Having looked at the information on the Gironde River, we have changed our mind and decided that we would go straight to Bordeaux and miss out stopping at Pauillac. As the tide was moving from spring to to neap tides, the river current is indicated at being 2kts (ish) on the flood (the direction we were going) and about 4kts+ on the ebb.
This meant that if we maintained a speed of around 6kts through the water, plus the added benefit of the flood stream we would make Bordeaux easily on the one tide. We also had the benefit of some information from a lovely couple Peter and Amanda off “Colinette V” who had driven to Bordeaux for a look around, and told us there was a new pontoon on the starboard side of the river, just before Pont de Pierre, for leisure boats to tie up and enable them to visit the city. This is good joined up thinking on behalf of the city, as it means yachts can now come down the Gironde to Bordeaux and stop without needing to drop their masts or find somewhere to stop prior to the Pont de Pierre.
Martin off “May Morning” who is travelling solo, wanted to follow us down to Bordeaux, even though it was going to be a really early start due to the tides. After dropping the mast etc I had removed the light boxes from the wheelhouse roof in preparation for the canals, but then realised it would be dark when we left in the morning to had to refit these and taped a small torch onto the horizontal mast to act as a steaming light.
At 0445 both boats left Royan and headed out to join the main shipping channel, and within a few minutes I admit that I was a bit confused over a single red light that appeared to be the port light from a yacht to our starboard, and therefore could have been cutting across in front of us – we would be the give way vessel. At the same time there was a big commercial boat on our port side, going out to sea on the last of the ebb, which was fine and easy to keep clear. The reason for the red light suddenly dawned on me –it wasn’t a yacht but rather the sectored light of Cordouan Lighthouse……………silly me!!
Following the channel down was pretty straightforward and once we had daylight we could see the banks on both sides of the river. Sara commented on how strange it was to once again have land on both sides of us, and she was absolutely right.
Passing Pauillac.
If ever coming down the river you can get “two charts in one” from the Navicarte Series Nos 553 & 554, and you shouldn’t really attempt it without these charts.
I was pleased we had decided to miss out Pauillac as it didn’t really hold much appeal, and from the pilot book it stated that we would be advised to arrive at slack water as the tide runs through the marina uninterrupted. Parking up a boat in a tight marina with strong current running through is not for the faint hearted, and could easily lead to an exchange of insurance information!
On the river bank we saw a ship loaded with a section of the new airbus, which must be manufactured locally.
At various section along the banks there were these fisherman huts built above the river banks.
Later we arrived at the junction of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, which then merge and become the Gironde river and run out to sea. The following shot shows us coming down the Gironde, with the Dordogne River to the left of the photo and the Garonne River to the right.
The tide was way stronger on the way down that any of us imagined, and naturally varied when compressed between islands/narrow sections. The following shot off the chart plotter shows us travelling at 11kts over the gound i.e 6kts boat speed + 5kts of tide – by this time there was no doubt about arriving at Bordeaux before the tide turned!
Vigilance must be maintained going down these rivers and a good look out kept for branches/logs, and sometime entire trees – thankfully we didn’t come across any big lumps of vegetation and arrived safely at Bordeaux and tied up at the new pontoon.
The local municipal policeman came down to give us the codes to the combination padlocks and told us that the pontoon was officially opened last Tuesday, but as yet there is no electricity connected, but there are hose connections for fresh water.
Later whilst sitting in the cockpit I saw a strange thing coming down against the current, and at first I thought it some kind of eel (or perhaps Nessie’s wee cousin down for a holiday). As it came closer Sara and I thought it might be an otter, but we were not convinced. Just as I grabbed the camera it turned away and this is the best shot I could manage. Someone later said it might have been a Coypu……………..
