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19 April Took the Brittany Ferries Pont Avon from Plymouth to Roscoff arriving at 1900 local time. We found Sufiana a bit humid as the power had been disconnected so we lit the Bengco charcoal heater. Unfortunately the water pump did not work so we had no water in the galley. There was also an electrical fault in the nav light wiring. Fixed all this except the deck light which seems to have a bulb open circuit.

22 April Still at Morlaix. Water pump intermittent so it goes back to S + D Harper when we find the receipt. (The receipt is out of date by 3 months for replacement under warranty) It is now replaced with a foot pump. Hugh bought the Bloc Marine livre de bord which gives prices of marinas. Morlaix is about half the price of Le Havre so we decided to remain here till June (saving about 400 €s - more than we paid for the 5 winter months.) Today is pissing down so we are quietly hoovering pastis till dinnertime

26 April 2030 aboard the overnight ferry Pont Avon which took us back to Plymouth. We had breakfast at 0530 on the ferry but there was NO COFFEE in the restaurant.  I asked an attendant if there was coffee and he pointed to an instant skitters dispenser so we had to get coffee from the bar next door. The ferry berthed at 0630 and we were on the road by 0645

15 June Arrived in Morlaix to find that Sufiana had been damaged it seems by a mono hull which first broke the eurosteel traveler for the chute between the hulls then the pulpit and made a hole on the bridge deck. The mooring line was also broken and the starboard rudder had hit the pontoon astern.

16 June A local yacht crew told me that the deed was done by the Jeanneau Sunrise (Paxos 2) opposite. I took photographs of the damage and his bow which showed very little - just a couple of scrapes, some white GRP and a slight bend in the pulpit. It seems that the bow hit the eurosteel and started to rise, the eurosteel broke and the bow roller hit the stanchion of the pulpit, the bow then hit the bridge deck and lifted the pulpit 30 cm and pushed it sideways, some time during this the mooring line broke. Overall the damage is not bad but annoying as the culprit still has not come to own up though there has been someone on the boat every day. At present (Sunday 19) they are away down the river...It is too hot to do repairs today.

20 June A rep from Paxos 2 came and took away the pulpit to be straightened. He said it would be ready tomorrow. The holes are within my ability and I shall back them with marine ply to make them more firm

26 June Repairs to the pulpit and bridge deck are now complete and I am just waiting for Michel and Amelia to arrive

3 July Michel arrived with sister Coryne, mother (84), car and mountain bike. We wandered about Morlaix in the evening looking for a restaurant and as usual returned to the first one for moules frites (this does not mean fried mussels as the crew thought but mussels and chips ). We explored the surrounding countryside for a spot to moor Sufiana after leaving the river and found nothing better than Roscoff. On the 4th and 5th it was too windy to set off.

6 July NW 3-4 decreasing 2-3 during the night later 2-3 locally 3-4 0730 filled tank with fuel and put 45 litres in containers. At 0830 we were through the lock and away down the river. We carried on to Ile de Batz and anchored in 1.2m at 1055. Low water was at 1317 and I had a look at the hull. All clean so I applied a bit of yellow paint to the repair on the starboard side. At 1500 Michel took Coryne and his mother ashore to look at the island. They left the dinghy in the middle of the beach. At 1600 I started the motor and anchored opposite the dinghy, walked ashore and retrieved the dinghy which had just started to float.

7 July motored to Roscoff and set Michel and his bike ashore to collect the car from Morlaix. When he returned we stopped for a pint costing 6€ each then returned to Ile de Batz It was now BREST or BUST.

8 July 0930 Motored all the way to Brignognan Plage arriving at 1147. Michel took his bike to pick up the car again but did not bother to return it to the boat so we had to get up at 0300 to retrieve it from the car. He got lost. Eventually at 0530 he waded through the rising tide back to the boat.

9 July 0650 Motored out of the bay and westward till 0800 when we were able to hoist full sail. We passed all sorts of boats including an inshore fishing fleet eventually tying up at Camaret sur Mer (17.30€ ) where we stayed two nights and the car was retrieved again. Coryne, mother and the car left here but unfortunately they left the bike with Michel.

11 July 1930 It was either this or 0700 in the morning to catch the tidal current at Raz du Sein which we eventually passed at midnight doing 11 knots over the ground. We arrived at Belle Ile at 1510 and anchored off the west coast opposite a beach after we had caught a mackerel. We later moved a little South to a fiord or calanque where we rested for the night.

13 July 0945 After our fishing success we decided to sail round the island trailing the lines. We caught nothing and reached Port le Palais where we moored with the help of the port personnel at 16€ a night. On July 14 the customs came for a chat and gave us a paper to show that we had been 'controlled'. Fireworks were grand in the evening but Michel got lost again on his bike. I had told him that if he returned to the boat when the sun set he would have plenty time to get back before dark as the island was small. He turned up after midnight when most of the people had left the beach and he could see the dinghy.

