Day 15: 28/06/17 Shopping in Rouen

A bit of a lazy morning and a cooked breakfast for to keep Patrick happy, then Patrick set off to find Christoph the mast man while I did school with the kids. Patrick returned bearing the bad news that Christoph was on holiday until Monday... no wonder we had had no reply to our emails! Luckily the Marina office had accepted our "don't know how long we'll be here" and said we could pay once we knew how long which means we can take advantage of cheaper rates for over 5 days. This was the first day I have had real objections to boat school and I'm wondering if this is due to the impending ramp up of school next week.

On the flip side there are some really interesting boats here including what looks like a solar powered one. AJ was really interested in this!

Once jobs had been done we dug out the scooters, bags, trolleys and pac-a-macs and set off for the supermarket having got vague directions from the office. After walking a while we stopped to check where we were only to have the Port Office Lady pull up in her car and offer us a lift. She said there was a bigger supermarket "a quarter" further... did we want to go to this. We said yes and encouraged the kids to look outside and try to remember the way back! Happily for the kids we spotted a playground en route  and decided to have lunch there on the way back.

The supermarket was somewhat traumatic as the kids were a bit tetchy, Patrick hates food shopping and I was desperately trying to work out low cost meals and snacks in a foreign language! Finally we were done and on our way back. Baguette and cheese for lunch, followed by bargain ice creams from the closer supermarket which we stopped to assess on the way back to Laurin.

The afternoon was taken up with putting food away (ever a challenge), an hour or so electronics, and sussing out the washing which is surprisingly free! We also met a guy on a Westerly who says his mast is supposed to be coming down on Friday. He wants some help, so we said we could be around, which will hopefully help us to learn what is to do, and perhaps get us an earlier spot with Christoph?

An early night for the kids, although they are still jabbering away to each other at 9:20pm. At least they seem to chat nicely and allow Patrick and I to relax at this time in the evening.

Day 14: 27/06/17 Hornfleur to Rouen

So today was a day that I had been particularly nervous about. The trip up to Rouen was about 60 miles but all the books say we need to do it in one day as there are no real viable stopping points along the route. The book also says the tide only flows in for 4 hours in every 12! Luckily on further inspection of the Fluviacarte, the tide flows at up to 4 knots and we could carry the tide all the way to Rouen assuming we start at Le Havre LW+1 at Hornfleur. Guide books and Cruising association advice say that Hornfleur is now a viable starting point with 24 hour access so we decided this was preferable to Le Havre as it was a few miles further up the Seine. I have to say I was somewhat concerned about 4 knot tides and had visions of us surfing up to Rouen! Regardless we planned to lock out at 9:30.

In the end the most traumatic experience of the day was exiting Hornfleur lock and Patrick pointing out that the water looked VERY low on the other side. A quick calculation said we would have 1.5m of water the other side.... we need 1.65. A hurried radio call to the lock keeper just gave us a "we do not understand English" and so as the tide was rising the best we could do was dilly dally a bit in the lock and proceed with caution. In the end by the time we left the lock at about 10am, my Navionics app on my phone said the water had risen another 20cm so we should have 1.7m. Still a bit close for comfort but out we went, Patrick thinks we might have touched the bottom, we definitely saw 0.1m on the depth gauge indicating we only had 10cm of water under the keel. The stress levels were so high at this early stage that I called for the emergency chocolate biscuits!

Once out on the Seine our speed started at about 6 knots, it was a somewhat miserable day and the kids hid down below for most of it. Although we have the new Raymarine es7 chartplotter we still prefer the iPad with iNavx for AIS.

By noon we were approaching 10knots, and Patrick was to be heard saying the bends were "a bit interesting".

















In fact the weather was so miserable we ditched the Tuna Pasta Salad I had planned for lunch in favour of 2 of the many tins of Heinz Ravioli we had bulk purchased at Asda when it was on special offer in February!

There was much flotsam about which needed to be avoided, and also any turns to avoid
buoys needed to be executed well in advance. There also appeared to be some strange eddies which would catch you by surprise and send the boat motoring off into a random direction.

On the flip side though, the scenery was rather beautiful and a lovely change from the flat banks of the East Coast Rivers.

