Watching & Waiting

Saturday 29 June 2013

Ile d'Oleron, France

It’s a curious irony that there is much more blogging when preparing for the voyage than during the voyage itself!  Clearly this reflects the time that keeping the boat in a cruising state takes up – also the time spent together actually having a holiday.

To bring you up to date: we arrived in Ile d’Oleron (just South of Ile de Re – a stone’s throw from La Rochelle) on Thursday, intending to make for Spain the following day, but deterred by weather reports of rough seas and a generally grey and cold outlook.  Yes – we try our best to be fair weather sailors!  This is not just because we are softies – it’s also because it’s good to get our hands in and our systems tested before setting out on a longer voyage.  We still have winds at a decent strength of between 5 and 15 knots, and a favourable direction – N to NE.  Every day we study all the useful weather reports we can get (about 5 thanks to the I’net) and review our plans.  Currently we will leave tomorrow on the tide at mid-day.

The weather picture is dictated by a high pressure system that has been hanging out in the Atlantic for almost a week now, and looks like staying until Tuesday, our intended arrival in Spain.

The trip over from La Rochelle was quite frisky with a fresh Westerly breeze, meaning a close haul.  We had calculated on a bit less wind, so had put on the number 2 working jib.  When we got out there it was clear that we would sail much better with the number 3 and a reef in the main.  The first-time-this-season sail change took us half an hour, but was worthwhile and we made good progress to St Denis.  The church spire and starboard pole line-up more-or-less happened, and we were able to go alongside a larger boat quite gracefully.  A rally was in and we had an evening of party music… 

The marina here is friendly and the new shower block is fabulous – heated, enough room in the shower stalls, water at the right temperature and your clean clothes don’t get wet.  Heaven, especially on a cool day.

I have to confess that yesterday the spell of Oleron really had us, and a sort of miasma of laziness kept us in our cosy cabin most of the day!  We managed to escape it for a while in the afternoon and went for a short walk, then dragged ourselves out again in the evening to eat at the Royal Moule – great fish soup and moules consistently the best here.  I do feel sorry for them, though.  I feel like the Carpenter – that casts Al as the Walrus.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173170

Now, more planning, organization, putting waypoints into navigation instruments and stocking up on fresh fruit, vegetables & bread. The Bay of Biscay looks big on our chart – until we look at the rest of the Atlantic – at which point it starts to look quite small.

Al is at the market, renewing supplies - crab sandwiches for lunch - we are merciless on the invertebrates.  

COMING SOON: Spain (I'mshalla), HINTS & TIPS, FAVOURITE THINGS

Watching & Waiting

Saturday 29 June 2013

Ile d'Oleron, France

It’s a curious irony that there is much more blogging when preparing for the voyage than during the voyage itself!  Clearly this reflects the time that keeping the boat in a cruising state takes up – also the time spent together actually having a holiday.

To bring you up to date: we arrived in Ile d’Oleron (just South of Ile de Re – a stone’s throw from La Rochelle) on Thursday, intending to make for Spain the following day, but deterred by weather reports of rough seas and a generally grey and cold outlook.  Yes – we try our best to be fair weather sailors!  This is not just because we are softies – it’s also because it’s good to get our hands in and our systems tested before setting out on a longer voyage.  We still have winds at a decent strength of between 5 and 15 knots, and a favourable direction – N to NE.  Every day we study all the useful weather reports we can get (about 5 thanks to the I’net) and review our plans.  Currently we will leave tomorrow on the tide at mid-day.

The weather picture is dictated by a high pressure system that has been hanging out in the Atlantic for almost a week now, and looks like staying until Tuesday, our intended arrival in Spain.

The trip over from La Rochelle was quite frisky with a fresh Westerly breeze, meaning a close haul.  We had calculated on a bit less wind, so had put on the number 2 working jib.  When we got out there it was clear that we would sail much better with the number 3 and a reef in the main.  The first-time-this-season sail change took us half an hour, but was worthwhile and we made good progress to St Denis.  The church spire and starboard pole line-up more-or-less happened, and we were able to go alongside a larger boat quite gracefully.  A rally was in and we had an evening of party music… 

The marina here is friendly and the new shower block is fabulous – heated, enough room in the shower stalls, water at the right temperature and your clean clothes don’t get wet.  Heaven, especially on a cool day.