15 July 0933 Set off for Ile d'Yeu with no wind flat calm. At 1245 dolphins arrived and I set the camera to video to avoid photographs of splashes where dolphins had been. As we neared the island we towed a line for mackerel but got no joy. We tied up in Joinville at 1840 (39.95€ ) At this price we did not stay two nights but set off for Anse des Soux which we found was full so we continued to anchor east of Port de la Meule.

17 July 0705 Met gave us SW 3-4 later W 4-5 so we set off at 0725 with full sail. Soon we were doing 3.7 knots as the wind backed to SE 2. The donk took us the rest of the way to La Rochelle where we were given a berth we could not get in to. We returned to the acqueil and eventually tied up alongside a large catamaran and filled up with fuel ( 1.23€/litre)

18 July we took a water bus to the town for a wander and I filled my phone and wallet. At 1540 we set off for Ile Oleron arriving 1 hour after low water and anchoring in 2m off Pointe de Manson.

19 July 0720 Set sail and away no motor. By 0930 we were through a rather lumpy channel and sailing south. 1144 the posing chute went up and we headed for Royan. As we approached the port doing 20kph over the ground it seemed a shame to waste a wind and rising tide like this so we continued up the river till the tide turned and anchored between two islands opposite Port de la Belle Etoile near Pauilliac.

20 July 0740 the tide started its ebb so we took the mast down. It finished with a bang as Michel let go his control lines when I told him to ease them together. No damage was done as there was a 35 litre water container on the deck below the mast. At 1420 when the tide started to come in we set off for Bordeaux arriving at 1630 after a hairy passage through the arch of the Vieux Pont. We tied up at the Cafe du Port which had nothing to do with the port though it had a board outside with spaces for the met and high and low water. I walked 3 km to the office of Voies Navigables de France (VNF) to be told that the toll for the canal was collected at the first lock. I did the shopping at Leclerc and had to stop twice for a beer on the way back to the boat. Next day I bought guitar strings and on the way back someone bashed in to me at a tram stop. When I got to a bar on the riverbank I found that my wallet was gone. 260€ and a credit card. I called Hugh who canceled the card. Now I had a debit card and one in date credit card. I proceeded to lose the debit card somewhere in the boat but as I was not sure I had it can celled too. I had one card whose pin I did not know and could not get cash. Also some small shops could not accept the card. From here Michel supplied cash and I bought provisions.

22 July We were now too late for the wine festival at Avignon. 1715 motor on to take the tide up the river. We tied up at a new pontoon at Cadillac at 1930. 38 km in 2h 15m. When the tide turned we had to put out more mooring lines and the rudders were pushed hard over to starboard. I tried to centralise them and one of the T pieces in the hydraulic steering gave up the ghost. The three table legs became the tiller on the port rudder and we were able to use the autopilot on the starboard rudder.

23 July 0750 the tide turned and as it was a spring we got a 1m tidal bore which shook us up a bit. I went shopping and was able to use my card in the Petit Casino. Banks do not give cash any more though they can give you a card which they pass through their computer. You can then withdraw the cash with the card at their cashpoint. We set off up the river at 1100 and reached the Castets lock at 1300. Here we tied up at the pontoon and had a chat with a canoe packer who had paddled through the canals from the Med. He told us that he stopped at camp sites for security. We were through the lock and tied up by 1500. Michel went for cash as the lock keeper could not take cards. Tie up charge was 3€ with 2€ for electricity. Vignette 51.80€ for 16 days 24 July – 9 August.

24 July 1400 set off through the Canal Lateral de Garonne meeting an English couple who had just hired a penichette. We went first and operated the locks. All went well till 1900 when the canal closed. We tied up at Fourques for the night.

25 July 0910 My plan was to start at 0900 each morning, stop 1200 – 1600 in some shade then do another 3 hours till 1900. We stopped at Serignac 1915. A fine stop with electricity and water. We met a German who played guitar very well and was webmaster for cologne.de

26 July I went into town for provisions and asked about ‘Pruneaux d'Agen’ at the baker's. I was given an address nearby so Michel set off on his bike and bought 3 kg. We started on them right away. They were like prunes but not as dry. Eventually we set off at 1630 and reached Agen at 1915.

27 July Another short day. 1625 – 1945 stopping at La Magistere.

28 July 0915 – 1950 with one hour stopped at lunchtime saw us at Castelsarassin a nice stop and according to the book the last quiet stop before Toulouse.

29 July a long day trying to reach Toulouse. We had little hope and failed by 15 km stopping at Lepinase which was a noisy spot by the railway.

30 July Toulouse we stopped at the town port but were given a free night on a pontoon as we were not able to moor on the 'official' pontoons. The 15 km took us 4hr 15min

31 July A gentle run of 20km in the afternoon took us to Montgiscard with little excitement.

1 August This was our longest day on the canal 8hr 35 min to cover 36km stopping at Domerque.

2 August Must have had the bit between our teeth 7hr 15 min to Villesquelande.

3 August Then a short trip to Carcasonne. In the town they charged 12€ per boat and 2€ per person for a night's stay so we passed the lock and moored in a quiet shady spot which was free. We were able to fill the water tanks and containers.

