Saint-Martin-de-Ré

We moved on the Thursday eve to the Vieux Port, bassin de chalutiers, we had to wait for lock to open. We were next to the aquarium and Mercure hotel so much more in the thick of things but not right in the middle so quiet at night but town close by. Friday morning we went to the maritime museum for a little culture there were three boats to walk around, a tug, a deep sea fishing vessel and an old metrological boat which also had displays about some of the voyages of other boats like in a museum, even John was interested, while we waited for Geoff and Paul to ride down. They met us after lunch and we had a beer and a chat and a wander around. We all had a meal out in the eve. On Saturday John fixed the generator and the lads hauled him up the mast but it wasn't a bulb problem so still no anchor light. We mooched around town in the afternoon and had delicious meal at Andres, in the eve very very nice said bye to visitors. We did see in the harbour 2 other Moonen's photos attached, they are both shorter than Take Five.
On Sunday we moved back into Minimes marina and headed for slip. Had to bully the French boat that was already there into moving forward for us by coming up behind it close, 25tonnes of steel is apparently quiet encouraging. We thought the tide would not drop far enough for us to do the work but it did and the bow thruster is gone.
Saw the odd looking boat in the marina, reference photos anyone seen anything like that before is it a ferry of some sort?
This morning Monday we headed to ile de Re, we are now in the inner harbour at St Martin de Re. This is something that John said he wanted to do when we were here a few year ago with the truck. Its busy as you can see from photos but very sheltered. Hoping to anchor for a couple of nights either near here or off Oleron Peninsula then probably Royan before we head towards Spanish coast.Les mer