We spent a whole, very frustrating week in Le Havre. It was only when I phoned M. Reiset when we arrived on Tuesday evening that he couldn't take the mast down on the Wednesday. We already knew that May 1 is a major bank holiday in France - but we didn't know that he wasn't working on the Friday either so Monday was the earliest. We decided to take have a few days rest so L & Rom spent Wednesday yomping around Le Havre. Thursday the set of to go to Deauville by bus only to find that there was no public transport at all. So they went Friday.
We didn't want any problems to arise with getting the mast down on the Monday and we had to take Rosa through a lock and a swing bridge to get to Chantier Naval. We decided to move her on Sunday so we would be available first thing. I called up Le Havre Port on VHF only to find that the lock would be open ONLY on Sunday night at 9.00. My French isn't good enough to be certain but I think the reason was a strike and they couldn't be certain if it would be open on Monday.
I had been planning to sail over to Honfleur on Saturday then come back and do the preparations. I'm very glad that the real boss overruled this foolish plan and we did preparation for the canals on Saturday all day - and then most of Sunday too! This included taking off sails and storing them deep in the lockers, bringing out the extra fenders and blankets to protect the hull in locks, etc. I won't bother you with the details here - but if anyone is reading this in preparation for following us, I'll post the list of jobs we did separately.
We went through the lock with no trouble but the bridge wouldn't into Bassain Vauban couldn't be opened until 0630 next morning. We tied up near to it and had a very good quiet AND FREE nights sleep. It was just as good a place to stop as the Port de Plaisance and just as close to shops (no water, electricity or showers of course - but we didn't need the first two anyway and the showers in the marina are pretty poor - cool, dirty, basic and you have to keep pressing one of those horrible buttons to keep the water flowing even though you've paid a Euro for 10 minutes of water)!
We called up for the bridge at 0630 and within 10 minutes a bloke in a van turned up, checked under the bridge, we presume for tramps, then when his mate turned up in another van, opened the bridge and in we went.
The boatyard opened at nine-ish and M. Reiset called up and booked the crane for the afternoon. At 2.00 he told us the Crane had hydraulic problems and wouldn't arrive until 9.00 the following morning. I pleaded but he doesn't control the crane and it wouldn't be any earlier. Another frustrating night and we were now looking at being far too late on Tuesday to make the tide to Rouen.
Stephan arrived just before 9 on Tuesday. We moved the boat to prepare and at 9.10,it appeared. It was all very smooth from then on - rather impressively professional actually. All our preparation paid off and the final disconnection of the Bottle Screws from the rigging was done in 10 minutes. Amazingly we cast off at 10,10 and after a 10 minute wait for the bridge, we were off!
