day for Play d’eau.

Ten minutes before our 0800 ETD we still had two 53’ motor boats and three yachts rafted against us. With one foot clearance behind, we were hemmed in by two boats in front, our bows in the gap between them by six feet.

At ETD plus ten they’d all moved and we cast off. We sidled, went forward a few feet and finally swung Play d’eau’s stern out and towards the lock, gracefully reversing out of the marina as though making a stage exit after the final curtain call.

The nav plan

Only one pinch point today, and that was the opening time of the St Martin lock. Not a problem, and given the travel time to Les Sables d’Olonne was only some three hours we’d arrive before lunch when hopeully there’d still be a space for us at the Quai Garnier port.

The Journey

The radar screen erupted with yellow targets as we neared Les Sables d’Olonne (30 second trails in blue)
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A really gentle and calm crossing with the fun beginning in the last few miles when the radar erupted with a rash of yellow targets as the world appeared to be out on their boats. There were dozens and dozens, everywhere.

Arriving

As planned, there was space for us on pontoon A, but within an hour of mooring up (and Lin having hosed Play d’eau down) boats were being turned away.

The tecky details

Departed St Martin de Re – 0810
Arrived Les Sables d’Olonne – 1141
Total distance – 25.8nm
Longest leg – 17.5nm from Les Islattes NCM to Bourgenay SWM
Tech issues – nil

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

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

We overhung the boats in front by 6 feet and had five boats rafted against us
click to enlarge
Only 1 foot clearance between us and Silver Slipper
click to enlarge
Cruising

Mud, mud, glorious mud

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The beautiful river Charente at Rochefort
click to enlarge
As the song goes, ‘mud mud, glorious mud’!

On our way was to Rochefort we travelled 12 miles up the beautiful river Charente, where the colour of the water became more and more brown-green. By the time we arrived the colour was so dense that nothing could be seen if it was much more than an inch below the surface.

Walking along the river bank at low tide showed just how muddy and silty the banks were, looking as though it was ‘quick mud’ if there is such a thing. Piers found a small pebble and tossed it at the mud. It sank out of sight causing a spurt of brown water to jump into the air.

Would I want to fall into this? A beauty treatment, maybe? No thank you.

Lin
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

The mud bank by the entry to the lock from the river
click to enlarge
You can see the mud-trail left by this paddling tern
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When the lock gate opens the mud is stirred in the marina
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Just before the lock opens, the mud builds against the gate
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Play d’eau needed a good cruise in clean water after sitting in this for five days
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The banks of the river Charente were covered in reeds. Clumps floated everywhere
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Leg 13 – St Denis to St Martin de Ré – 8 August 2013

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Port St Denis d’Oléron marina was a huge parking lot for Merry Fisher boats
click to enlarge
Port St Denis d’Oléron was crowded. The only visitors’ pontoon was tightly packed and Play d’eau was on the inside of a raft of four; the bulk of the marina seems to be a huge parking lot for Merry Fisher boats.

The Capitainerie staff was brilliant. Under their direction boats were shuffled to give us an outside position against an old beautiful (but actually brand new) 60’ twin masted sailing boat for the last night so we could leave early for St Martin on Île de Ré. Perfect.

The nav plan

The two pinch points (it always seems to be two, doesn’t it?) on this journey were the entry/exit times at both Port St Denis and St Martin de Ré, but given the passage time was just over two hours, it wouldn’t be a problem.

The Journey

St Martin de Ré – our mooring overlapped the yachts in front
click to enlarge
Casting off at 0551, we used the FLIR camera to pick our way through the unlit buoyed channel to the sea. Exciting!

The journey itself was lovely with twilight changing to dawn as we neared Île de Ré. So beautiful.

The forecast was for W/NW winds F2 but reality was entirely different with an E’ly F3. It’s been interesting that forecast winds seem to bear nothing to reality in this area of the Vendée.

Arriving

Calling the St Martin Capitainerie on ch 9, we were told there was no space until the evening. In the hope this would change as more boats left in the half hour before the lock closed, we hooked onto one of the visitors’ buoys. Determined to keep Play d’eau in the forefront of the Capitainerie’s mind, I called again to announce we were moored to ‘bouée seize’. ‘D’accord,’ came the reply.

A few minutes later we heard, ‘Vedette Play d’eau, ici St Martin. Il y a une place maintenant. Venez vite puisque l’écluse se ferme en dix minutes’. (Please excuse my dreadful knowledge of French…)

We unhooked, venezed vite, très vite, and moored to the smallest pontoon space I’ve ever seen between two rafts of boats four deep, just as the lock gate closed behind us.

