44.46.0N 0:33.0W

 

22 May To Begles, just upstream from Bordeaux, and a surreal Carrefour

 

Depart Pauillac 1415

Arrive Begles 1845, 1/2 hour after high water

Quite sunny at first

 

With translator Bridget on board felt happy to head inland. HM assistant said leave 0800 to arrive HW Begles. Time seemed all wrong. Looked more like 1400. Tracked down HM who confirmed depart 1415. Good job checked – assumption is dangerous. Cast off 1415. Good flood tide, but not as fast as expected. Flood is for 4.5 hrs, ebb for 8! No sails now, so increased revs. Barge coming downstream, showed my port side, and he showed me stbd, just as passing a large freighter port to port. Ah, understood – it was an Airbus barge and he was hugging the bank to keep out of the tide, so we passed stbd to stbd. They do a run up river taking airbus wings form just below Pauillac to near Castetes (for onward transfer to Toulouse by road).Did the exciting Bordeaux bridges on top of tide, ebb building for the last few miles. Didn’t twig it, but all the rainwater was making the passage slower than anticipated. Pauillac HM had advised tie up facing downstream. Didn’t ask why – presumably cos flood is so strong  being for  short period. Should have ignored and moored bows upstream as had to have two gos getting alongside stern to the fast ebb. Horrendous for Jane getting ashore. Pontoon had crazy safety chains, to prevent falling in the racing torrent, but also makes jumping on nearly impossible. Doubled up all lines as the ebb was really fierce. Thoughts of Jason’s near disaster when Compass Rose was stern to massive flood water in the brook.

 

Capitainerie about to close, advised us of times to depart for Castets, and location of nearest bar. Deserted nature trail riverside walk to quiet bar with loads of buildings behind. After beer explored the “doors” and entered a shopping mall that makes Cribbs Causeway look tiny. Miles of shops. Looked for the usual supermarket and after long walk entered Carrefour – a GIANT. Floor area was at least 100yds by 300yds. Must be the out of town shopping centre for Bordeaux, bit like going through the wardrobe to get from one world to another. Took ages to find the bits we wanted. Noticed  cans of Guinness, so stocked up as a good second to Bass – ships stores will last a  bit longer!