A weekend in Dunquerque ...

Hello lovelies,

Just a brief update on our weekend in Dunquerque.  In fact, as I write, we've been here a week today - it only seems like a couple of days ago that we arrived.  Time flies when you're having fun, eh?

We decided to have a night in on Friday with a rather toothsome home-cooked Chicken Tikka Masala, rice and raita (c/o Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food cookbook) and a St Emillion.  Fortunately the winds were kind to us last night and we slept like logs!

My girlfriends may be interested to know I'm getting used to the galley and producing tasty, fresh recipes - as we'd have at home - rather than reverting to canned stuff.  They'll likely be times when we'll need to do that so we're making hay while the sun shines.

Saturday
We decided to turn the boat around so we could get off mooring quickly and easily on Monday for our demast and all went well until First Mate lost a deck shoe in the marina but with gazelle-like agility we fished it out with the boat hook.  Mick has been telling me all week to use my trainers on deck - he has resisted so far with the 'I told you so ...' remark!

High winds this afternoon (6 gusting 8/9s) meant we had to move all the fenders to the pontoon-side of the boat as the winds were pushing us onto the pontoon at a 25 degree angle - again (like Calais) a bit scary and uncomfortable!  We also put out another bow line to steady the front of the boat and that seems to have settled her.  (Cint - are those pegs up the right way?!!! lol.)

We were also visited by the Douanne (Customs) this morning.  In case you don't know they have more power than the police and can board your boat if they suspect anything.  Of course, we've nothing to hide and we had a pleasant chat about Skipper's fine A-frames, our general plans, etc., so that was good. 

We had a relaxed afternoon in Dunquerque to include the Port Museum - wherever we go Skipper has to visit a nautical museum!

For dinner First Mate cooked a tasty spag bol which was washed that down with another lovely Bordeaux and we decided to watch a couple of episodes of The Young Ones - always good for a laugh. (Chris - we watched 'Sick' - when Vyvyan attempts acupuncture on Neil with 6" nails!  I think Rick was at his best in this episode - lol).  I was crying with laughter.

Sunday
The winds have died down and a couple of boats are returning to Belgium, just up the coast from here.  Skipper has washed the boat down - he's very house proud!  First Mate is trying to sort out yet another IT problem: this time my new Domino (wifi internet connection gizmo) is not talking with Internet Explorer 8 (my web browser).  Skipper's mate, Kevin kindly gave me a few tips (cheers Kev!) so hopefully that'll sort things as I'm relying on the Domino for wifi throughout France.  Toca madera (touch wood) as they say in Spain!

Skipper has decided to cook tonight and (to Mum and Helen) you'll be pleased to know that for dessert we have a couple of Strawberry Tarts - the edible type(!) - that I spotted some in a lovely boulangerie.  The French really have made an art form of cake-making.

After a week in Dunquerque we have to say we've been really well looked after by the North Sea Yacht Club Capitainieres (Harbour Masters).  We've also enjoyed the town but the canals and the next part of our journey beckon.  We know it'll be eventful as the first part of our trip involves navigating the 'La Liaison' - a vast waterway which comprises a canalised river and a 3 or 4 canals to form a sort of motorway for commercial barges en masse so watch this space for the next instalment!

So that's our weekend post.  Tomorrow we hope for the demast and we'll keep you in the loop.

Over for now me hearties!