I have to confess that yesterday the spell of Oleron really had us, and a sort of miasma of laziness kept us in our cosy cabin most of the day!  We managed to escape it for a while in the afternoon and went for a short walk, then dragged ourselves out again in the evening to eat at the Royal Moule – great fish soup and moules consistently the best here.  I do feel sorry for them, though.  I feel like the Carpenter – that casts Al as the Walrus.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173170

Now, more planning, organization, putting waypoints into navigation instruments and stocking up on fresh fruit, vegetables & bread. The Bay of Biscay looks big on our chart – until we look at the rest of the Atlantic – at which point it starts to look quite small.

Al is at the market, renewing supplies - crab sandwiches for lunch - we are merciless on the invertebrates.  

COMING SOON: Spain (I'mshalla), HINTS & TIPS, FAVOURITE THINGS

VIDE BATEAUX in MARANS (Boat jumble with music, cider, crepes & sausages)

Our new temporary home

Another modest event at Marans.  We had to move off our pontoon yesterday to make way for the visiting boats coming in.  As it turned out, the weather was so bad that only half of the expected boats turned up - anyway, we get a different view for a while.  We are lying 4th boat out at the bend.  The weather is very blustery with strong gusts of wind & showers - not really what the town had hoped for in late June, I'm sure.

The brave little boats coming in.

 We had one slightly embarrassing event - after spending however long up the mast untangling the new, too-thin aft flag halyard (failure to think ahead when the mast was down), and tying it into place for its maiden voyage along the harbour, it escaped its moorings and is now flying free in a F6.  Usually the wind drops in the evening, so we're hoping we can at least hook it with the extending buoy-catching implement (familiar to some off you in its usual role.)

We have an embarrassing incident with the new flag halyard

 The high spot of the day was the demonstration of water rescue with Newfoundland dogs.  Al's body count was up to about 13 'fatalities' and 2 successful rescues!  They are beautiful dogs and clearly keen to participate!  One towed a dinghy full of 5 people against a strong wind - they are amazing.

Newfoundland rescue dogs on their way to work

Too strange to resist - rescue dog's  toy

 

 

 

 

The weather forecast looks pretty nice for an early start for La Rochelle on Tuesday morning.  We have to pick up some charts and see if we can scrape together the courage to set out for Spain if there's a favourable forecast.  If not, we'll be cycling around the islands - as usual.

VIDE BATEAUX in MARANS (Boat jumble with music, cider, crepes & sausages)

Our new temporary home

Another modest event at Marans.  We had to move off our pontoon yesterday to make way for the visiting boats coming in.  As it turned out, the weather was so bad that only half of the expected boats turned up - anyway, we get a different view for a while.  We are lying 4th boat out at the bend.  The weather is very blustery with strong gusts of wind & showers - not really what the town had hoped for in late June, I'm sure.

The brave little boats coming in.

 We had one slightly embarrassing event - after spending however long up the mast untangling the new, too-thin aft flag halyard (failure to think ahead when the mast was down), and tying it into place for its maiden voyage along the harbour, it escaped its moorings and is now flying free in a F6.  Usually the wind drops in the evening, so we're hoping we can at least hook it with the extending buoy-catching implement (familiar to some off you in its usual role.)

We have an embarrassing incident with the new flag halyard

 The high spot of the day was the demonstration of water rescue with Newfoundland dogs.  Al's body count was up to about 13 'fatalities' and 2 successful rescues!  They are beautiful dogs and clearly keen to participate!  One towed a dinghy full of 5 people against a strong wind - they are amazing.

Newfoundland rescue dogs on their way to work

Too strange to resist - rescue dog's  toy

 

 

 

 

The weather forecast looks pretty nice for an early start for La Rochelle on Tuesday morning.  We have to pick up some charts and see if we can scrape together the courage to set out for Spain if there's a favourable forecast.  If not, we'll be cycling around the islands - as usual.

