Aquila - STORM BOUND AT ROCHEFORT

STORM BOUND AT ROCHEFORT

Aquila

Alan and Sarah Bennett

Wed 4 Jun 2014 18:18

Wednesday 4 June. Today was another lay day for the crew of Aquila – beset by gales in Biscay which reached all the way upriver to our snug berth in Rochefort Marina in the historic naval dockyard. The skipper’s day was made by his purchase of a ‘man-bag’, probably the most fashionable accessory that Alan has ever owned, which he spent the rest of the day putting things into then taking them out again, like Pooh with his useful pot.

In other news, Bill and Jill (also known onboard as ‘Jo’ or ‘Judith’ for no discernible reason) walked along the river bank to get in shape for her upcoming 5K charity jog, and enjoyed a trip across the Charente river onboard the 1900- vintage ‘Transporter Bridge’, once a vital link but now a faintly quaint tourist attraction. Meanwhile, back on board poor Sarah risked nuclear meltdown while attempting unsuccessfully to get her Iphone working; don’t you just love technology? Alan continues to astound our chatty neighbour with his remarkable grasp of French syntax, and is never lost for words even if some of them do turn out to be English ones.

Better weather is forecast for tomorrow, so the open sea beckons. Me hearties!

Blog Entries

2017

Aug 2017

Thu 17 Aug 06:14
- The cruise around the Baltic in numbers
Tue 15 Aug 17:50
- WHERE'S BASIL? LAST SEEN BEING HELD BY THE SKIPPER SUSPICIOUSLY CLOSE TO THE WEATHER RAIL!
- We anchored in the foreground for a swim
Mon 14 Aug 17:12
- Full English at dawn
- A swim and Fecamp.
Sun 13 Aug 23:53
- Rounding Cap Gris Nes
- Heading SW
Fri 11 Aug 12:14
- Arrival at Scheveningen
- Waypoint
Thu 10 Aug 09:28
- 7 hour pit stop in Borkum
- Waypoint off Scharnhorn isle
Tue 8 Aug 14:44
- Farewell Crew 7?
- Arrival at Cuxhaven
Sun 6 Aug 15:47
Sat 5 Aug 17:14
Fri 4 Aug 15:27
Thu 3 Aug 17:34
- A storming sail to an enchanting anchorage
- Boy's boating.....
Wed 2 Aug 19:37
Tue 1 Aug 01:04

