Well our days have been busy so far turning Scout into our new home. We had become familiar with La Rochelle in our last two previous visits, so with relative ease and a hire car we have been zipping around stocking our boat. We are amazed at how much storage there is on the trimaran and I have been managing to fill it up-a lot.

With the weather a little bit on the wet side, we decided to dedicate the last 2 days stocking the boat and we have had a lot of fun. It never seemed to end and we have had to go back to the same stores a few times now. We are now parked at the marina and are getting used to be being the packhorses in transporting things from the car down to quay. The most difficult being the life raft. Mike ended having to winch it up high to drop it into its bracket. Sorry I missed that photo opportunity! With a boat that sleeps 6, there are also lots of big and bulky things to bring aboard- pillows, doonas, etc but I think we now have it all sorted. Still to lug down to the boat will be the tender( dinghy) and its motor next week.

On the sailing side- we have been out for a short sail with Timothé Bruneel and Mike enjoyed learning some more about handling Scout and in particular how the bow thruster works. It certainly makes docking such a wide boat easier. We are on a side dock at the moment. The real challenge will be practising into a pen. This is all to come.

So what next?

Now we are fairly well stocked the focus from here on will be on the sailing. Mike is currently sitting outside mastering and programming the navionics and over the next few days we will do some more sailing- practising manoeuvres. e.g. man overboard drills etc.

Our friends Sylvie and Joël from Champagne will be joining us tomorrow for a few days. We are going to crack a bottle of champagne and have a French naming dedication and make an offer to the gods of the sea. According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea. We have to make sure we get this correct to ensure good luck and fair weather to Scout.

At the end of the week, our second eldest who lives in Vancouver is joining us for a month. Ideally to help us out as additional crew for when we eventually head off over the Bay of Biscay, which will be a 2 to 3 day passage, but also as a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with him.

When we set off to Spain, we are not quite sure. A lot depends on the weather, how much handling experience we can get in, Mikes competence and confidence and whether we deem it necessary to have some additional lessons. We are not in any rush and for all our family members reading this, we will not be doing anything premature.

So please stay in touch. I am fairly active on Facebook, with more up to date information and I have just amped up our Instagram page where we’ll have more photos of Scout and our travels. When the inside is all settled I will also do a video of the interior to post.

PS… while I mention that Mike is doing all the learning, I am certainly going to be following Mike and improving my competence once he is in a better position to pass on to me the skills I need. After all I am not just here for the cruise!

On another note, La Rochelle experiences huge tidal differences. Unlike anything I have seen in Australia. This huge marina is set on floating dock and here is the difference between high and low tide.

Here is high tide

Here is the same view at low tide

The docks float up and down around these pilons