After a mostly sunny and hot May and June, the weather
broke at home just before we left home. Not a good sign for our trip.
First there's the packing, then
squeezing Jeans bike in a transit bag into the back seat. It rains the
entire time. Tiggy senses that we are about to leave her in the way that
only cats can.
A few hours later, we're in Portsmouth
waiting our turn with an interesting vintage car in front.
Here's a closer look at this beautiful
little French car. From what I remember, it's a Salmson with a twin overhead
cam 1500 cc engine made in about 1921. Very collectable....
...and very cosy when the driver gets in.
This shouldhave
been our express ferry to Cherbourg but we were told it had had 'technical
problems' and had lost the power of three of its four engines.
The good news was that P and O delayed the
departure of the 1500 sailing to le Havre so that we could board and at
least get to France on the same day.
Brittany ferries are just setting off towards 'La France' as we wait for loading to
finish.
Lesser boats line up like buses in a bus
station. I seem to remember that the sea crossing to the Isle of Wight is
one of the most expensive in the world. Am I still right?
Looking down into the 'works' of the
Cherbourg Express, it looks like an interesting and incomprehensible
collection of pipes and things.
Look more closely, nautical
knitting.
Time to slip our ties with the
UK once again.
One of the most enjoyable things about
sailing from Portsmouth for me is getting a peek at all the naval support
boats moored nearby.
Here; a warrior from a different era.
Father and son jumping over a
wee stream on the beach.
Well, perhaps small would be
more appropriate.
Down below, some one armed
bandits blink away to no-one.
Jean and I dine in one of the restaurants on
board.
Very nice it was too.
The skies tell of unsettled weather in the
channel. That was to be the case in France also.
I like this for the slightly surrealistic feel about
the colours and shapes.
As we approach France, the big
light in the sky is going out.