Jul 2017

Mon 31 Jul 18:52
- Loafing in Copenhagen...
Sat 29 Jul 10:06
- Remember - never buy a boat!
- In Copenhagen...
Fri 28 Jul 15:13
- At Langelinie, Copenhagen
- Leaving Kastrup, the Skipper lamented the loss of his recent crew
- Arrival into Copenhagen
- Arrival in Copenhagen
Thu 27 Jul 16:09
- In light airs, the skipper will do anything for extra boat speed
- Big ships and 'The Bridge'.
- We decided on Plan B.
Wed 26 Jul 17:34
- Fast passage to Rodvig
- The importance of maintaining a good look out...
Tue 25 Jul 19:15
- En route to Bornholm
- At Bornholm, the skipper dashed ashore for essential provisions
- Varied conditions en route to Ronne.
Mon 24 Jul 16:38
- Making ground west
- The marina was full...so we're alongside the wall.
Sun 23 Jul 20:37
- Aquila enjoying city life
- In Gdansk...
- Rugged it was....
- Big boy's breakfast under asymmetric...
- Aquila under cutter rig
- Stuart keeps watch for rampant Russians....
- Fabulous overnight sail to Gdansk.
- Blue steel in Klaipeda - farewell to Ken and Sam
Fri 21 Jul 16:12
- Entering Lithuanian waters with the asymmetric
- Adieu to Sam and Ken
Thu 20 Jul 15:40
- Ken and other inmates undergoing corrective training
- Exercise in Karosta Military Prison
- Liepaja
- Roomassaare recreation for reprobates..
- Recovering a signal halyard at sea
- Activities in Liepaja
- Arrival in Liepaja.
Wed 19 Jul 15:21
- A fair wind at last...
- Aquila crew departing Estonian waters
Tue 18 Jul 15:20
- A struggle to Roomassaare
Mon 17 Jul 19:53
- When the skipper cracks a joke it's politic to laugh...
- The crew of the Baltic states...
- Weighing anchor on a drizzly morning...
- A hard but exhilarating sail
Sun 16 Jul 22:44
- At anchor
Sat 15 Jul 15:55
- Departing St Petersburg, Stuart got into the swing of things...
- Soviet era architecture, with Lenin statue..
- Final miles to Vergi
- Passage towards Vergi.
- Crossing into Estonian waters
Wed 12 Jul 05:41
- The Mate and daughter at Peterhof
- ....and in full tourist mode.
- Aquila's crew ready to hit the sights...
- Exhausted crew on final 20 miles to St Petersburg
- Vladimir Ivankiv, who smoothed so many paths for us....
- Russian customs post at KRONSHTADT
- On the lookout as we cross into Russian waters...
Tue 11 Jul 17:06
- Peterhof
- Church of the Spilled Blood
- Romanov memorial
- St Petersburg - mid visit update
Sun 9 Jul 16:25
- Arrival saga
- Arrived St Petersburg.
Fri 7 Jul 16:42
- The 'sporting entrance to HAAPASAARI pool...
- Secure in Haapasaari pool
- Snurglys galore..
- Haapasaari Island
Thu 6 Jul 17:41
- Silent chapel
- Diagnosing George
- Between a rock and a hard place...
Wed 5 Jul 04:20
- Helsinki's Lutheran Cathedral
- From the left: Snurglette, Snurgly - and maybe an NB.
- Surgeon Lieutenant Commander MRCS Royal Navy on the wheel.
Tue 4 Jul 14:17
- The stalwart crew
- Helsinki marina
- Navigational hazards
- Arrival in Helsinki
- Technical stuff
Mon 3 Jul 18:52
- Evening activities
- Life at sea
- Anchorage at Barölandet
- Skipper in his element
- Evening anchorage
- What a difference a day makes...!
Sun 2 Jul 19:33
- A testing 30 hours
- Rumnaro anchorage
- Sandhamn, the "Cowes of Sweden"

Jun 2017

Fri 30 Jun 15:22
- Skol!
- We thought we'd put in an offer...
- Aquila in Wasahamen, Stockholm marina
- A hard struggle to windward
- Waypoint
- Thank you Stockholm
Tue 27 Jun 10:21
- PHOTOS....
Sun 25 Jun 05:16
- The Mate at the wheel - again!
- Last lock and bridge to Stockholm
- Arrival at Stockholm
Fri 23 Jun 15:11
- Source of alien odour discovered...all serious bids considered..
- If you want some aspirin...
- Landlocked once more
Thu 22 Jun 13:35
- Afternoon sunshine...
- Another secluded anchorage
- Steady progress in tranquil seas
- Swedish anchorage
- Trosa Treasure
- A testing transit for two
Tue 20 Jun 16:54
- Adieu marvellous crew
- Free of shoreside constraints once more.
- ARRIVED AT MEM, END OF GOTA CANAL
Sun 18 Jun 16:21
- Sailing over a motorway - not that you'd know it!
- Another perfect day.
- Mutinous crew
- Gota wilderness
- Sweden at its magical best
Fri 16 Jun 20:30
- Spoken, Lake Vanern, at 0430
- Log phot
- Phot
- INTO LAKE VIKEN
Thu 15 Jun 14:54
- Into the Gota canal.
Wed 14 Jun 17:11
- Fwd: Progress up Gota Alv river
- At SPIKEN
Tue 13 Jun 15:32
- START OF LAKE VANERN
Mon 12 Jun 17:18
- FIRST DAY UP GOTA ALV
Sun 11 Jun 12:50
- MORE OF LIFE IN GOTEBORG
- SOME PHOTOS FROM THE PAST WEEK
Sat 10 Jun 09:43
- LIFE IN GOTEBORG (amended)
Fri 9 Jun 16:24
- Passage to Goteborg
- PHASE ONE COMPLETED
Thu 8 Jun 18:24
- Question Time
- Day 11. Arrival Gothenburg
Wed 7 Jun 16:10
- Photo - Crossing the Kattegat
- Crossing the Kattegat
- On departure Alborg
Tue 6 Jun 16:17
- ARRIVED AT AALBORG
- Too many bridges to cross
Mon 5 Jun 14:33
- Banished to the seaboat
- At ⚓️Fur Island
- ⚓️in the lee of Fur Island
- SALLING SUND BRIDGE
Sun 4 Jun 16:52
- AT ANCHOR IN HARRE VIG
- Sunday evening - at ⚓️in Limfjord
Sat 3 Jun 13:14
- ANOTHER FLASHBACK TO LAST SATURDAY
- LIFE ASHORE
- LEMVIG
- LIFE AT SEA
- Rugged sailing
- ARRIVAL AT LEMVIG
- Phot
- FLASHBACK TO LAST SATURDAY
- PHOT OF GILBERT, GEORGE AND ROBERT
- GILBERT, GEORGE and ROBERT
- PERFECT SAILING
- THANET WIND FARM
- PROGRESSING TOWARDS THYBOREN
- PROGRESS TO MID NORTH SEA
- Arrival Thyboren
- Progress to mid North Sea

