Hermione has crossed France

Staying at Avignon for a week was a good decision but planning our next stop became a problem. There really wasn't one in the next 80 km despite the presence of great towns such as Arles and Beaucaire. We had heard that Arles was well worth a visit so we jumped on a TGV and went and had a look.

Oh yes and I have to report that the Osprey has eaten. After a great deal of circling and three visits to the same spot there was a sudden swoop and headlong dive, a titanic struggle and Mrs K bought a summer dress. Here she is modelling it beside Arles Roman Arena.

We decided we liked Arles, it's Roman remains, it's windy old streets and it's shops. A shame boaty people couldn't stop.

Note plenty of docking for commercial boats but no room for poor old Hermy.

This was also a prime example of a bridge destroyed by the Germans during the war with an appropriate plaque explaining just that.

I think, if you read between the lines, it says, so don't expect those responsible to get through our locks too quickly.

 If you want a sandwich you go to a sandwicherie, in France and we did just that beside the arena at Arles. It is also interesting to see that if you want a crepe you go to a creperie and if you want a tart you visit a tarterie. I wasn't allowed to visit the tarterie.

Having spent over a week at Avignon it was time to go and we decided we had to go early to make the 80 km trip to Port St Louis. This will be our final destination, and our rendezvous with the Mediterranean. So aiming to set off at 0730 I got up at 0630 to prepare the boat and the crew, neither seem to like early starts. At 7:25 all was ready, checks done and crew breakfasted. It was then that I opened the hatch and saw something I wasn't expecting. Fog.

We gave it a few minutes and I found out how to turn the Nav lights on. A quick thump and forward and stern lights were on. Now on my old boat the steaming light had its own switch so back down below but a search of the switches was unsuccessful. Back on deck I found myself staring at the sky. 

Where should the steaming light be? half way up the mast. Where is the mast? Port St Louis.

We got away by 7:45 which was unique for us two.

It did however take some time before it warmed up sufficiently to carry on with the winter bed sock programme.

But all began to brighten up and we passed some more castles .

This is the one at Tarascon but again nowhere to stop. I think I shall be writing to Monsieur Hollande about this.  Beaucaire marked our last lock on the Rhone and second to last overall. Surprisingly we were straight in.

The Camargue is quite flat and our journey to Port St Louis was uneventful only seeing two other ships on our way. Lots of fishermen and loads of Herons.

We arrived at Port St Louis with an hour and a half to spare before they open the lock. They have to coordinate it with the lifting of a busy road bridge so it operates at specific times.

After all the previous Rhone locks it was quite a surprise to find that the water level only dropped by two or three inches. This lock still however took the prize for being the slowest.

On entering Port St Louis we were greeted by Baloo and after a couple of attempts and many reassuring comments about undercurrents we berthed. We had finally made it to the Med.

All we have to do now is lift her out and put the mast back on. Where are the bottle screws my dear?