Tuesday 6 June

It has been days since I updated this log.  No real reason.  Just lazy.  We left Ile De Groix on the 30^th to go to Port Haliguen on the Quiberon peninsular.  As far as I can remember the weather started to cheer up and we had an easy downwind sail and motor.  The reason for going there is to meet up with Sue and Nigel Gee who own a Southerly 135 they are bringing back after three years in the Med.  We have been in touch with them regularly getting hints about what to do and where to go.

When we arrive in port we see them immediately.  Surprisingly they have just arrived back at the boat today (from their e-mails, we thought they were arriving yesterday).  We have a nice evening with them, walking in to town and I finally get my seafood platter.  Not the best in the world but it hits the spot after waiting so long

On 31^st May we set off for Pornichet at La Baule.  The weather is improving all the time.  We have light following winds and use the cruising chute most of the day.  That is quite exciting.  We also put the fishing line out.  We caught a fish, but it was a very small mackerel, so we threw it back.  When we arrive in port the Harbour office is closed, but there is a Harbour Service boat.  We have put ourselves on a very tight and uncomfortable hammerhead, so the Service Boat finds us a proper finger pontoon.  It is a very tight fit, and a short finger but much better.  We want to stay for two days.  I would like to get to have dinner at the one Michelin rosette restaurant, but when we phone for the next night they are fully booked.  Not surprising really.  We book into the restaurant in the smartest hotel in town instead.  

Next day we go to Pornichet market which is marvelous.  I am sort of sorry we have booked to eat out, as the fish market is particularly good.  We buy a lot of stuff to keep us going for the next few days.  I am surprised that I managed to stow it all on board.

We have had an e-mail from Jean and Tony who we met in Benodet.  They are in Port Haliguen and have also seen Sue and Nigel.  Apparently the Gees were their neighbours in Hythe Marina Village!  What a small world it is.

After lunch on board, we make our way into La Baule, using the Petit Train.  It is quite hot and sunny and there are lots of people on the beach and even a few hearty souls in the sea!

After a little walk disaster strikes.  I come over all weak and light-headed for no reason.  We stop at a café and I have some water, but I feel no better.  After a little shopping trip, where I buy a lemon juicer I realize I have a really badly upset stomach.  The long and the short of it is that I am really ropy for nearly three days.  I can’t make it to dinner in La Baule.  I am now glad we didn’t get reservations for the really good restaurant.  After 14 hours sleep I make the sail to Ile D’Yeu.  I just about am compos mentis, but I can’t eat at all.  We see Tony and Jean there, but as I am feeling unwell, don’t socialize. 

On 2 June I am still feeling a bit odd, but seem a little better.  We sail to Sables D’Olonne.  We have a really good wind and are going well, but it is very cold, or at least I am feeling the cold.  We arrive in lovely sunny conditions and are put on a nice pontoon not far from the facilities.  I have tried to eat a bit today.  I even had some bread and pate under way.  So I am determined to get better.

Richard goes to all the local engineers to see if he can find anyone to fix the sprayhood and the heating.  No luck with the heating, but he does find someone to sew up the sprayhood by tomorrow!

We go to the supermarket to buy food.  I was going to make escalopes a limone, but I don’t fancy the acidity.  But I am determined to eat a real dinner.  My clothes are hanging off me.  So I buy the necessary and make Veal Parmigiana.  Well, that turns out to be a disaster.  Within 20 minutes of finishing the meal and I am in agony with tummy gripes and then spend the next two hours on the toilet!  Not nice.  Sometime after midnight my tum settles down sufficiently for me to sleep!  I may have to find a doctor tomorrow.

This morning when I wake up I feel surprisingly better.  I am going to be very careful with what I eat today and hope this bug is finally going away.  As I recover Richard finds a heating engineer who says he can come and look at the system at 8:00am tomorrow morning.  So that is good.  In the meantime Richard is finally reading all the instruction booklets that came with the heating system.  Guess what - he finds out what is wrong.  On the last page of the book we are least likely to read, because it says it is installation instructions, it says that to clear air blockages in the fuel system turn the heat up to maximum.  So he does that and, yes the system works!  We cancel the engineer’s visit.  That’s two out of three repairs done.

After a light lunch we go into town.  We have a nice walk around.  Richard has an ice cream.  I daren’t even have a lick.  On the way home I am feeling much better, but oops, now Richard is getting sick.  He too has the runs.  We were going to play bridge with Tony and Jean tonight, but I think that will be off.  One good thing.  We have got the sprayhood back, and the repair is great and we have reassembled it all.  

I send Richard off to get some fish for supper.  He comes back with a tiny sea bass, but perhaps that is best as he really is poorly now.  As I type, he has gone to sleep on the bunk.  I’m not convinced we will move tomorrow!   By the way, the sun is out and it is warm.  I have even put on a pair of shorts!     

We have our very light supper and both feel better.  So we will probably go tomorrow after all.