May 2017

2016

Jul 2016

Thu 21 Jul 19:43
Wed 20 Jul 21:12
- Almost home
Tue 19 Jul 08:44
Sun 17 Jul 07:03
- ROUGHERS
- BISCAY BEHIND US
Sat 16 Jul 20:00
- Dolphins galore
Fri 15 Jul 20:26
- Clear skies mid Biscay
- Mid Biscay
Wed 13 Jul 14:33
- A CORUNA: AWAITING SEB
Sun 10 Jul 16:35
Mon 4 Jul 15:58
- A CORUNA: CREW CHANGE AND SIGHTS
Sat 2 Jul 16:48

Jun 2016

Thu 30 Jun 05:26
Sat 25 Jun 18:23
- Phots7
- Phots6
- PHOTS5
- PHOTS4
- Phots3
- Phots2
- Phots
- NEW CREW ALREADY ADEPT AT FIXING BOATS
Wed 22 Jun 09:56
Mon 20 Jun 07:50
Fri 17 Jun 15:51
Tue 14 Jun 16:09
- CREW CHANGE, OVERNIGHT ANCHORAGE AT ILAS CIES AND PASSAGE TO PORTO NOVO
Sun 12 Jun 11:23
Thu 9 Jun 11:18
- CREW ENJOYING RIAs
Mon 6 Jun 13:49
- WONDERFUL CRUISING IN RIA VIGO
Sat 4 Jun 09:20
- DAY SAIL TO ISLAS CIES AND AU-REVOIR TO KEN
Thu 2 Jun 17:03
- OVERNIGHT ANCHORAGE AND ARRIVAL AT VIGO
Wed 1 Jun 16:49
- ANOTHER LOVELY DAY

May 2016

Tue 31 May 16:41
- PERFECT SAILING IN A PERFECT CRUISING GROUND
Mon 30 May 18:44
- Passage to Muros
Sun 29 May 17:02
- BAY OF BISCAY - TRANSIT HIGHLIGHTS
- LANDFALL
Sat 28 May 07:34
- 44:50.8N 7:44.5W
Thu 26 May 18:33
- 47:47.0N 5:30.2W
Wed 25 May 18:06
- PASSAGE PAST LE FOUR LIGHT (GULP!) TO L'ABER ILDUT
- A MEAL TO DIE FOR
Tue 24 May 12:20
Tue 17 May 11:38
- SHAKEDOWN PHOTOS - TEST
- 2016 TEST 1

2015

Jul 2015

Thu 30 Jul 20:16
Wed 29 Jul 12:46
- Essential maintenance
Tue 28 Jul 15:37
Mon 27 Jul 16:55
- Passage to Fowey
- At Helford River for
Sun 26 Jul 20:51
- Stormy seas
- Departing Penzance
Sat 25 Jul 08:53
- At Penzance
- Waypoint
Fri 24 Jul 15:53
- Departing Scilly
- At Scilly Isles
Wed 22 Jul 18:11
Tue 21 Jul 08:58
- On our way again
Mon 20 Jul 16:58
- UPDATE FROM BANGOR - FIXING BOATS IN EXOTIC PLACES
Sun 19 Jul 17:59
Sat 18 Jul 10:10
- CREW IS A'GATHERING....
Sat 4 Jul 11:09
Thu 2 Jul 16:51
- Passage to Loch Ranza just before, Arran
Wed 1 Jul 15:40

