11-13 June: Passage details - Les Sables D`Olonne to Ile de RE and Rochefort
Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Wed 13 Jun 2007 18:40
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13-11 June
Departed Les Sables early morning in light N
breeze with down wind rig of boomed out multipurpose genoa and mainsail set
slightly by the lee - ideal in controlled conditions - for 35 mile
passage and timed tidal entry through lock gates into Saint Martin-de-Re on Ile
de Re, an old favourite - attractive well preserved harbour and town
enclosed by amazing (huge) 17C Vauban fortifications. It is now
on the tourist trail and largely given over to smart restaurants and expensive
clothes shops. In order to avoid the harbour
scrum and sleepless night of a previous visit when we were rafted up with 4-5
party reviling yachts, we took the precaution this time to book ahead and
enjoyed a peaceful night in a private berth somewhat to the envy of
the large number of rafted-up yachts which had arrived before us.
Bicycling is almost compulsory on Ile de Re,
especially given Prue`s interest in bird watching, though a reluctance for
this form of transport originating in early childhood for the country boy who
had to cycle miles to meet up with friends, was overcome by the prospect of
lunch at Ars de Re and swim from a special beach. A post prandial puncture
however, put paid to further exploration but also denied
the promised and much needed swim, confirming my view
about bicycles as being not only exhausting but unreliable - owning and
repairing bicycles as child did however, give me much practise in the art
of mechanical improvisation which many might say was later
applied to all my surgery.
The prospect of bad weather for the next 2
days and closure of the harbour lock gates for most of the day led to a
dawn departure from Saint Martin and a 25 mile passage in thunder, fork
lightening and torrential rain to the delightful inland town
of Rochefort, 13 miles up the river Charente, a charming river with
abundant bird life and banks lined by quaint fishing huts
in various colours and condition. A pair of white stalks in a nest near the
river was a first for Gaudeo. Whilst it well known that good ships and men rot
in port, I can`t think of a better place to spend the last 2 days of Prue`s
holiday and before the Biscay crew arrive. Rochefort was created by Colbert in
the 17C as a naval arsenal to rival Toulon and the dignified architecture of
that period is largely preserved.
We are looking forward
tomorrow to visiting the fine rope walk and museum and the
building of a replica of the 1779 frigate L`Hermione which took La Fayette
to Boston to meet with George Washington.
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