PART EIGHT (Rochefort to St Martin on Île de Ré - 29NM 06:40-11:50)

Arrived here yesterday - such a beautiful trip out of the Charente in the early hours, past a special custom-built yacht (Marche où Rêve) which is on it’s maiden voyage with quite elderly owners. I’m not sure about the Valletta-Maltese connection?! French architect-designed, it has taken the couple 30 years to build (!) and they rafted off Credeau for our last two nights in Rochefort. Then I sailed out out past Île d’Aix with impressive views to starboard of La Rochelle, to pass again under the long elegant Ré bridge and on to St Martin Île de Rè, where I rafted, at midday as arranged, on one of the four free visitors‘ buoys with David & Beverley Coles (and daughter Nathalie) on their Contest 38 Tumbalong. After a suitable apéritif, the four of us went ashore in my dinghy and had a great fish lunch (thank you David!) at Le Skipper! David & Beverley are en route to Spain and far beyond - I’ll just set sail for Île d’Yeu with the tide at 06:30 tomorrow - am looking forward (or is it backward, to Plymouth?!) Beautiful sunset (alone again, naturally!) last night.