Jun 2015

Mon 29 Jun 07:46
- Crew change at Oban
Sat 27 Jun 17:28
Fri 26 Jun 09:13
- At Loch Aline
- Waypoint
Thu 25 Jun 09:12
Mon 22 Jun 14:12
Sat 20 Jun 11:33
- Kallin harbour
- Brief update from Kallin
Fri 19 Jun 13:34
- At Kallin, Grimsay, Benbecula
Wed 17 Jun 10:52
- Watering ship at Dunvegan
- A wet and windy day
Mon 15 Jun 16:43
Sun 14 Jun 10:30
- A MOVE TO BETTER SHELTER
- AT CARBOST, LOCH HARPORT
Fri 12 Jun 08:55
- STRUGGLING FOR A CONNECTION AT CARBOST, LOCH HARPORT
Thu 11 Jun 17:56
Mon 8 Jun 20:12
- Crew change at Barra
Sun 7 Jun 17:46
Sat 6 Jun 18:37
Fri 5 Jun 17:13
Thu 4 Jun 14:39
- LOCH DRAMBUIE, GLENMORE BAY AND GLENBORROWDALE CASTLE
- Loch Drambuie.
Tue 2 Jun 17:06
- AT TOBERMORY- CREW CHANGE AND GALES

May 2015

Sat 30 May 14:04
- A GENTLE SAIL TO TOBERMORY
Fri 29 May 17:40
- CHANGE OF RV FOR IMPENDING CREWS
Thu 28 May 18:55
- BARRA
- Passage to Barra
Wed 27 May 15:05
- WAYPOINT
Tue 26 May 14:14
- AU REVOIR PIPPA
Mon 25 May 16:24
- At Tiree
Sat 23 May 18:11
- PASSAGE TO TIREE
- PASSAGE AND PIT STOP, TOBERMOREY
- UPDATE - LAGAVULIN BAY to LOCH SPELVE
- WAYPOINT
- WAYPOINT
Fri 22 May 12:47
- Loch Spelve
Thu 21 May 12:22
- Ardfern and Puilladobhrain
- Lagavulin to Loch na Mile
Tue 19 May 11:19
- PORT ELLEN CREW CHANGE, AND LAGAVULIN
Sat 16 May 14:02
- THANK YOU TO AQUILA’ S SUPERB D ELIVERY AN D HOME SUP PORT CREWS
Fri 15 May 14:07
- UPDATE - HOLYHEAD TO ISLAY
Thu 14 May 14:30
- Getting closer....
- Object of interest.
- At West Loch Tarbert
Wed 13 May 05:53
- Passage to Glenarm.
Tue 12 May 08:29
- Departed Strangford
Mon 11 May 13:16
- In Strangford Lough
- Blue sky and big sea!
- at Strangford
Fri 8 May 09:06
- PASSAGE FROM KILMORE TO HOLYHEAD
Wed 6 May 17:27
- Re: last blog. The real photo of leaving the Helford!
- PHOTO LOG OF HELFORD TO KILMORE TRIP
Tue 5 May 17:38
- To Kilmore Quay, SE Ireland
Mon 4 May 12:47
- Update off Longship Lt
- Rounding Lizard
Sun 3 May 09:41
- Helford River for 24hrs.
Sat 2 May 12:48
- Off Portland 021330A.

