13th October

The locks at Bordeaux were very well organised and we took their advice as to the best time to leave. Peter is with us and we wanted him to see the lovely countryside that we had passed on our way up the Gironde. So, we went back downstream to Pauillac in Medoc. This town is very famous as the centre of the wine growing region. From here we have been able to visit vineyards - guided tours and tasting. In some places the harvest is already finished, others are almost at the end. In one place we tasted the grapes, grape juice and then the wine…cru bourgeois to start before trying the grand cru [Paul was very impressed!!!]
We have also tried a couple of restaurants here - it’s actually quite safe to order the house wine!!!! But at one restaurant, we were staggered to see a bottle wine at 2,500 euros on the wine list [sharp exit!!]
Finally we have hit a change in weather - only 2 days ago it was still 25 degrees with bright sunshine. Now it has turned cooler and we have seen the first heavy rain that we have seen since leaving England [we think that Peter has brought it from Newcastle!!!]. Today it is drizzling and grey and for the first time in weeks we have put on a jacket…but it’s forecast to improve again by the weekend!

9th October

From Mortagne we headed for Bordeaux. This turned into quite an adventure!!! We came out of the marina on the last bit of the flood tide so we knew that we didn’t have enough fair tide to go all the way. Despite all our pilot books saying otherwise, we were able to anchor in the river with good holding and wait for the ebb to finish so that we could take the next flood all the way to Bordeaux.
The starboard bank, of course, is Medoc country. Vines grew right down to the water’s edge and many of the famous name wine Chateaux could be seen clearly - some even had name boards along the river bank so that we knew what we were looking at and could try to remember if we’d ever had any!!
As the tide rose the stream got stronger and stronger, so we were whooshing up the river at enormous speed! We then began to grow concerned about how we would be able to stop the boat…..at one point we were doing more than 10 knots over the ground even when the engine was no more than ticking over. Bordeaux was by this time very close, it was dark and if we didn’t stop….well the next fixed bridge was too close for comfort.
It felt as if we white water rafting as we flew under the high road bridge, the mooring pontoon was just the other side. As we turned the boat the tide had even more to push against the broadside of the boat and we were really struggling. Once turned we put the engine to full throttle to try to fight back against the flood. Gradually we inched forward and tried to slide in sidewards to `park’ in between two boats already on the pontoon…we missed the first time and had to make another circle and slide in again. We had to keep the boat on full throttle until a head line was securely tied. The water just boiled past us!! We tied up using every bit of rope, string and shoelace that we could find. Every now and then there were huge surges of water - all very disconcerting. Whole trees kept zooming past us, sometimes crashing against the boat. It was horrible!!! WE spent most of the night planning how on earth we were ever going to get off again!
In fact, daylight and a slacker time of tide made it all much easier than we had feared. We slid across the river and into the old dock basin which now serves as a kind of marina. Peter, my sister’s husband, joined us here having flown in from Manchester. Together we had a lovely day mooching around the old city on Sunday `tourist style’

6th October

In beautiful sunshine, we left Royan and sailed up the Gironde to Mortagne. Once again we passed the caves and the church at Talmon, but seen this time by water rather than by road. When we arrived at Mortagne, we felt quite at home as we crawled up the creek, between muddy banks on a rising tide. Then we were able to lock into the marina - a lovely quiet spot at this time of year. The village is in two parts - the lower part is the marina and some restaurant bars. Behind this, is a wall of white cliffs, which are floodlit at night. It is then a steep climb into the main part of the village with the usual assortment of shops etc. We explored by bike, visiting the church, a hermitage in the cliff and along the marshes. I was fascinated by a huge flat, straw lined circle mounted on top of a post - I tramped across the field for a closer look, and it was a nesting platform for storks! But none were to be seen so it must be the wrong time of year.
Another bike ride the next day took us through vineyards, fields of dried up sunflowers alive with gold finches, woods and open country side with huge `buzzards’[we think] circling and perching on tree tops. Finally we stopped at the little stall near the marina where a lovely couple sell locally produced wines and melons from their own plot - both of which were added to our meal that evening, of course.

