Week 2
Friday 27 July 2007
Up at 6.30am as tide changing and boat would start banging into huge metal buoy. After brekkie set off for Rouen. Passed 2 English boats going in the other direction but other than that just commercial barges. Passed lots more pretty villages where all the gardens are perfectly manicured. Saw a group of kids who looked like they were going caving – they all waved as we went passed. Arrived in the outskirts of Rouen about 2.30pm and headed for the dock which the books said was where you could have the mast stepped down. The first dock (Darse des Docks) was completely derelict so we moved on to the next one (St Gervais) which also looked derelict but a guy told us we could have the mast stepped down here but it would cost 150 euros. He said we could pull up alongside another boat if we wanted to do it ourselves. This we decided to do! We set up a pulley system and started to lower the mast – all was going well, it was about half way down when the pulley system slipped and mast came crashing down. We spent the next few hours trying to sort out the mess – nothing appears to be broken (thank goodness). By this time it was 10.30pm so we had a quick bite to eat and fell into bed absolutely shattered!
Saturday 28 July 2007
Up about 9.00am and finished off the mast supports and cleaned the boat inside and out. Had a lazy afternoon on the boat, made pizza and bread on the Cobb. Watched Top Gun dvd – had forgotten what a great film it is – cannot believe it was first released in 1986 – how old did we feel?!
Sunday 29 July 2007
Woken about 9.00am by a torrential downpour of rain. Had brekkie and waited for the rain to pass and headed out of the dock for the centre of Rouen about 11.30am. On the way passed under the largest vertical lifting bridge in the world, 83m. Came to Halte Plaisance on the Ile Lacroix and a nice little French man came out to greet us and help us moor up. Headed into town and followed the Navicarte guide and saw where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake aged only 19 years. Saw another Notre Dame cathedral (every town seems to have one!) Had dinner back on the boat and headed out about 10.30pm to see a light show of the Monet painting of the Notre Dame cathedral projected onto the cathedral itself – it was really good. When we came out the marina had been locked up so we had to climb the gate to get in and out!
Monday 30 July 2007
Up at 9.00am to brilliant sunshine. Went to supermarket to get in some supplies and then left with the noon tide. Again saw a few barges but no other boats (are we the only people doing this type of trip??). Saw some red water in the river and the thing we saw was a waterfall of pink water coming from the river bank – goodness knows what kind of pollution that was. Came to our first big lock at Amfreville – it was big enough to take a couple of large barges but luckily we were the only ones in it. Out the other side and right turn into a little village called Poses – very quaint with a little village store, a pub and lots of huge houses and that was about it. Moored up on the river bank and went for a walk and saw a duck catch an eel and wrestle with it and eventually swallow it down whole.
Tuesday 31 July 2007
Happy 4th Birthday to James!
Up at 10.00am and got out the folding bikes and went exploring. Followed the Mesnil Lake round and into another little village passing lots of lovely poppy fields. It was about 25 degrees. After lunch went out again, over the weir and the lock and into another village where we found a Lidl! Bought some food for a bbq later. Saw water skiers, paragliders and a microlight. On the way back stopped and picked some blackberries for dessert and went for a swim in the lake. Lit the Cobb on the river bank which drew huge amounts of attention from the locals who all popped by to say “bon appetite”. Whilst cooking dinner Darryl got stung by a wasp.
Wednesday 1 August 2007
Up at 9.30am and were visited by a little black and white dog who was trying to come aboard the boat and when we ignored her she barked at us. Headed out towards Les Andelys, again we were the only boat other than the barges and a few water skiers. Arrived in Les Andelys and tried to moor up in front of a huge cruiser liner but hit a rock and had to move on. Next tried to go into the marina described in the Navicarte as good for boats with a draught of up to 2m – again hit the bottom and had to come out. Eventually moored against a barge mooring up the river. Walked up the hill to Chateau Gaillard (built by Richard the Lionheart in the 12th Century). It was really hot today – the temperature inside the boat was 31 degrees.
Thursday 2 August 2007
Happy Birthday to Sarah H!
Left Les Andelys about 7.30am and headed for Vernon. Not much to see along the way. Went in a big lock at Chateau Neuf with a large barge but all was ok. Arrived in Vernon about midday and moored up at the local yacht club. A member of the club came to greet us later on and was very friendly. Cycled the 3km to Giverny to see Claude Monet’s house and the famous water lily garden, which was beautiful (full of English tourists!!). Went to the church where Claude Monet and his family are buried and saw the grave of 7 English Air Force men who were shot down during the 2nd World War, their grave is immaculately kept by the British Legion of Gloucs. When we returned a British motor cruiser had pulled in next to us and we got talking to Colin and Joyce, a retired couple from Portsmouth who were on their way back from Paris and gave us some advice on where to stop on the way.
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