Apr 2015

Thu 23 Apr 11:06
- FIRST BLOG OF SEASON

2014

Jul 2014

Tue 22 Jul 13:24
Sat 19 Jul 10:20
- CREW CHANGE AND PREPS FOR ROUNDING FINISTERRE
Fri 18 Jul 05:46
- PASSAGE TO ODET RIVER
Thu 17 Jul 15:32
- LES ILES DE GLENAN AND DOLPHINS UNDER THE BOAT
- WAYPOINT -ILE GLENAN
Wed 16 Jul 05:41
- PASSAGE TO PORT SAUZON AND PORT LOUIS
- WAYPOINT 11
Sun 13 Jul 15:07
- THE WEEK AT PIRIAC
Wed 9 Jul 07:37
- RETURN TO PIRIAC-SUR-MER
- WAYPOINT 10
Mon 7 Jul 12:51
- BACK DOWN LA VILAINE RIVER
- A VERY WET DAY EN ROUTE TO REDON
Sat 5 Jul 08:59
- LOCKING INTO LA VILAINE
- LA TURBALLE AND PIRIAC-SUR-MER
Wed 2 Jul 06:01
- HOEDIC AND PASSAGE TO LA TURBALLE
Tue 1 Jul 16:18
- ROLLY ANCHORAGE AND PASSAGE TO HOEDIC
- WAYPOINT 8

Jun 2014

Sat 28 Jun 08:41
- LES SABLES AND PASSAGE TO L'HERBAUDIERE
Thu 26 Jun 11:20
- DAY SAIL WITH FRIENDS
- WAYPOINT 8
Tue 24 Jun 15:55
- ISLE D'YEU AND PASSAGE TO LES SABLES D'OLONNE
- WAYPOINT 7
Sat 21 Jun 15:08
- PASSAGE TO PORT JOINVILLE, ISLED'YEU
Fri 20 Jun 06:16
- PASSAGE TO BOURGENAY
Tue 17 Jun 11:28
- LA ROCHELLE AND PASSAGE TO ST MARTIN DE RE
Sat 14 Jun 17:38
- CREW CHANGE AT LA ROCHELLE - AU REVOIR TO HESTER AND TOM
- PASSAGE TO LA ROCHELLE
Fri 13 Jun 16:45
- PASSAGE TO ANSE DE MARTRAY
Thu 12 Jun 08:24
- PASSAGE TO ST-DENIS-D'OLERON
Wed 11 Jun 10:44
- CREW CHANGE AND PASSAGE TO ST MARTIN DE RE
Tue 10 Jun 09:10
- RETURN TO LA ROCHELLE
Mon 9 Jun 08:40
- EXPLORING ON TWO WHEELS
Sun 8 Jun 09:39
- PASSAGE TO ST MARTIN DE RE
Sat 7 Jun 07:23
- AT ST-DENIS-D'OLERON
Fri 6 Jun 10:06
- PASSAGE TO ST-DENIS-D'OLERON
- WAYPOINT 7
Wed 4 Jun 18:18
- STORM BOUND AT ROCHEFORT
- TUESDAY AT ROCHEFORT
Tue 3 Jun 05:18

May 2014

Sat 31 May 09:11
- CREW CHANGE
- LA ROCHELLE - SWANSONG OF THE A-TEAM
Fri 30 May 09:04
- PASSAGE TO LA ROCHELLE
Wed 28 May 17:50
- PASSAGE TO ST-MARTIN-DE-RE
Tue 27 May 17:19
- AT JOINVILLE, ISLE D'YEU
- PASSAGE TO ILE D'YEU
Sun 25 May 17:04
Fri 23 May 13:23
- Hard worked crew
- Passage to L'Aber'Wrach
Mon 19 May 16:27
- SUMMER CRUISE 2014 - WEST COAST OF FRANCE
- ACTION STATIONS

