Day 35     Mortagne-sur-Gironde              Open:16368 Close:  000

                            
Date:  Monday 3rd July 2017       Weather:  Brighter, sunny periods    Mile:  000 / 000

The blaring of the bread man's van horn woke us a little after 0800hrs. It  had been raining during the night and Jackie thought she had heard the bins being emptied about 2300hrs. Impossible?

The skies cleared after breakfast and Jackie and I took a walk around the marina and out to the boatyard. The marshes in this area are an important stop off point on the flight South for many birds wintering in Africa. Last night we thought we were watching a re-run of Hitchcock's 'The Birds' literally thousands flew over in 6 or 7 flocks.

High tide and the lock gates are open.

Some time in the C12 this sleepy, you might even unkindly say dead port was the third largest on this coast. After Bordeaux and Blaye.

Now with the tide fully in they have opened the inner basin lock gate and such boats as wish to enter and leave may do so. There are many big yachts in the marina, hence the lock gates, so as to keep them afloat.

Headed into the basin under power.

For a while we watched some guy whom we think had been at the rum barrel. He was steering a very large speedboat and was narrowly missing quite a few craft. His luck eventually gave out and he pranged a couple on their stern but continued manoeuvring.  One of the yachts he clipped had the owner and wife sat on board enjoying, well up to that point, lunch. Much shouting and gesticulating ensued. This was then followed by the brandishing of boathooks. Meanwhile the speedboat was still shunting around the berths like a dodgem car at Rowland and Anderton's Fairground. Seemingly oblivious to the rants and raves of several boat owners who had appeared from below on various craft.

The Battlewagon at Mortagne

Neither of these two were for sale.