PASSAGE TO LA ROCHELLE
Aquila
Alan and Sarah Bennett
Sat 14 Jun 2014 09:12
Friday 13 June. We enjoyed a reasonably peaceful night at our anchorage in Anse de Martray, although overnight wind-over-tide conditions meant a bit of a slop. With a late turn-to and LW Springs curtailing any departure prior to midday, a trip ashore in the dinghy was decided upon despite the considerable distance. ‘Robert’, in his guise as the two-stroke outboard, manned up but progress was fairly slow as we were proceeding into wind and the crew did not want to get wet prior to their planned swim from the beach. Tom did sterling work calling the depths as they gradually reduced, but about 200m from the beach we suddenly hit a very shoal patch, causing the prop sheer pin to do just that. So out sweeps, and we subsequently leapt ashore like marauding pirates. While the skipper set to, without tools, to replace the sheer pin, the younger pirates played typical pirate games (phot).
Unfortunately pirate teeth were insufficient to enable a replacement sheer pin to be fitted (phot), but as Aquila was directly downwind, the males set to with gusto on the oars (phot). Unfortunately one of the rowlocks had not been properly briefed, and failed. So we reverted to Red Indian style propulsion, and thereafter arrived back on board without further drama. Was it the date that caused all this, or just an opportunity to demo to Hester the vagaries of boating?
With the Manson weighed, we enjoyed a close reach east along the southern coast of Isle de Re in the now familiar bright sunshine and warm northerly. Tom porked out (phot); Hester demo’d how she has got into the swing of things by falling asleep in the cockpit (phot). In no time we were passing between La Rochelle’s guardian towers, and secured once more in the tidal basin. The young pirates went off for a swim (phot). A superb meal out and a night-cap in the cockpit rounded the day. Lovely.