2008

Jun 2008

Fri 27 Jun 19:40
- OUR FINAL DESTINATION
Wed 25 Jun 17:23
- ONE MORE DAY TO GO
Tue 24 Jun 13:16
- ALONGSIDE AT LAST
Mon 23 Jun 12:26
- SO NEAR YET SO FAR
Sun 22 Jun 12:02
- THE LAST OF THE BACON AND EGGS
Sat 21 Jun 12:11
- Fw: THE FINAL MILES ROLL BY
- THE FINAL MILES ROLL BY
Fri 20 Jun 12:11
- GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW
Thu 19 Jun 14:01
- CALM WINDS - AGAIN!
Wed 18 Jun 14:08
- BOXING THE COMPASS
Tue 17 Jun 15:12
- THE DAYS ROLL BY
- PHOTOS 17 JUNE
Mon 16 Jun 15:10
- THINGS WE WOULD NOT BE WITHOUT
Sun 15 Jun 21:02
- PHOTOS 15 JUNE
- THE WIND RETURNS
Sat 14 Jun 15:50
- BECALMED AGAIN
Fri 13 Jun 17:22
- A celebration!
Thu 12 Jun 18:11
- PHOTOS 12 JUNE
- FANTASTIC CONDITIONS!!!!!
Wed 11 Jun 14:15
- PHOTOS 11 JUNE
- A FRUSTRATING 24 HOURS
Tue 10 Jun 14:20
- PHOTOS 10 JUN 3
- PHOTOS 10 JUN 2
- PHOTOS 10 JUN 1
- BECALMED
- A MORE DETAILED UPDATE
Mon 9 Jun 22:14
- JUST A QUICK ONE
Sun 8 Jun 19:25
- MORE BREAD!
- DOLPHINS & REPAIRS...
- STEADY PROGRESS
Sat 7 Jun 14:16
- DRYING OUT
Fri 6 Jun 18:28
- ROUGH BUT GOOD PROGRESS
Thu 5 Jun 16:17
- PERFECT SAILING-AGAIN!
Wed 4 Jun 16:57
- EATING AND SLEEPING
Tue 3 Jun 15:05
- GEORGE AND GILBERT.....AND THOSE BOOTS
Mon 2 Jun 18:38
- A GREAT FIRST 24 HOURS
Sun 1 Jun 22:49
- GOOD BYE BERMUDA

May 2008

Fri 30 May 20:53
- CREW ARRIVAL AND TOURS OF A SERIOUSLY DIFFERENT NATURE...
- ON THE TOURIST TRAIL...
Wed 28 May 15:00
- A LIGHTHOUSE AND A LEG STRETCH
Tue 27 May 15:22
- LIFE THE BERMUDAN WAY
Sun 25 May 21:55
- WE'VE MADE IT!
Sat 24 May 18:13
- RECORD RUN TO DATE
Fri 23 May 16:07
- MORE PICTURES...
- WEATHER HOLDING
Thu 22 May 19:39
- PERFECT SAILING
- FRUSTRATING CONDITIONS
Wed 21 May 14:38
- POSITION
Tue 20 May 22:14
- IT IS ROUGH!
Mon 19 May 20:48
- DEPARTURE FROM NORFOLK
Sun 18 May 22:04
- SCRUBBING AND POLISHING
Sat 17 May 23:31
- CREW COMPLETE!
- AT NORFOLK, VA
Fri 16 May 16:20
- Arrival in Norfolk
Wed 14 May 22:13
- STEADY PROGRESS TOWARDS NORFOLK VA.
Tue 13 May 23:16
- DAY TWO; WHAT A CONTRAST!
- FIRST DAY AT SEA - AND IT WAS BLOWING!
Sun 11 May 21:35
- READY TO SAIL
Fri 9 May 14:42
Thu 8 May 22:19
- GLOBALSTAR TEST
- A WAY LATE UPDATE

Apr 2008

Sun 27 Apr 14:33
- A TRIAL SAIL
Thu 24 Apr 21:51
- PROGRESS CONTINUES
Mon 21 Apr 17:04
- Fw: WELCOME BELOW!
Sat 19 Apr 17:48
- SOME PREPARATIONS CAPTURED ......................
- EXPERIMENTING WITH PHOTOS
Thu 17 Apr 00:11
- BOAT SWUNG - COMPASS ADJUSTED
Tue 15 Apr 21:56
- THIS AND THAT
Sat 12 Apr 22:36
- THE DUTCHMAN
Fri 11 Apr 22:05
- ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT AN ENLARGED PLAN
- FIRST CREW ABOARD
Mon 7 Apr 21:50
- LAST DAY AT WORK
Sun 6 Apr 12:43
- THE PLAN

Mar 2008

Mon 31 Mar 00:09
- Storing ship
Wed 26 Mar 00:11
- Taking stock!