Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure

[Giles]

Technically, we should be flying a Q flag*, and not leave the boat until we have had permission to do so by the French immigration guys. At St Vaast, the process is performed by the marina staff who then email all the info needed to the immigration office in Cherbourg. But the marina staff will have knocked off for the night (except the lock keeper) when we arrive. So they have told us where to berth and to pop up to see them sometime tomorrow.

The Marina restaurant closes at 21:00, I will be eating there tonight

• The "Q" flag (also known as the Quebec flag or Yellow Jack) is a plain yellow maritime signal flag. In international sailing and shipping, it means: "My vessel is healthy and I request free pratique [free entry] into port." It signals authorities that a boat has arrived from abroad and is requesting an official inspection.

[Giles]

Paula likes the refection of the clouds in the water...

[Giles]

Queue for the lock

And parked

[Tago Mago]

And now looking for cidre?

[goosehd]

Here’s one:

[Giles]

[Giles]

[Aetas]

Fleur-de-lis on the glass … absolute precision landing!

[ROman]

@Giles Looked like a great day an crossing.

[Giles]

Paula has assumed position number 2...

[Giles]

said in Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure:

Technically, we should be flying a Q flag*, and not leave the boat until we have had permission to do so by the French immigration guys. At St Vaast, the process is performed by the marina staff who then email all the info needed to the immigration office in Cherbourg. But the marina staff will have knocked off for the night (except the lock keeper) when we arrive. So they have told us where to berth and to pop up to see them sometime tomorrow.

The Marina restaurant closes at 21:00, I will be eating there tonight

• The "Q" flag (also known as the Quebec flag or Yellow Jack) is a plain yellow maritime signal flag. In international sailing and shipping, it means: "My vessel is healthy and I request free pratique [free entry] into port." It signals authorities that a boat has arrived from abroad and is requesting an official inspection.

Even better.

The guy in the marina office did not have the foggiest idea on how to process immigrants. So he told us to come back tomorrow, it's great fun being illegal......I actually think we could stay here for the whole 2 weeks and not bother formally entering the country. Needless to say, Paula won't let me do it, she does not want us to be banned from Schengen (one of our good friends has been )