AL, Snork Maiden, Planning, Rigny

This will be a quick b(log) since it's after 10pm and we are planning to make a start tomorrow, leaving Marans for La Rochelle. 
   Al now safely on board having wisely brought his English brolly - feels like we never went back to Bristol!
 Spent a happy hour or more up the mast late afternoon after the rain had cleared, untangling 25 metres of flag halyard.  You will see that we are now flying our red ensign, and a brand new French courtesy flag.

The weather has been a bit on the rubbish side, just cool, grey, drizzly.  Tomorrow might be a bit damp, but the winds from the West will take us to La Rochelle by the early evening.  Yesterday wasn't very special here so we drove up to see our barns in Rigny.  Excellent lunch on the way - real Routiers cafe. The buildings were pretty much as we left them so it seems that Kie & Brett's repairs have held.  Mme Chateau in good spirits, shouting down her mobile 'Les Americans sont arrive' as if we were the liberating forces!  

AL, Snork Maiden, Planning, Rigny

This will be a quick b(log) since it's after 10pm and we are planning to make a start tomorrow, leaving Marans for La Rochelle. 
   Al now safely on board having wisely brought his English brolly - feels like we never went back to Bristol!
 Spent a happy hour or more up the mast late afternoon after the rain had cleared, untangling 25 metres of flag halyard.  You will see that we are now flying our red ensign, and a brand new French courtesy flag.

The weather has been a bit on the rubbish side, just cool, grey, drizzly.  Tomorrow might be a bit damp, but the winds from the West will take us to La Rochelle by the early evening.  Yesterday wasn't very special here so we drove up to see our barns in Rigny.  Excellent lunch on the way - real Routiers cafe. The buildings were pretty much as we left them so it seems that Kie & Brett's repairs have held.  Mme Chateau in good spirits, shouting down her mobile 'Les Americans sont arrive' as if we were the liberating forces!  

BIKE RIDE & STONE LAUNDRY

Great evening bike ride. Thia year's bike - found at a French version of a car boot sale - 24€ plus a new inner tube. I'm sure I could have got it for less but too lazy to bargain.
The bike ride went alongside the canal - runs from Marans to La Rochelle. Pretty rough and rutted, so back via the road. The 2 other photos are an old stone laundry - I think you probably see them all over Europe & I can imagine groups of women scrubbing and chatting. I KNOW that's not what we want to do now, but the modern French towns and villages somehow seem to have had a sleeping beauty spell cast over them. Built for a communal life that has steadily diminished.

BIKE RIDE & STONE LAUNDRY

Great evening bike ride. Thia year's bike - found at a French version of a car boot sale - 24€ plus a new inner tube. I'm sure I could have got it for less but too lazy to bargain.
The bike ride went alongside the canal - runs from Marans to La Rochelle. Pretty rough and rutted, so back via the road. The 2 other photos are an old stone laundry - I think you probably see them all over Europe & I can imagine groups of women scrubbing and chatting. I KNOW that's not what we want to do now, but the modern French towns and villages somehow seem to have had a sleeping beauty spell cast over them. Built for a communal life that has steadily diminished.

TOOL STORY

Well, I did promise, although what I have to say seems too obvious really.  So I'll keep it short. It's sunny and warm - feels like time for a siesta but there's really nowhere on the boat to lie down (still not finished with head-linings) and not enough shade outside. 
    What I have learned is that there is not much that can't be achieved with the 3 essentials in the upper photo - a hammer, a screwdriver and a thing I call pincers - they are sort of Desert Island Tools.  I am sure you can add the other 5. I started to think about this when the proprietor of the boatyard at Charron arrived at the boat to take the rigging down - with a pair of pincers and nothing else except a shedload of experience.  He probably assumed I had the hammer, and I don't think we needed the screwdriver. 