There was not a lot of space behind, either
click to enlarge
As we all know, mooring is not so much a skill but a spectator sport. Finally, as we eased Play d’eau against the pontoon with her bows overhanging six feet into the space in front between the bows of the two rafted yachts, we were give a round of applause!

Whilst taking a bow, a cheery Welsh voice drifted across the marina, ‘Hi Piers!’ It was Mike and Heidi of Yacht El Aranque, whom we’d met in La Rochelle. For Mike, read Dale Nelson.

Within moments we had a Princess 52 and four yachts rafted alongside.

Memories

Looking at how the boats were stacked reminded me of Kim Hollamby leading his MBM cruise in company fleets. You needed to use a feeler gauge to measure how close he’d packed them all in….

The tecky details

Departed Port St Denis d’Oléron – 0551
Hooked St Martin de Ré visitor’s buoy (No 16) – 0802
Unhooked the buoy – 0818
Moored St Martin de Ré – 0830

Total distance – 16.6nm
Longest leg – 12.9nm from Port St Denis WP to Grand Greffe ECM
Tech issues – nil

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

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

Cruising

What did we do in Rochefort?

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Before and After – Lin did a good job
click, if you really want to, to enlarge
What did we do in Rochefort?

Lin cut my hair!

I needed a haircut. Lin said, rather too eagerly, ‘I’ll do it.’ This would be a first in the 47 years since we started going out together. I said, ‘no.’ She said, ‘think of the savings.’ I said, ‘no.’ She said, ‘I did all our boy’s haircuts until they were 11.’ I said, ‘no’. Lin said, ‘trust me, I know what I’m doing.’ I said, ‘no,’ my voice showing annoyance at her persistence. Lin paused and said, ‘think of the wine you could buy with the savings.’ I said ‘Deal.’

Being old age pensioners, that was an acceptable compromise.

Lin said, ‘and now think how much you could have saved over the years.’ I didn’t respond.

The suspended gonloda of Rochefort’s Transbordeur travelling at 3m above the river’s surface
click to enlarge

Transbordeur

I walked the 6 mile round trip to the Rochefort Transbordeur, a 113 year old beam and suspended gondola arrangement for linking the road across the river Charentes. Amazing and wonderful and still working like a dream, although a bridge has now been constructed next to it for the bulk of the traffic.

Dinner out

Plagiarising a term from ‘Spy Games’, we had ‘dinner out’ at Café Cap Nell opposite the marina the day we arrived in Rochefort. The highlight for Lin was a salmon fillet, perfectly cooked, just off-rare in the middle. Succulent, juicy and non-fibrous. Mmmm.

For me, it was the goat’s cheese first course which had been made into a mousse with mascarpone and served on a thin bed of almost caramelised pears. Heavenly.

Café Cap Nell at Rochefort marina (left of centre)
click to enlarge

Yacht Raksha

We’d met Peter and Stefanie from Yacht Raksha in La Rochelle, so when they pulled in Rochefort we found ourselves having a couple of great evenings with them, eating and drinking too much, again – is there a pattern developing?

Peter and Stefanie are retiring, moving from the UK and looking to buy a house in the Dordogne, or Dordogne-shire, Britville, as it’s apparently becoming known.

Hermione and La Corderie Royale

As well as seeing the Hermione, we toured La Corderie Royale (the Royal Ropery), a long and narrow building created for making 300m ropes of every conceivable type and weave for vessels created at the Rochefort dockyard.

La Corderie Royale
click to enlarge
We borrowed a set of those ‘listen to it in English’ machines and heard the story from its royal concept to its destruction by fire, to its being rebuilt as a museum. Ropework demonstrations completed the tour. Really interesting.

Since it’s built on a marsh, its late 1700s foundations were made of a cris-cross of oaks at a depth of 1.5m. When it was rebuilt as a museum, the foundations were checked and found to be unmoved and perfect.

Splice the eyes

Lin attacked our 100m drum of new 16 strand octoplait, created two new warps, and spliced an eye into each. Not only are they perfect, but they attracted much comment from our neighbours, such as, ‘Can you do mine, next?’

I thought Lin would have jumped at this having been on about savings and old-age pensioners, but alas, she didn’t. Should I have mentioned how much wine we could have bought with the proceeds?

Lin spliced eyes into 16 strand multiplait
click to enlarge
Piers and Lin
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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