3rd October

By the 1st of October we had to be out of Biscay in order to comply with our boat insurance - well we made it!! On Friday 30th September we sailed into the Gironde!! It is an epic river entrance - huge breaking surf on sand banks to each side. There was an enormous Atlantic swell - when we were only less than half a mile from a large container ship, if it was on a `down’ at the same time as us, it dropped completely out of view!!! Yet this was a relatively calm day!

It was a gloriously hot, sunny day as we sailed up the first part of the river and into Royan. Paul was quite excited to discover that the marina is half price from 1st October - a bargain!!! Royan is an interesting place - it was completely destroyed at the end of the war so has been totally rebuilt. It has wide open streets and a lovely light and airy feel. The beach is amazing with coffee coloured Gironde water. It is also full of hairdressers and estate agents! And the market! Such delicious food - especially the local speciality…whole baked beetroot!! Plus local fruit, nuts, tomatoes, fish [still unknown, still tasty] - mouth watering!!
We have also had the pleasure of once again bumping into a couple who we first met in Bourganay - we have had some good chat over `aperitifs’!! They have a car here and yesterday invited us out for some site seeing. We drove along the `coast’ [or river bank?] to Talmon - this is the most picturesque little village with a church perched right on the cliff - at high tide the water comes right up to the walls! There is also a tiny harbour where boats dry out in a muddy creek [Surfleet style!?!] Such a fantastic spot. We also got a closer look a these fishing huts which are all along the cliffs - they are built on kind of stilts. From inside, the fishermen lower a big square net which is then hauled up with the aid of a counter weight under the hut - has to be seen really! And if they bring up anything which is alive, then it’s dinner! On the way back we looked at some ancient caves - apparently you can stay overnight in one for about 60 euros each! We ended the day on `Youen’ with a bottle of champagne! Another `better than Heartbeat’ Sunday evening!!!

28th September

ntering the old harbour of La Rochelle is quite something!!! Having seen pictures of it for years [Paul even remembers it from his school history text books] to then actually sail in between the towers to the harbour inside the city walls…wow!!

We were sorry to miss Lisa, Aidan and Osie from St Martin. We got into the harbour at about 3p.m. - happy birthday Aidan!!!

We just wandered and walked around this lovely city. We also had a lovely day with Tim and Veronica from Spalding Grammar School - they have a house in France and drove down to see us! We had a delicious lunch in a restaurant close to the towers - even Dom came too!! Dogs are very popular in France and are welcome almost everywhere!! When the waiter came, he brought the menus to us then immediately returned with a bowl of water for Dom which was carefully placed under the table. It was a super day - Paul was able to catch up on school `news’. He was particularly amused by the cigar!!![this was ALLEGEDLY school confiscation booty??!! Surely not!]

24th September

We have really enjoyed a few days on the Ille de Re. We had a wonderful bike ride along the island’s cycle paths. This island is famous for salt - there are still vast areas of salt pans where salt is `harvested’ as the sea water evaporates from these shallow marshes. It’s quite incredible to see. The famous salt is quite rough and has a yellow tinge [well, yes, the farmer’s dogs were in attendance!!??] - we didn’t try it! As the industry has reduced, many of the salt pans have returned to natural salt marsh which attract thousands of sea birds. It is a fascinating place. Paul’s `detour’ was quite interesting - being a D. of E. leader his map reading skills must be sound, mustn’t they?? So he must have `planned’ for us to end up carrying our bikes for over a mile of rough, rocky sea wall….only to find it ended in a creek…and the tide was rising…fast…so we had to wade across….carrying bikes…like I said, the island’s bike paths are very good!!!

We also discovered the daily market in St Martin. We have never seen so many varieties of fish!! We bought one and cooked it and ate it - it was delicious, but we haven’t a clue what it was!!
After a few days we needed to get out of the harbour, which was quite claustrophobic. So we headed for an anchorage through the bridge en route to La Rochelle. Again we were joined by a dolphin! Just as we approached the bridge [which joins Ille de Re to La Rochelle] we saw something black in the water ahead - of course we always think `rock’!! But it rolled across the surface a few times before swimming alongside the boat - it was the biggest dolphin we have ever seen!!