20th Ferry to Cherboug and then drive
Got up at 5.30am adrenalin pumping, we had to leave for the ferry at 9.30am and I always worry about getting the caravan off the driveway. Our driveway is on a slight slope which goes onto a pavement where then there is an extremely steep slope onto the road which I can’t take the caravan down, I have to take the caravan about 200 metres down the pavement to where the pavement and road flatten off. Sometimes getting the caravan onto the road has taken me a couple of hours and I didn’t need any last minute rush jobs today.
All went according to plan we got to the ferry with plenty of time although Char was still stressing about the potential for sea sickness. We crossed from Poole-Cherboug on the Barfleu. It was a fantastic crossing, mellow and almost motion free, very few people on the ferry, the kids made a friend and played happily and Char and I both managed a little snooze! Text book! It actually could not have gone better, Char has now vowed never to do the puke condor ferry fast crossing to St Malo again.
Only 550 miles to go! I took the Google route driving from Cherboug to Rennes to Nantes to Bourdeux to Capbreton, Rather than the way my Sat Nav was trying to take us towards Le Mans and down, which I think is a more expensive toll roads route and slightly further. The total cost for the toll roads was 40 Euros and I think I spent about 150 Euros in Fuel.
We spent the night in some service station, it wasn't our best choice of overnight travel stops as there were literally hundreds of articulated lorries coming and going which meant a very un-restful 4 hours sleep before I gave up and got back on the road.
21st 235 miles to go.
I was trying to keep an average speed of 50mph so we were looking at another 5 hours of driving, the kids were amazing and just watched DVD after DVD. I’m not sure how we are going to cope next year with a 9 month old baby but I’m sure we find a way! We had heavy rain from the moment we left the ferry until about 30k from Capbreton. We arrived at 3pm and set up camp.
At 7pm Andy cycled over board on rack and persuaded me to go surfing! I was soooo tired but made the effort!
Getting on the bike and making the cycle around the back of the campsite took me right back to last year, suddenly 48 weeks felt like 1 week, I was back on my bike, surfboard on rack and already buzzing, I wanted to check VVF first against the advice from Andy who already new it was a ranging angry mess. 1 guy was out and seeing him negotiating the big angry looking closeouts didn’t exactly inspire me to rush down the dune. We ended up surfing Sports (the beach break infront of the sports rehab centre in Capbreton) The waves were a chunky 3/4ft and quite clean with gentle on shores. Every year I am always slightly surprised by the speed of the moving water and the ease of the paddle in, It was great to be back in a short wetsuit and surfing felt quite easy again even after 12 hours of driving and only a few hours sleep I felt energised. I surfed my 6’2 quad which made catching waves easy but felt a bit clumbsy in the fast sections…. Ahh its good to be back!
The Kids were almost having as much fun as me!!
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