5 - 17 May: Sailing to Bordeaux

A friend from Uni, Roger, is taking his boat from Lymington down to Bordeaux then on through the Canal du Midi to the Med for the summer. He needs crew for the first leg, so I am going along with Chris (also from Uni) and his wife Jill.


Fri and Sat: Caught the train down to Lymington where Roger picked me up form the station at 5pm. Familiarised myself with boat contents under guidance from Carol, then we went out for a meal at the marina bar. Chris and Jill arrived at 9:30. We set sail at 11pm having put on all our cold weather gear. Motored out past Hurst Point and the Needles. Put up sails and tacked along coast to off Start Point where we turned south to cross channel and the shipping lanes at right angles. It was very cold with a large following swell, gusty force 7 (just to the east of us the shipping forecast was warning of a gale). We all felt a bit queasy so eating anything was out of the question. I went down at 4am for a cold snooze, absolutely chilled to the bone, for a couple of hours. We snacked on fruit cake throughout the day as the conditions didn't change. Given the hard progress we decided not to go as far as originally planned along the coast and to go into Roscoff. The pilot guide said that the new marina at Port Bloscon there was being built. We called up the harbour master and after some umming he said we could go in through there were no lights and it wasn't open. It was dark and gloomy as we edged into the marina at 10:30pm at low tide with high walls, and moored with the help of another yachtie. The pontoons had no connection to the shore, so we had a quick pasta and sauce then straight to sleep, very relieved to have made it.

None was keen in taking pictures!


Sun: a very cold night despite sleeping in full thermals and fleeces. Motor sailed around Chenal du Four against the tide all day to Camaret, not a bad passage as the sea wasn't too churned up.

Nice menu of the day at the only decent fish restaurant. Showers shut as we were out of season.


Mon : a slightly less cold nights sleep. Motor sailed again though RaZ du Sein to Loctudy, a nice inland river berth opposite an island and parkland, avoiding a bad tidal stream, and again the tides seemed against us all day. Weather still cold.

A happy captain, some sun at last.

The able seaman, taking a break from making tea

Our quill pen navigator - I just whacked the cursor on the GPS

 Eat on board, Roger inspired menu of uncle bens rice and chicken in sloppy sweet and sour sauce.


Tue: longer day to Port Haliguen on the Quiberon peninsula.

 Damp evening, we walked into town for a good creperie meal at what seemed the only eating place open.

Wed: walked into town to buy supplies at Casino supermarche. Another long day to L'Herbaudiere on Ile de Noirmoutier. Some sun in afternoon. Walked along quay for a drink,

actually second Ricard at La Rochelle

first Ricard of the trip, then back on board for stir fry. At last a not cold night.


Thu: short morning sail to Port Joinville. Good marina. Lunch at creperie. Hired bikes to cycle round the Ile d'Yeu. I showed Chris and Jill how to ride a tandem, they made it seem so easy!

 Vieux chateaux on south west of island. Eat on board of local marlen fillets (sea bream?)


Fri: motored past Ile de Re under bridge to La Rochelle.

At last sunshine and we got down to shorts. Into mega marina just outside town. Caught water taxi into old town, quick walk around then nice dinner, taxi back.


Sat: up late, nice fruit for breakfast. Cleaning boat, washing clothes having been in same ones basically for a week!

And restocking fridge. After lunch caught water taxi into town and saw the sights - there was a women's race on so lots of spectator activity. Went up the 3 towers, had beer then water taxi back. Pernod on boat for sundowner. Dinner overlooking beach next to Marina

Sun: out round Ile d'Oleron and down coast to mouth of Gironde where we anchored for lunch and for Roger to play with his chain and rope.

At last, its summer

 Waited for slack water and followed channel into Port Medoc at 9.30pm. No town nearby so ate on board.

Mon: At Pauillac picked up Andre a friendly French yachtie who has been in email with Roger about the Canal as a pilot. Down Gironde then Gavone into Bordeaux where we moored up at the town quay to await the lock gates opening tomorrow at the basin (being French they only open on odd days).

Taking the infamous Andre on board at Pauilac

Tue: Had a short wander around town, very nice buildings, Mediterranean feel with lots of cafes and sunshine.

 Carol arrived at 3 and we left immediately for the basin which opened at 4. Tricky mooring, well done Roger. Imposing WW2 submarine docks dominate the basin. Started to get the ropes off and rigging down. Tram into town for meal and Bordeaux wine!

WW2 u-boat pens - 5m of reinforced concrete on top!

through the lock gates

Crew and Captain

Wed: Chris and Jill left for a few days in Bordeaux. Trammed into town for walk around, found Decathalon store near the basin! Back at 1pm to await mast removal. Casual work attitude in yard, finally it came out at 5pm, it seemed huge on the quayside. Roger flew back to UK for a meeting so I finished off the demasting - quite a rigmarole with all the halyards and wires. Lovely hot day, clear blue sky, just like summer should be. Meal with Carol in the shack on the quayside.

Huitres

Nice waitress, spoke excellent Anglais

Thu:  Tram and bus to catch 9:55 Queastjet to Luton to be picked up by Mrs M.  Washed kit and re-packed for weekend Lakes cycle/walk trip.  Into London for convivial evening at Brewery Wharf with walker chums: