Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure

[Giles]

Crossing the channel on Saturday, possibly could have departed on Friday, but weather is a bit better on Saturday, and anyway, P is currently running around like a headless chicken and is mega stressed (not trip related), so an extra day to run around in ever decreasing circles is apparently a good thing.

Three nights booked in St Vaast harbour. It is a tidal harbour, with a locked entrance. The lock opens at 19:12 CET, so we'll leave here at about 09:00 BST......

[Giles]

St Vaast have been in touch. There will be no marina staff on duty (just the Lock Keeper), so we have been told to just grab a free space on one of the pontoons I have indicated......

[goosehd]

Safe travels G and hoping the weather works with you. Bit worried about the extreme air temperatures you guys are experiencing and the potential for squalls. I've been looking at predict wind and it looks like it's fairly stable for now and shouldn't be an issue.

What's the exposure time whilst transiting the channel?

[Giles]

At 10 knots about 6 hours

[goosehd]

@Giles going to make the crossing first thing in the morning or later evening to avoid any potential storms? Our mid day is when we most often run into issues.

[Giles]

Leave at about 9 or 10. No point in going earlier because the lock gate into the harbour does not open until 17:12 on Sat

[Giles]

I think we will get a bit of wind over tide for about 3 hours, but the wind is slight, the current is only 2 knots and it is abeam, so we will not be going into standing waves....

[Giles]

@goosehd I'll time when we lose sight of land and when we see land again. It'll be an interesting data point. Thank you.

BTW, think I'll get oysters in St Vaast ?

[goosehd]

@Giles salivating thinking about it.

[Giles]

I think last time I was there, a dozen were €5 in the market.....

[endo]

that's 10€ for the dinner then plus the cider

[goosehd]

@endo I am requesting that you stop this imagery…please. Seaside dinner, fresh oysters, good company, and chilled cider…where does it end?

[goosehd]

You know, I’m going to say it now: Between the guys hanging out in Germany, @Steve and @Lynne sharing their beautiful trip to Japan, and @Giles and @Madame-Buttonfly heading to France…I don’t know if I like this place any longer. Even @endo sharing his weekend retreat is getting to me…I don’t know if I like this place any longer. Love yes, but like…I don’t know any more ️

[endo]

You should just come over here more often @goosehd Always welcome.

[goosehd]

@endo love ya

[Tago Mago]

Tour of Germany. Just saying

[endo]

Definitely, but preferably outside of Spargelzeit.

[Tago Mago]

As a native I would also recommend visiting outside of Oktoberfest season, but I can see how it would be appealing for tourists. How much is a litre of beer in Canada @goosehd?

[goosehd]

@Tago-Mago $7.50-9.50 CAD…depending on what you are consuming. Dare say a bit higher if it is a good beer

[tody]

on the topic of things to avoid, don't come to cologne during the carnival.