45:11.9N 0:44.6W

 

19 May  - too fast to Pauillac

 

Depart Port Medoc 0930

Arrive Pauillac 1355 29nm

NWf5 grey, no rain

 

Email from Pauillac HM back in Feb said depart PM 0930 , on 19 May as it is crucial to arrive Pauillac on HW as tide races thro the marina. Warnings in the pilot to. Just had main up with 3 reefs. We were still touching 10.7knts aided by the strong flood. Would arrive much too early so sheeted main right in to kill speed. .Crawl last 8m. Freighter and liner traffic on the way. Arrived HW. HM on harbour wall to allocate pontoon berth. No electricity. Loos a bit rough as the shore side is about to have major redevelopment. Wifi v dodgy too. Discover it is the local Fetes & Regates Pentecote. Loads of activity afloat, and car boot type stalls, funfair ashore. Giant petanque competition. Must be 20plus games going on at the same time. Get sails off, folded up and below as clouds are getting lower. Super fireworks at 2300. Then heavy rain all night

 

20 May    Lots more rain. Discover Monday (today) is a bank holiday so it will not be le dematage a Pauillac le 20 mai, despite the email confirmation back in Feb. Gives skip more time to disconnect the mast electrics and running rigging – in full wet weather gear. V damp down below. Jane has sense of humour failure as no power for the fan heater and she can’t pick up the wifi.

 

21 May  Torrential rain all night. Stops noon. Get PV cells & wind generator off. Remove lowers and inners. Plenty of time as the crane will arrive 1530. 1400 beckoned to quay for dematage. Panic as not quite ready. Two harbour helpers, and calls for more “grand cordage”. Fwd support a bit wobbly so decided to lash mast to timber on pulpit. Phew. And we are detailed to another berth with power. Fire up the fan heater and fill the hwb. Loads of handwritten invoices/vouchers. The dematage bit was only 49eorus. We troop off to pay at the Tourist Info office, and collect  “free” bottle of L`Etage Medoc Balade Sur L`Estuaire. Skip`s sis Bridget arrives. Jane and skip celebrate with beer. Bridget tries the red – quite a bit of red. Turned out to be a bad move.