    The first time I needed to get an old zinc anode off the prop shaft I couldn't think how to do it.  One of the old yard hands showed me how.  Yes, a hammer and a screwdriver. I really can't think of anything simpler or more useful, except sometimes a bigger hammer and a crosshead screwdriver. If you are the kind of person who has been around tools all your life, you know this kind of thing already, just like you know that you shouldn't mix metals or use a zinc screw where a stainless bolt would do the job better. (OK, now add an adjustable spanner to the kit.) Many women got little or no education in this kind of stuff, myself included. From what I hear on Radio 4, many men are also short on the DIY skills that their Dads took for granted. But, hey, we have the Internet. Yes, for now. 
    So lifewise, please teach your children well any practical skills you have yourself, preferably when they are still young enough to find helping you interesting and satisfying. I hope it goes without saying that gender doesn't enter into this - skills are skills.
    Of course, if you are a yachtie spending any more than a weekend away from base, you need more - some of which only come out of the box once a year - like the special thingy for getting the oil filter off. Enough - time to go and do a little gentle varnish work now the sun is a bit less harsh & I am a bit less sleepy.  
    Sorry if the tool story was boring - I had to get it out of my head. 
   COMING SOON: AL

TOOL STORY

Well, I did promise, although what I have to say seems too obvious really.  So I'll keep it short. It's sunny and warm - feels like time for a siesta but there's really nowhere on the boat to lie down (still not finished with head-linings) and not enough shade outside. 
    What I have learned is that there is not much that can't be achieved with the 3 essentials in the upper photo - a hammer, a screwdriver and a thing I call pincers - they are sort of Desert Island Tools.  I am sure you can add the other 5. I started to think about this when the proprietor of the boatyard at Charron arrived at the boat to take the rigging down - with a pair of pincers and nothing else except a shedload of experience.  He probably assumed I had the hammer, and I don't think we needed the screwdriver. 

    The first time I needed to get an old zinc anode off the prop shaft I couldn't think how to do it.  One of the old yard hands showed me how.  Yes, a hammer and a screwdriver. I really can't think of anything simpler or more useful, except sometimes a bigger hammer and a crosshead screwdriver. If you are the kind of person who has been around tools all your life, you know this kind of thing already, just like you know that you shouldn't mix metals or use a zinc screw where a stainless bolt would do the job better. (OK, now add an adjustable spanner to the kit.) Many women got little or no education in this kind of stuff, myself included. From what I hear on Radio 4, many men are also short on the DIY skills that their Dads took for granted. But, hey, we have the Internet. Yes, for now. 
    So lifewise, please teach your children well any practical skills you have yourself, preferably when they are still young enough to find helping you interesting and satisfying. I hope it goes without saying that gender doesn't enter into this - skills are skills.
    Of course, if you are a yachtie spending any more than a weekend away from base, you need more - some of which only come out of the box once a year - like the special thingy for getting the oil filter off. Enough - time to go and do a little gentle varnish work now the sun is a bit less harsh & I am a bit less sleepy.  
    Sorry if the tool story was boring - I had to get it out of my head. 
   COMING SOON: AL

WOOD, GUNK & NAKED MEN

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Thursday, June 13, 2013

This is a catch-up.  I thought that a daily dose of the minutae of life in preparation mode might be a step too far – too much detail for the determined landlubbers & too much personal stuff for the sailorpeople.

I think I will mainly let the photos tell the story on the maintenance side – understand that this is a diary for us as well as a public (let’s not kid ourselves) document. 

Last year's engine anode - in case you were thinking of skipping the change!

BUCH DV 20

Primary filter in situ - we did move it to an accessible position cf. Nigel C.

A fuel filter that has done its work for at least one season, but maybe more.

Engine maintenance becomes slightly less scary as we get more familiar with the little red donkey under the stairs. Buch DV20 is generally well-behaved, if noisy.  All it asks is an oil, filter, engine anode change once a year and it will carry on with its suck, squash, bang and blow like a good little diesel.  Of course there are exceptions – failed water pump last year – or was it the year before?  I have found that my record keeping has been a bit haphazard and I am resolving to remedy that.  Looking back, I think that the few problems we have had were down to the water pump getting a bit senile.  This is all to say that I think the primary fuel filter was well overdue.  It is impossible to overstate the importance of clean fuel to a diesel engine.  We already live dangerously having no inspection port or sample tap in the fuel tank (see Nigel Calder’s “Boatowners Practical & Technical.. “ on this topic if you really want to give yourself a few sleepless nights and/or a lot of work).  

