About this site 
Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003. She was berthed in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands at N49° 30’.197 W002° 30’.350 until she was sold in October 2021. This site charts the thrilling adventures they had in her. You can contact us here.
Where’s Play d’eau? If the new owners have the AIS on, you can find where Play d'eau is right now. Click here. Zoom in and our position will be shown on a map.
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Over the last two days, mountains have become more majestic, there’s more snow and the enormity of the scenery becomes more splendid hour by hour. It’s the isolation and undeniable dominance of nature that makes this part of the world so attractive. …
Continue reading Svolvaer to Tromso
We draw the curtains back and whilst the sun prepares to wake we watch the remnants of the night stars glitter on the water as we continue northwards. At 0723 (0623 UK) we cross the Arctic Circle at latitude 66 33N. The ship’s master salutes with a long blast of the horn. …
Continue reading Nesna to Svolvaer
Although the MS Midnatsol is a sizeable cruise ship, we mustn’t forget she’s a working ferry. The reminder is the number of ports we visit and the cargo that’s hustled back and forth by an endless stream of stevedores driving fork lift trucks and larger vehicles. …
Continue reading Molde to Nesna
Our cabin is a suite! What a treat but quite right for celebrating Lin’s special birthday. After boarding, we find our suite, unpack and have a good dinner. Very tired, we fall into bed. The faint background hum of diesel electric motors and the gentle swaying of the boat give us a good night’s sleep. …
Continue reading Bergen to Molde
After a short night in Oslo’s Royal Christiana, we board a train for the seven hour journey of wonderment across the mountains to Bergen. Our eyes feast on pure white snow, ice covered rivers and lakes, ski slopes, a house here and there under thick layers of snow to keep warm. Fresh coffee (tea for Lin) comes from the buffet carriage. …
Continue reading We’re off to celebrate
I’ve failed! Despite all the best intentions, I haven’t kept our website up to date. With Play d’eau bringing us safely home to Beaucette on 26 September 2013 after a glorious 980nm 2013 summer cruise, the plan was to post at least one update a week. Have I achieved this? No. Only one, and I’ve been making all the excuses known to mankind. …
Continue reading Intentions, intentions
By gum, did it blow last night! Overnight, rigging screamed, lolloped (a nautical technical term) and the wind stirred surface water to slap the hull. We recorded a N’ly average of 21kts with a max gust of 26kts …
Continue reading What a blow last night
Since 1460, the du Pré family has lived in Jersey. Yet, in 1928, my father, Derek du Pré, having worked at Lloyds Bank Jersey for two years, was posted to their Southampton branch. He was just twenty and didn’t want to leave his beloved Jersey. …
Continue reading Memories on a postcard from Jersey
We had three clear days in Jersey during which we talked, laughed, carried out our threat to terrorise the local restaurants, ate good food whilst attempting, unsuccessfully, to drink them dry of good wine. But hey, what’s retirement for? …
Continue reading Meeting Woolly Mammoth – again
When visiting France, we always look forward to our first can of Petit Pois. Only recently, did we realise the one we really liked had lettuce with it. Lettuce? Well, that sowed the seed for this recipe …
Continue reading Pea Soup
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