There was less rain in the afternoon and we were getting used to travelling at almost double our normal speed. We had been warned about the size of ships going up and down the Seine, and were surprised that we didn't see more. However one in particular coming towards us gave off so much wash that Laurin was slamming over 2m high short waves for almost 10 minutes as they reflected off the banks.

As we passed into the industrial areas of Rouen we called the kids on deck to help us in, and as usual AJ was there in a flash. We tried to raise Rouen Port de Plaisance on the Radio but no response so we motored in slowly. Luckily there were some fellow Cruising Association members, the crew of Growltiger who said to come alongside them and took our lines. After a visit to the port office we settled down to Corned Beef Hash and Beans.... need to go shopping tomorrow!

Day 13: Ouistreham to Hornfleur

Bleary eyed we woke up in time to depart for the 10am lock. At about 9:30 we were pleasantly surprised to find Sarah, Tabitha and the entire (including teenagers) crew of Faoin Speir gathering to say goodbye. Esmé hates goodbyes but I think we eased this somewhat by getting friends to write their email addresses in a special book for her, although she still hid down below while we left. I'm sure we will meet up with these guys again but for now it's fair winds to Faoin Speir, and a wish for clear roads with no height or width restrictions for Sarah and Tabitha.

AJ asked if he could take Laurin out of the lock and for once it was perfect conditions to let him. Patrick let off the bow line while I took care of the stern. Last time AJ manoeuvred the boat anywhere in close quarters he steered and somebody else took care of the throttle. This time he did it completely independently and made a fantastic job of it. Proud parent moment!


The channel out of Ouestreham was pretty lumpy after the previous days wind, however this settled down to just a bit of an unpleasant roll once we turned towards the Seine. Eventually there was enough wind in a suitable direction to sail and Patrick had an enjoyable sail while I dozed down below. It seemed a turning point in our journey as we entered the Seine, and coming into Horn fleur was beautiful.





We went for a walk round the town and to the Yacht Club to pay for our berth, then discounted our idea for a meal out courtesy of Patrick's work (leaving gift) as the children were tetchy and tired. Meals out are now such a rare treat that we want to ensure that we are all going to enjoy them. Instead we treated the kids to a go on the carousel, and then Patrick and AJ went back to Laurin while Esmé and I looked for a Boulangerie. In the end I spotted an old French gentleman carrying a bag with a couple of baguettes in and tried to ask him where he got them. Sadly the shop was miles away and would be shut before we got there (it's Monday! was the explanation). The lovely man insisted on giving us half of one of his baguettes and wouldn't accept any payment!

Arriving back at the boat we found AJ and Patrick watching Harry Potter so decided on a TV dinner of Thai beef curry and noodles. After dinner Esmé was getting a little restless so I took her to the nearby park while AJ finished watching the film. The park was beautiful with intricate walkways and amazing flowers. It also had a paddling pool which despite the somewhat diminished water level Esmé delighted in splashing around in. We also met a French homeschool family but Esmé is still struggling to pick up the confidence to speak any French to actual French people! I got lots of practice though!

Finally back to the boat for showers and bed, then prep for tomorrows passage to Rouen which looks kind of interesting... 4 knot tides!




Beautiful view from the boat this evening!

Day 12: 25/06/17 Juno Beach and another late night!

So a very late morning, followed by a decision to pile in Eileen the campervan with Sarah and Tabitha to go to Juno Beach as the visitor centre there is supposed to be good for kids. AJ and Esmé were mega excited to go for a ride in the campervan... Esmé is convinced she is going to live in one when she grows up so this made her day! On the way Patrick read the last of our D-Day book to the kids and AJ & E told Tabitha all about Pegasus Bridge as we crossed it on our way. We arrived at Juno beach and had a late lunch before heading off to the visitor centre. We saved a bit of money by making adopting Tabitha into our family for the purposes of a family ticket and it we went. AJ was pretty disappointed that we had missed the last English tour of the bunkers and really didn't engage with the centre anywhere near as he had at Pegasus Bridge. This may have been due to the disappointment about the bunker, or the previous late night, but I do wonder if it was more to do with the fact that the D-Day book didn't have any specific stories based on Juno beach, and that meant he found it harder to identify. I must make a point of making sure we try to find these living books in advance of key trips.