     

      The headlining project is pretty much uncharted territory.  Yesterday saw the beginning of the project to re-fix the panel-style headlinings to the underside of the deck moulding.  At the same time I will boost the insulation with closed-cell foam.  Stage 1 is to put up new battens.  These have to be stuck to the underside of the fiberglass deck.  The placement is a bit random, reflecting the original design – also choosing areas that are reasonabley flat in profile.  The breakthrough – I hope – is following Bill Churchouse’s advice and using P38 Isopon car body filler – a substance with a truly horrifying range of hazards: fortunately I had a an internet connection and could download the safety sheet – not provided when I bought the tin at my local motor bits shop.  Given the toxicity of the material, that seems like a wildly irresponsible omission.  I think it is classified as a professional product and maybe therefore exempt from any warnings on the tin.  More nanny state here, please. 

     So this morning I have a problem.  It is raining moderately and steadily, so can I get enough ventilation through the boat to keep my respiratory system safe without getting everything soaking wet?  To anyone who has never attempted this kind of thing, imagine re-tiling your bathroom (a small one) whilst trying to use it as a bedroom and a kitchen.  Yes, really. 

Oh, and the car packed up on Tuesday, refusing to start despite its 4-month old battery and no lights left on (yes, I am sure).  An afternoon spent in pleasant conversation with the European branch of RAC assistance had a mechanic driving in circles and me happily putting my workbench together on the pontoon.  Eventually we agreed that it was ‘an electronic problem’, jumpstarted the car and I agreed to drive it to the local Citroen dealer ‘sans arrete’.  An absence of phone calls yesterday, and a pressing need for the Isopon lead me to jump on my trusty bike and nip up to the garagiste.  (Lots of useful kit still in the car – it’s a C5 estate – a handy sort of garden shed on wheels, with a strong heart and willing spirit.)  It didn’t look like anything much had happened since the day before and I saw the garagiste hiding in his office.  I had arrived at 1215 – sacred lunchtime.  Oh well, Isopon and a chunk of closed cell foam in the rucksack and back home.  I wouldn'tt like to have had a roadside breakdown or have been in a hurry to get anywhere!  (Although I have been offered a hire car so suppose I can't complain too much.)

No Internet connection this morning – bereft of the Today programme I am hoping for a respite in the rain.  Will do some sawing and sanding so all the bits are ready.  I will plonk on the P38 and pedal down the quay for a coffee & detox and attempt an upload.

Hey, nearly forgot the naked men!  What with the nude bike ride at the weekend (you’ll have to Google that) and Alex’s husband de-jarring a skunk scarcely in his boxers, they have been on my mind.  I walked into the shower block yesterday evening, and saw – yes, you have it – a naked man, who quickly whapped his towel around the front and said ‘Bonjour’.  I politely said the same and found an empty cubicle.  The French can be over-formal but it does work!  How would a Brit or American have handled this?  (Comments welcome). 

Coming soon – as promised a meditation on tools…  nothing and everything to do with the above.

WOOD, GUNK & NAKED MEN

-->

Thursday, June 13, 2013

This is a catch-up.  I thought that a daily dose of the minutae of life in preparation mode might be a step too far – too much detail for the determined landlubbers & too much personal stuff for the sailorpeople.

I think I will mainly let the photos tell the story on the maintenance side – understand that this is a diary for us as well as a public (let’s not kid ourselves) document. 

Last year's engine anode - in case you were thinking of skipping the change!

BUCH DV 20

Primary filter in situ - we did move it to an accessible position cf. Nigel C.

A fuel filter that has done its work for at least one season, but maybe more.

Engine maintenance becomes slightly less scary as we get more familiar with the little red donkey under the stairs. Buch DV20 is generally well-behaved, if noisy.  All it asks is an oil, filter, engine anode change once a year and it will carry on with its suck, squash, bang and blow like a good little diesel.  Of course there are exceptions – failed water pump last year – or was it the year before?  I have found that my record keeping has been a bit haphazard and I am resolving to remedy that.  Looking back, I think that the few problems we have had were down to the water pump getting a bit senile.  This is all to say that I think the primary fuel filter was well overdue.  It is impossible to overstate the importance of clean fuel to a diesel engine.  We already live dangerously having no inspection port or sample tap in the fuel tank (see Nigel Calder’s “Boatowners Practical & Technical.. “ on this topic if you really want to give yourself a few sleepless nights and/or a lot of work).  

