Boulogne sur Mer – Fécamp 78,8 nm
Sunday, the alarm clock rings at 5:30 am! What has actually gone wrong with us? Didn’t we actually want to sail very comfortably? But the weather and the tide seem to have a different opinion! The weather forecast predicts nice winds from the east and sun all day. So we voluntarily set the alarm clock for the early hour. Unfortunately, our – now British – neighbor still seems to be on UK time. He doesn’t show up until 6 a.m. and rushes to the bakery first. We gladly accept his apology and are not angry either, because with all the fine planning we have overlooked the fact that it is still pitch dark at 6 o’clock. The view of the hills then foreshadows further evil – it’s foggy outside! Haven’t we had this before? Will we ever manage to see the French coast? It’s supposed to be very beautiful, the Alabaster Coast. We briefly consider turning back, but then decide to carry on. The sun is already lighting up the fog and we hope that it will disappear in no time. But no such luck! The fog remains persistent and it only clears up around midday. As we were sailing rather slowly through the fog due to the large number of fishing nets and their marker buoys, our timing for the approach to Cherbourg, where we actually wanted to go today, was unfortunately no longer right. It is essential to arrive there with the tide running and no wind against the current. The forecast wind doesn’t really materialize either. There is only a light wind until the afternoon, which unfortunately doesn’t help us make any progress against the current. So we motor again and only use the genoa for a short stretch as support. In the meantime, we look for alternative berths and ask various marinas if they have space for us. In Le Havre they get back to us first, but we are not told whether there is any space available. There was a place for us in Dieppe, but by then we had actually already passed Dieppe and would have to sail back. Instead, we reach the harbour master in Fécamp, who happily reserves us a berth on the head jetty. We swung around a few degrees and finally arrived in Fécamp shortly after 6 pm. Unfortunately, the hoped-for wind shadow behind the steep coast turns into a pretty strong chop effect and it blows hard on us when mooring. Fortunately, the harbor master is on hand to help us with the lines. In the end, we are well moored at jetty F and half an hour later the wind dies down completely. We still need to work on our timing! After a long day at sea, we are too tired to go into town, so we end the evening with tapas and sundowners in the front cockpit on board and go to bed early.
Apart from the squeaking of the jetty and the mooring lines, the night is quiet and the next morning brings beautiful sunshine. Perfect for a day in the harbor at Fécamp. We’ve only heard good things about the place so far and now we want to see for ourselves. So we set off on foot in the late morning and start by walking along the beach promenade. Once again, the beach seems to be endless, although it is not made of sand but of coarse pebbles. The water temperature seems to be good, as there are lots of holidaymakers on the beach and in the water. We learn that Claude Monet painted various impressionist paintings in Fécamp and can compare the original and the portrait. We continue to the Palais Bénédictine, where the famous herbal liqueur is produced. Of course, a bottle is a must in the on-board supply. After a tour of the village, we return to the harbor, where we can enjoy a delicious lunch at La Boucane restaurant with a view of La Ola. After a short stop at Carrefour, we head back to the harbor, where we take a break from the midday heat in the shady cockpit. In the early afternoon, a cold wind suddenly comes up and within a few minutes it is completely foggy. Thick clouds of mist drift along the slopes like clouds of smoke and the temperature drops in no time at all. We’ve never experienced anything like this before! Although the fog lifts a little later, it remains cloudy for the rest of the afternoon. So it’s off to the computer to work. It is Monday after all! In the evening, we pay a brief visit to Jens from the Marieke, who also moored in Fécamp this morning. We exchange travel experiences over a cockpit beer and decide that we can only continue on Wednesday. We had actually planned to continue tomorrow and head for our first anchorage. But the weather forecast has completely changed again and instead of light winds from the west, the forecast is now for north-easterly winds overnight. Unfortunately, this doesn’t suit the anchorage off Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue at all. What a pity! After our visit to the Marieke, we take a quick stroll through Fécamp and discover a fish store that we would like to visit tomorrow. Back on board, the sun is shining again and we enjoy the evening in the cockpit.
The next morning starts slightly cloudy, but by breakfast in the cockpit the sun is already shining brightly again. I decide to fire up the washing machine today and get rid of all the laundry before our planned onward journey tomorrow. Once the machine is running, we take our on-board Porsche to the fish store we discovered yesterday and to Carrefour to buy dinner and supplies for the next few days. The fish store fulfills all our wishes. There is such a wide selection of great fish and everything is beautifully decorated that we really have trouble making up our minds! Back on board, we continue to work on the computer, the boat and the laundry. Lucky the cat watches us with interest during all the hustle and bustle and has already settled in really well on board. His regular spot has become Fluffy under the saloon table, where he feels safe and secure. From time to time he visits us in the cockpit and even manages to hold his nose in front of the cockpit tent from time to time. Most of the time, however, he prefers to return quickly to safer climes. As one of our railing passages is almost impossible to open, we go ashore again in the afternoon and visit the ship’s chandlery, where we can buy a suitable pelican hook. Within two minutes, Axel has installed it back on board and I no longer have to break my fingers trying to get the passage open. My reward is a Breton beer in the cockpit. I’ve finally found my own beer!!! I have to talk to the manufacturer again, as the spelling is not quite correct. But I’m convinced that it will sell better with my graphical revision anyway! In the evening, Jens from Marieke comes over for a beer after work and we discuss weather reports, travel plans and swap lots of anecdotes. For dinner we have oysters and prawns again, this time with guacamole. Delicious!!! Afterwards, we empty the rubbish and fill up with water before ending the evening in peace. Hopefully we will continue tomorrow! Whether to Cherbourg or to the nice anchorage off Saint Vaast la Houge, we’ll see.