There were kids activity books that Tabitha and Esmé completed, but AJ just wasn't interested. In reality though, the centre wasn't anywhere near as child friendly as we had been led to believe. There was a short film at the start and a slightly longer one at the end and these were the only things that really kept the kids engaged, although the map at the start did give rise to a comedy moment where Esmé tripped over the exhibit and somebody piped up that Esmé had just tripped over France!

The video at the end was really quite moving and after exiting the exhibit we went for a short look at one of the bunkers before heading down to the sands to take a walk on the beach. This sparked some discussion about why British and Canadian soldiers chose to volunteer.

We arrived back at the marina planning a quiet early night... we re-joined the Irish contingent and arranged to take food ashore in 1/2 hour and share an early-ish dinner. Clearly the early night wasn't going to happen. Both kids and adults were having too much fun so another night where the kids were up until midnight. Dread to think what the kids will be like tomorrow!

Day 11: 25/06/17 New Friends in Ouistreham

So it was a bit of a party atmosphere! We had been following Sarah and Tabitha's adventures in a campervan for the last year. They are now coming to the end of their one year adventure and contemplating their next challenge and as we were in the same area we decided to meet. We also met the crew of FaoinSpeir who are an Irish family with 13 year old twins who are travelling on their Yorktown 39 which they have fitted out themselves.

The twins occupied AJ and Esme until Sarah and Tabitha arrived, and then after lunch all the kids played together, disappearing on to Faoin Spéir for a movie. It was fantastic catching up with Sarah as we enjoyed a long late lunch for the large part child free. It's amazing how similar and how different our chosen modes of transport and accommodation are, and how many shared values we have as Worldschoolers.

After we had lazed around for a while we decided the kids should do something more active than sitting in front of a screen. We were pleasantly surprised to find them all out in the fresh air enjoying themselves ashore, however more fun was to follow when we pumped up the SUP to add to our inflatable canoe (thanks Bru), and Luke got out their kayaks too.

The adults may have had some fun too! (Standing up will have to wait for another day when the water is a little warmer).

We all came together in the evening for a BBQ with everybody bringing food and drink. There was a party tent at the Marina with live music which we enjoyed whilst cooking our own food less than 20 yards away. What a fantastic night, the older kids took care of AJ and Esmé, and the adults had a great time too.... haven't laughed so much in ages!

As the evening drew in we cleared away and then the kids took up residence on Laurin while the adults went to Faoin Spéir. As I walked past Laurin it looked like a mini disco with Esme's kiddi superstar toy, Ella's disco ball and the colour changing solar light! I think we may have got the kids into bed before midnight but I'm not quite sure. This is what cruising/worldschooling is all about. Best night so far!!!!!

Day 10: 23/06/17 Pegasus Bridge

Today we decided to do a quick tidy up before breakfast to aid motivation... much better! Reading had, as usual, happened snuggled up in bed with a parent each, and then French started after a breakfast of Cereal and croissants. There was much trepidation and varying degrees of acceptance of using French UHT milk instead of the English milk we had finished yesterday. Esmé declared it ok, Patrick too, but AJ had decided it was unacceptable before he even tried it. I had yoghurt instead!

After breakfast it was French lessons again while Patrick stowed the last of the spares under Esmé's bunk.



Jobs done, we packed some lunch and set off for Pegasus Bridge. This was a key target that had to be taken during the D-Day attack to prevent German reinforcements from reaching the Allied soldiers arriving on Sword Beach. We had read stories about the soldiers of the airborne division who were flown in on Gliders to take the bridge from the Germans and the kids were keen to see the bridge in real life. The bridge itself is about 3 miles up the canal towards Caen, and although at one point we planned on taking Laurin up to Caen and stopping at the bridge, we decided against this as the harbourmaster said it wasn't really allowed to moor their. In the end, walking (or scooting in the kids case) allowed them to really reflect on how the commando reinforcements would have felt after a long, lumpy, seasick night at sea, fighting their way across sword beach, and then carrying their heavy kit the 3 miles to the bridge.