     

      The headlining project is pretty much uncharted territory.  Yesterday saw the beginning of the project to re-fix the panel-style headlinings to the underside of the deck moulding.  At the same time I will boost the insulation with closed-cell foam.  Stage 1 is to put up new battens.  These have to be stuck to the underside of the fiberglass deck.  The placement is a bit random, reflecting the original design – also choosing areas that are reasonabley flat in profile.  The breakthrough – I hope – is following Bill Churchouse’s advice and using P38 Isopon car body filler – a substance with a truly horrifying range of hazards: fortunately I had a an internet connection and could download the safety sheet – not provided when I bought the tin at my local motor bits shop.  Given the toxicity of the material, that seems like a wildly irresponsible omission.  I think it is classified as a professional product and maybe therefore exempt from any warnings on the tin.  More nanny state here, please. 

     So this morning I have a problem.  It is raining moderately and steadily, so can I get enough ventilation through the boat to keep my respiratory system safe without getting everything soaking wet?  To anyone who has never attempted this kind of thing, imagine re-tiling your bathroom (a small one) whilst trying to use it as a bedroom and a kitchen.  Yes, really. 

Oh, and the car packed up on Tuesday, refusing to start despite its 4-month old battery and no lights left on (yes, I am sure).  An afternoon spent in pleasant conversation with the European branch of RAC assistance had a mechanic driving in circles and me happily putting my workbench together on the pontoon.  Eventually we agreed that it was ‘an electronic problem’, jumpstarted the car and I agreed to drive it to the local Citroen dealer ‘sans arrete’.  An absence of phone calls yesterday, and a pressing need for the Isopon lead me to jump on my trusty bike and nip up to the garagiste.  (Lots of useful kit still in the car – it’s a C5 estate – a handy sort of garden shed on wheels, with a strong heart and willing spirit.)  It didn’t look like anything much had happened since the day before and I saw the garagiste hiding in his office.  I had arrived at 1215 – sacred lunchtime.  Oh well, Isopon and a chunk of closed cell foam in the rucksack and back home.  I wouldn'tt like to have had a roadside breakdown or have been in a hurry to get anywhere!  (Although I have been offered a hire car so suppose I can't complain too much.)

No Internet connection this morning – bereft of the Today programme I am hoping for a respite in the rain.  Will do some sawing and sanding so all the bits are ready.  I will plonk on the P38 and pedal down the quay for a coffee & detox and attempt an upload.

Hey, nearly forgot the naked men!  What with the nude bike ride at the weekend (you’ll have to Google that) and Alex’s husband de-jarring a skunk scarcely in his boxers, they have been on my mind.  I walked into the shower block yesterday evening, and saw – yes, you have it – a naked man, who quickly whapped his towel around the front and said ‘Bonjour’.  I politely said the same and found an empty cubicle.  The French can be over-formal but it does work!  How would a Brit or American have handled this?  (Comments welcome). 

Coming soon – as promised a meditation on tools…  nothing and everything to do with the above.

6 Days

Now I am on the final job list - Al arrives in 6 days' time - well, technically 7 but I have 6 days left to get the rest of the work done.  A small setback today - I was about to go to Brico Depot or whatever the local monster DIY supplies place is called - and the car wouldn't start.  There followed an afternoon of calls with helpful Chris from the RAC assistance partner in France.  Unfortunately helpful Chris misdirected the breakdown chap (old truck, no GPS, no mobile phone) and so I passed the time putting together my new workbench on the pontoon, and he apparently passed the time driving in circles.  As luck would have it, there is a Citroen repair garage in Marans.  The breakdown chap agreed with me that the battery was fine and the lack of electrics to the starter motor was something else.  (Probably something else expensive.)  He got me going with jump leads and told me not to stop on the way to M. Citroen.
    I walked back - not far - in time to finish the assembly job and take delivery of the sails from the lovely Doris - a local sail  maker - she has stored and repaired the sails over the winter.  We now have telltales on the foresails so no excuse for sloppy sail setting.
    On the positive side, I now have a workbench - a sturdy £20.00 worth, and I decided I didn't need anything from the DIY Depot after all.  Downside: it's going to rain tomorrow.  This morning I reorganized our weather folder, with all the really useful links at the top.  (Anyone out there wants this, I can send a links document. Geared to sailing Eastern Atlantic coasts.)
   
