Normandy – food, beaches, history and boat work

Another week has passed, and it is now more than three weeks since we left Lomma. The days go by so fast, but it is also remarkable how much that happens during a week.

Vlissingen (“Flushing” in English. Ehh?.) a small city in the opening of the busy river Schelde offered beach time, our first moule frites at the local joint in the small boatclub marina where we stayed another two nights after the first noodle dinner, a football night, more bitterballen and a rowing tour in the city canals.

We meet so many interesting people during our stays. Swedes that we meet feel like old friends after 5 minutes. A first hello on the dock then a hello again and a long discussion the second time we meet. A day or two later our paths take different ways, perhaps we will meet again, perhaps not. The pattern repeats itself adding much value to the trip. We also get into discussions with other nationalities. In Vlissingen we had both types of acquaintances; first, the Swedish couple from Trollhättan who bought a cool Taiwanese ketch, quit their jobs, closed their secondhand shop, brought their dog, and started sailing. They have been cruising slowly since last summer and made it to the Netherlands. Secondly, we met Antonio, a nice guy who claims to be Italian but has a German accent. He is a former CEO for a sizable company, who retired early, sold everything, and started cruising in his Albin Vega that he has upgraded to what is probably the most exclusive Vega in the world. After a 6500 NM circuit to Lofoten, Sweden and Italy he was as passionate as ever and invited us for a tour onboard.

On Monday the 15^th it was time to wave Vlissingen goodbye and head for Normandy. We left at high tide and rode the tide under engine in the light winds with a SOG of 8 knots. Easy peacy and now we were in France! Ah…, we like France. Especially the food. Ida and Martin went grocery shopping for everything French that we could think of; baguettes carried in the arm pit, cheese, chocolate mousse in small plastic containers, salami… (maybe not so French but still good) and had finger food dinner in the cockpit. Other key todos included more beach time, and a visit to the Dunkerque 1940 museum of “Operation Dynamo” – a strong piece of war history from May 1940 when 340 000 trapped allied soldiers were dramatically evacuated by sea.

After a few days in Dunkerque, we did the hop to Boulogne-sur-Mer. The crossing of the Calais harbor entrance went by without much drama, this is the last of four intense shipping traffic intersections to ports along the North Sea coast (Rotterdam/Hoek van Holland/Europort, Schelde/Gent/Antwerpen, Amsterdam and Calais). More beach time and a mission to fix our steering once and for all. Ever since we bought Frenesi, the hydraulic steering has caused concerns. We have serviced the full system and replaced parts several times, learning a bit more each time. On our way to Vlissingen the steering was moving erratic in the waves (again). This concerned and frustrated us. We can’t cross the Atlantic or even the Bay of Biscay if we don’t get this under control. We debated whether we should replace the full steering or tear down parts of it, have it serviced and replace oil. We decided to try the latter and ordered spares with express shipping to Dunkerque. In Boulogne-sur-Mer, it was time to get it done. We dismantled steering cylinders and valves, drained the oil and got on a train to some village in the French outback where we found a hydraulic workshop that could get our steering serviced. Two days, where we tried to both get work done and still provide a good time for the kids. Not always easy. But we do keep all fingers crossed that the steering is now behaving. So far we are cautiously optimistic but more sea trials are needed to conclude on the matter.

The weather window for our next leg was closing at around 1400 on Saturday the 20^th to avoid significant head current and a frontal system with more westerly winds. After a second visit to the hydraulic workshop in the morning and intense work, the boat and ourselves were reasonably ready by 1350. Timely.

More motoring and motorsailing in the slow winds to Dieppe. Our favorite so far! More of everything; summer night pulse with beating music in the crowded harbor, beautiful chalk cliffs, some 8m difference between high- and low tide, and more baguettes and beach time. Great to be here! Tomorrow time for road trip – more about that next time.