We crossed the new bridge and had a picnic waiting for the bridge to open. There was much discussion about how it works and both kids came away with a good understanding of the mechanics of the lifting bridge. Next we went to the Museum where we saw lots of exhibits including a model of one of the gliders, the original bridge, and various pieces of artillery. Spending the previous week reading real life stories of D-Day seemed to have paid off as the kids were really enthusiastic and interested. We were trying to make a film of the day and we have some lovely clips... just needs me to master the video editing software.

After the kids had spent some of their pocket money on souvenirs we crossed the road to visit the site where the first gliders landed. That was some navigation by the glider crew! Over the bridge again to the Pegasus Bridge Café which the pictures showed us had been there during German occupation, and then the long walk back.


All in all a great day, we were really proud of how the kids identified with the exhibits, although getting the balance right between making them aware of our history and the sacrifices made, and upsetting them too much, is a fine line. At the end of the Museum we watched a film (all in French) and AJ was in tears. He said he felt sad for the Soldiers, and also the German ones too!

Looking forward to meeting up with Sarah Crofts and Tabitha of veedubadventures tomorrow. Esmé has been feeling homesick and I hope talking with another young lady who has been living this nomadic life for the last year may help.

Day 9: 22/06/17 Ouistreham school trip

We all woke up late this morning and we had planned a day of just getting organised. Looking at Laurin sat typing this I wonder how many days we really would need to get organised as she still looks like chaos! Kids read to us in bed again which was nice as the last few days we've been in a rush and done this under way. Then a massive brunch and French lessons which didn't go exactly to plan.... but in a good way.

Halfway through our planned French lesson Patrick called to say that the kids we had seen sailing optimists earlier this morning seemed to be heading in our direction. Eager for the kids to at least say "Bonjour" we came up on deck. It looked like a school trip full of kids of similar age to ours had parked themselves at the top of our pontoon. We went up to say hello and I asked the teacher if the kids had some scheduled play time that we could join in. End result was we gate-crashed the school trip and the kids and I spent the next 2 hours at the beach while Patrick got on with some boat jobs.

Kids both English and French were extremely excited to practice their language skills, though AJ was far more confident than Esme on this occasion, running off with the boys and only occasionally coming to ask me how to say a certain phrase. I think the interaction was more biased in favour of AJ teaching the French kids English than the other way round but it was definitely fun. Esmé needed me with her more, and we made friends
with a French girl called Jane. We did a lot of counting shells and Esmé shared looking at some of our dual language books with her. After a while AJ was playing football and then running down towards the sea. He said I smiled at him so he thought he was fine to carry on. What I didn't realise was that he was running through the puddles and then into the sea still in his shoes and socks! He then returned with very wet feet saying he wanted to take them off! All in all a pleasant 2 hours and the kids enjoyed giving away some of our boat cards so that our new French friends could follow our blog.

When we returned to the boat we took the kids straight up to the shower block. Shower tokens are 1.60 Euro's each and we didn't have any so we put the kids in the laundry sinks! 10 minutes later and they were rather more presentable. We had a lovely visit to the harbourmaster who helped us practice our French more, and went back to the boat for some much needed downtime (AKA iPad time). When I read the Worldschooler's Facebook group there are lots of mixed feelings about kids and electronics but at the moment we would be going stir crazy without them. That 1/2 hour of quiet after lunch and just before tea just about keeps me sane. I haven't done 24/7 with the kids since they started preschool other than for holidays.

Whatever anyone thinks, this isn't a 2 year holiday. This is our life for the next 2 years. We still have lots of jobs to do in addition to educating the kids, only all that normal stuff like washing clothes and shopping for food takes much longer when you have to use laundrettes or wash by hand, and don't have a car to cart heavy bags of food home in. By now it was almost 4pm and we still needed to shop. We had found a Lidl that didn't look too far away and wanted to stock up for the next few days, so we got out the granny trolley, scooters, rucksacks and Esmé's scooter bag and off we went. Mission accomplished and celebratory ice creams eaten we made our way back and completed the long task of trying to play tetris with the top loading fridge. Finally had tea at 8pm, kids in bed 9pm, very little downtime for parents. This is exhausting... definitely not a holiday, but definitely worth it.

Over the next few days we are planning visits to Sword beach, Pegasus bridge, and Bayeux. How great an education is that!