COMING SOON: Port Bound - Going to Sea



    

6 Days

Now I am on the final job list - Al arrives in 6 days' time - well, technically 7 but I have 6 days left to get the rest of the work done.  A small setback today - I was about to go to Brico Depot or whatever the local monster DIY supplies place is called - and the car wouldn't start.  There followed an afternoon of calls with helpful Chris from the RAC assistance partner in France.  Unfortunately helpful Chris misdirected the breakdown chap (old truck, no GPS, no mobile phone) and so I passed the time putting together my new workbench on the pontoon, and he apparently passed the time driving in circles.  As luck would have it, there is a Citroen repair garage in Marans.  The breakdown chap agreed with me that the battery was fine and the lack of electrics to the starter motor was something else.  (Probably something else expensive.)  He got me going with jump leads and told me not to stop on the way to M. Citroen.
    I walked back - not far - in time to finish the assembly job and take delivery of the sails from the lovely Doris - a local sail  maker - she has stored and repaired the sails over the winter.  We now have telltales on the foresails so no excuse for sloppy sail setting.
    On the positive side, I now have a workbench - a sturdy £20.00 worth, and I decided I didn't need anything from the DIY Depot after all.  Downside: it's going to rain tomorrow.  This morning I reorganized our weather folder, with all the really useful links at the top.  (Anyone out there wants this, I can send a links document. Geared to sailing Eastern Atlantic coasts.)
   
COMING SOON: Port Bound - Going to Sea



    

MOUL'STOCK

So - at last the great day dawned - and a showery one it was too!  The above photos were taken around 1700 and when I left at around 2015 it was just getting going with much thicker crowds!  I am trying to mount a video of the act on the right.  Their singer was very talented with a huge voice and a talent for mime in that very French style.  When I arrived there was a pretty average rock band getting a lukewarm reception, followed by the bunch in the middle - a brass oom-pah band that got the little kids dancing and a lot of adult feet tapping.

There was a very small amount of sponsorship in evidence but it was recognizably a community event, with no admission and local catering.  The benches and tables came out as they do at every French village event.  People sit where they can, the kids don't throw food and at least that early in the day nobody was noticeably drunk.

I feel a bit pathetic for not having photographed the huge portion of moules and the only slightly smaller portion of frites that I managed to get through - all for a very modest 5€!  I always find those events a bit weird when I go alone - I was hoping I might see someone I knew - so I felt a conspicuous enough eating on my own without the added embarrassment of snapping my dinner!

AHA!  It's stopped raining - time to change the engine filters.  Easier when I can see what I'm doing without hatch closed & weather boards in.  This is Snork Maiden OUT.

OH - AND NOW THE VIDEO... ratio is wrong, but give it a go!
 

MOUL'STOCK

So - at last the great day dawned - and a showery one it was too!  The above photos were taken around 1700 and when I left at around 2015 it was just getting going with much thicker crowds!  I am trying to mount a video of the act on the right.  Their singer was very talented with a huge voice and a talent for mime in that very French style.  When I arrived there was a pretty average rock band getting a lukewarm reception, followed by the bunch in the middle - a brass oom-pah band that got the little kids dancing and a lot of adult feet tapping.

There was a very small amount of sponsorship in evidence but it was recognizably a community event, with no admission and local catering.  The benches and tables came out as they do at every French village event.  People sit where they can, the kids don't throw food and at least that early in the day nobody was noticeably drunk.

I feel a bit pathetic for not having photographed the huge portion of moules and the only slightly smaller portion of frites that I managed to get through - all for a very modest 5€!  I always find those events a bit weird when I go alone - I was hoping I might see someone I knew - so I felt a conspicuous enough eating on my own without the added embarrassment of snapping my dinner!

AHA!  It's stopped raining - time to change the engine filters.  Easier when I can see what I'm doing without hatch closed & weather boards in.  This is Snork Maiden OUT.

OH - AND NOW THE VIDEO... ratio is wrong, but give it a go!