LOCKING INTO LA VILAINE

Aquila
Alan and Sarah Bennett
Sat 5 Jul 2014 08:59
47:30.8N 2:20.5W

Friday 4 July. A day of contrasts, with the forecast boding ill for the coming 48 hours. We sailed as planned after breakfast, fortunately with a full crew: after a middle-of-the-night trip ashore only to find the marina heads locked, Sian had real difficulty in finding Aquila again amongst the multitude of boats here! The wind was fitful at first, enabling Trisha to demonstrate she has not forgotten her sailing skills (phot). Eventually a breeze filled in as expected and we made steady progress up La Vilaine River to the lock, with Sian proving a natural at the helm (phots). By this time it was blowing F4-5; the skipper made a mess of things and needed two approaches before we were successfully secured to the lock’s vertical chains. Eventually all the boats travelling our way were in, and the entire jamboree was elevated to the Vilaine’s upper level (phots).

Once clear of the lock, Sian enjoyed the lazy sail (phot) up the river for a couple of miles where we found a vacant buoy for a very late lunch. By the time we had finished it was 1700, and with the wind whistling up the valley and rain threatening, we decided to find a place at Roche Bernard for the night. Not a good idea: the only berth available was on the outside pontoon of a very exposed marina. So we chugged further up river, holding our collective breaths as we passed under several spans of electricity cables. Having fluent French speakers aboard really has its benefits – Trisha negotiated us a berth at Foleux, and by 1830 we were as snug as a bug in a rug, just as the rain set in. A lovely tuna steak aboard was rounded off by an airing of ‘Detachment Fever’ – Trisha and Sian are now wondering what sort of boat they have joined!

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