Rouen in Seine

Taming the seine on our continuing journey of 67 miles from Honfleur to Rouen was my main concern and once the flood had met the incoming tide all settled down. Our speed increased across the ground to 10 knots at one point. The stress went out of the journey and seemed to transfer to concerned, shore side, dwellers. We saw a number of people peering across the river wondering how high it would get and one lady was measuring the river height to the top of her wall, about 18 inches as far as I could see. Many houses appeared to be below river level.

Not too much traffic around but we did have to dodge a number of trees.

Our arrival in Rouen was uneventful making me think I might be getting the hang of this sailing lark.

Of course Rouen was where Hermy had to have her mast removed. A very scary experience.

 These old boys were tip top. Christophe, operating the crane thing, was a younger version of Bill at Segas sailing club, totally in control while finding time to mildly take the piss. It must be part of the training. He mentioned that he would be relying on me to go up the mast to attach the sling. I just smiled thinking this was just him having fun, but he meant it. Although Hermy has steps I always considered them to be for the use of others. Wife belayed me so that if I fell my descent would have been slowed by her ascent. Not sure where it would have all finished but all went well. Old chimp instincts kicked in.

Hermy Sans Mast... It's just not right.

Of course that was only the beginning. We had to wrap the mast for transportation. What does that mean? I have some Christmas experience but that has received criticism in the past.

Miles of tape, bubble wrap, cling film and cardboard. I'll never complain about presents again.

So now we had time to explore Rouen and taking our lives in our hands we took on the French traffic system. Driving on the wrong side of the road is difficult enough in a car but on a bike they seem to come at you from everywhere. I decided it was important to blend in  so that they didn't go for me because I looked different.

This fashionable look has attracted the odd approving comments from youthful, trendy French people  promenading along the Seine. I must look up " Regardez le Tosseur."

Actually this bike is an instrument of torture, no amount of cream and Chaffe free underwear spare you from the pains associated with such an unforgiving saddle. I am sure it was an earlier version of this that got Joan of Arc to confess she was a heretic. 'Submitez vous  or vous allez to the supermarche sur le bicyclette madamoiselle.' On the subject of Joan, interestingly, they refer to her as being "Brulee'd which conjures up images of your creme brulee being tied to a stake and torched. Or the young maiden being crisped up on the outside with a blow torch.

Just when you are beginning to think all disasters are past, no current open head wounds, I usually find a new one and today was no exception. Due to the rain I noticed that our bimini was beginning to sag having collected a gallon or two of water. 

No problem, a quick push from underneath would take the strain off and deposit the water into the marina. I promptly did this but then heard muffled screaming which, at first, I couldn't quite place but it did have that 'Caro' ring to it and was often heard when disaster strikes with a slight tone of, 'and this is your bloody fault,' I felt reassured, couldn't be my fault as I was outside and the screaming was from inside! 'Now what could be the matter with that wife?' Small side windows were open. Bed took about a gallon.

Opting back in to Britain ... Home tomorrow 14th June.

Hermy finally gets to Honfleur

The order of the month seems to have been cold wind and rain both for England and France although the French seem to have at least tried to keep the rainfall to night time.

To get out of Fecamp inner basin there is a lock and a lifting bridge. If you time it right the lock is on free flow so you just have to manage the opening of the bridge. The marina warned us that the Capitainerie didn't speak English and gave us a 'post it' with 'Ouverture la pont  s'il vous plait' written on it to assist or request.

No problem! channel 9 in my best French accent I repeat the above several times with no response. Bearing in mind the Capitainarie is about fifty yards from our berth and I can see the man through the window, no amount of waving or ouverturing the bloody pont brings any kind of response.

After 10 minutes I march out of the basin with vhf in hand, across the damn pont and bang on the door of the Capitainerie. He politely explains in French that I can just make out that he has not heard a word and will be more than happy to Ouverture the pont. He asks do I have a radio problem? I am on channel 12 aren't  I? Err yes of course radio problem must be the cliffs. 

I suddenly realize that I am now the wrong side of the pont but can't explain that in French so I leg it out of the Capitainerie and back to the boat. The pont ouvertures and out we go. Fill up with fuel and hop into an outer harbour berth for the night.