4 August In the afternoon we set off eventually reaching Trebes which was so exciting that I cant remember it at all.

5 August set off early enough to make a good trip and reached La Redorte where we intended to cook the chicken. When I took it out of the fridge it was a bit pongy and probably unfit to eat. I chucked it in a poly bag and took it to the garbage bin. On the way I met an English couple who had been there connected to the electricity supply for charging the batteries of electric hire boats since April. They moaned at the fact that VNF had stopped the 30 day vignette which only needed to be checked while moving. An annual vignette costs 224€ which in their case covered mooring with electricity and as much cruising as they wanted.

6 August After the last lock before Beziers with 54km without locks Michel set off on his bike while I continued on my own steering with the autopilot. I stopped at Capestang as arranged but Michel got lost again and did not return till 1130.

7 August We went to the market and bought a roast chicken and some bread then set off at 1500 for Beziers. We arrived too late for the locks and had to wait till the next morning.

8 August 0800 we passed through the locks with two other boats and continued to Agde where there was a gorgeous lock keeper. She told me that a new vignette was only available at the VNF office.

9 August I got a vignette valid till the 24th and we made our way along the canal till it petered out in the Etang de Thau. Effectively we were at sea again. We spent two hours there and eventually reached the entrance to the Canal du Rhone a Sete. There were no suitable stopping places till we reached Frontignan where we had to stop for the lifting bridge.

10 August 0730 and a rammy of hire boats all trying to get through the bridge at the same time. We tied up beyond the bridge and Michel set off to explore Sete. At 1400 we were ready to go and on the way saw flamingoes and white horses on the Camargue. There was also a floating footbridge which opened for us almost immediately. Eventually we reached Aigues Mortes in the dark and moored opposite the capitainerie. Here we had nothing to pay as we were on a private mooring.

11 August 1150 I started the motor as this was the opening time for the rail bridge. Michel had left for the toilettes at 1145 thinking he could return in time. At 1200 he got back and we set off through the bridge and on to Arles.

12 August 1300 a young loon came to collect 12€ for a night stay. He said he was from the Mairie but did not seem genuine particularly as this ought to be his dinner hour. I told him we had only 7€ in cash and he said he would take that. I said we needed it for bread and he went away. There were no French boats on the pontoon and all the others except one which had no-one aboard paid him. He did not come back.

13 August 0700 There was little current when we headed up river. And we had no problems till we reached Avignon. We had been told that the pontoons were gone so we tied up at the quay. Michel had phoned home and arranged for his sister to pick him up but Coryne and mother arrived too late to set off home so they stayed the night.

14 August At 1200 Michel got up, had his breakfast and disappeared. We had lunch without him and he returned at 1600. After he had been fed they set off home.

16 August Happy Birthday. I paid for my stay, filled with fuel and headed North stopping eventually at Saint Etienne des Sorts. Here there was a new pontoon big enough for two boats - and a boat did moor behind.

17 August The boat behind set off at 0800. I went for bread, had a quick breakfast and followed 25min later. I had caught them by La Bollene lock and continued behind them till they stopped at Viviers which was my intended night stop. I decided to continue and eventually stopped at La Voulte.

18 August at Pont d'Isere the engine stopped. The tank was empty. I found that the diesel return tube from the engine to the tank had split so the fuel was gone. I replaced the tube, put in my remaining 25 litres, bled the fuel line and started the motor. All went well and I was able to moor in the Riviere d’Ay at Sarras. Here Jean-Noel produced a replacement hydraulic T-piece and we connected up the steering as it should be. I found that the Cadillac current had also sheared the steering piston's wooden mounting and I removed and repaired this with West epoxy.

19-23 August I had meals with François and Brigitte, Loulou and Dede, Babette and Jean-Pierre, Alain and Helene and left a bottle of single malt at each house. They liked the Glenmorangie best.

24 August  Michel called and invited me for a meal at Saint Vallier so I postponed my departure till Sunday.

28 August. François and Brigitte, Alain, Helene and Manou, two small cousins and I set off from Sarras for Valence with lifejackets borrowed from the pompiers of Sarras. We passed Gervans lock and stopped for lunch at Tournon. Lunch took 4 hours, then off to Valence where we moored at the visitors pontoon. Just as we were turning into the pontoon the steering failed. I used the drive leg steering to steer the rest of the way. We finished off left overs for an evening meal and they drove back to Sarras.

7 Sept I had been staying with Pierre and Françoise and went with Pierre, Adrien and William to Sufiana to tidy up and set her up for the winter. We had a picnic in the cockpit, fixed up the mooring, emptied the water tanks and put everything inside.

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