The second week in La Rochelle was almost as busy as the first.  A succession of tasks were completed by the excellent and willing pontoon staff from Amel.  This included stripping down our retractable bowthruster with the boat in the water.  Suffice it to say that it took all day, they did not drop it out of the bottom of the boat and we did not sink!

On Friday we had a visit from Roger and Linda Stubbings, friends from Coggeshall who have a house near St Giles Croix de Vie, some 2 hours drive up the coast.  We were actually able to get the boat out of the marina and had a great 8 mile sail to Ile d’Aix where we anchored and had lunch.  Another  good reach back saw us onto the fuel jetty to top up tanks and back into our berth.  A very pleasant evening was spent in the town before we had the luxury of being dropped off back at the boat, by car.

Sunday night we ate out at L’Aunis in the centre of the city.  To be recommended, we were even able to park our bicycles outside.

On Monday we had a visit from John Halford, his daughter Sophie and granddaughter Olivia.  Martin was John’s Adjutant when he was commanding 2 Armoured Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment in Germany in 1976-78.  John and Madeleine, who was unable to accompany them, live in Paris with a house in the Loire. It was very good to see him again before we really depart.

We decided not to leave on Tuesday as originally intended and hope that the current northerly winds persist for out passage to La Coruna.