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.