Despite having made a significant contribution to the Fecamp economy we enjoyed our stay and decided that if things are going to go bent then Fecamp is a good place for it.

Out at lunch time and a lovely sail down to Cap Antifer.

A skipper has many responsibilities aboard ship and never has time to stop and take it all in!

The Honfleur Rouen channel is quite narrow particularly when large ships creep up on you. 

Whenever I see one of these the ships always seem to have a confident grin!

Honfleur lock is our biggest lock so far and only had to share it with one other boat.

Wife doing a sterling job on the bow. Shortly after this she capped it off by lassoing a dock cleat as we came alongside in Honfleur. It was a pity it wasn't in the inner basin where you have a massive audience. 

I would like to point out that any showing off, that comes off, is ultimately down to the skipper. bodges, crashes, scrapes and downright humiliations are always due to the crew.

you wouldn't want to get anything caught in these.

Hermy finally alongside at Honfleur signalling the end of the sea leg of our voyage. Note the brand new coat. I got brand new PJs as the old ones were getting a little crusty but wasn't allowed to model them.

If  you understand tides and flooding and understand how river flow works then the current issues around Paris on the Seine creates some extraordinary circumstances.

 If you don't then you plan to leave Honfleur at low water at the turn of the tide expecting gentle conditions to begin your journey up the River Seine.

You are not allowed to stop, anchor, sail or interfere with commercial shipping regardless of usual rights of way on the Seine. You are a pleasure boater and are therefore just in the bloody way.

As you leave Honfleur you begin to understand river floods and tides. We came out and met, full on, all the floodwater, now no longer impeded by the tide, belting out of the Seine. 

We motored against 5.5 knots of flow making 2 knots of progress over the ground in very lumpy conditions. I explained to crew that this was fully expected and would soon die down, which it did, after an hour and a half ! Luckily the engine was on top form.

Honfleur by Renault Clio

Hopes that injectors may be replaced earlier than estimated, by the nice man from Uship were quietly laid to rest. Friday arrived and no mechanics appeared despite the crossed fingered smiling, nice lady on reception. Her face showed no signs of the "Piss off, we told you Monday didn't we?" attitude that you sometimes detect in such situations.

So it was to ADA car hire and hire a Clio, then beg your mates to let you stay in their hard won accommodation, following the usual internet battle for it in Honfleur. They couldn't turn us away, or at least couldn't think of a way, and off we went to Honfleur just up the road and a few kerbs. Weird this driving on the right or is it left?

A very nice place which should be on everyone's weekend away list. Pretty harbour, lots of cafe's and shops, really quaint buildings, they looked like they had been built by artists for artists. Tall and thin, just like me!

Really nice to meet up with good, wife fearing, mates,

and their wives.

Honfleur was a wine beer and food fest, very relaxing and a good preview for our eventual arrival. If you look closely at the first photo you spot a Southerly 115 up against the harbour wall so couldn't resist a visit as we staggered back to the thin accommodation.

 Would you believe it? When I said 'Hi I've got one of these' to the owner, he immediately said ah yes having Injector problems in Fecamp I believe? Well I suppose he could have said, ah yes  you're the twat that keeps bashing his head on everything! 

Apparently he had run in to fellow North France cruisers Mike and Ann Marie on Fleur and Dave and Gill on Morning Mist. No secrets allowed here.

Had a lovely visit to a butterfly farm thingy, what do you call a butterfly-erie?

Some pretty specimens

Then a rarer, refined and ornate specimen hiding in the leaves!

Some fine dining was had at Les Fontaines restaurant where Carl and I discovered Marmite Normandy! No not what you might think, no sign of Marmite but a lovely fish stew. Food was really nice.

Well it was all over too quickly and before we knew it we were all up and packing away the empty bottles for quiet disposal and then readying for our journeys home.

Managed to get the Clio back to Fecamp with no real damage, even the lady at the hire shop seemed surprised. 

The good news was Uship came good and within an hour of our return, Brice, the very nice man from Uship, was onboard installing new injectors. After bleeding the engine, the bleeding engine started and purred like a pussy cat. 

Very pleased with the service and I shall be voting Uship at the next election.

Next stop Hermione does Honfleur.