Saturday 20 May 2017

Back aboard and afloat

A busy couple of weeks now behind us, we are able to cruise once more.
We arrived in Corre on May 5th to find Antiope had survived the winter in good shape, despite temperatures down to -17 deg C at times.


May 5th, Antiope under her winter coat, at Corre, France.

On May 8th we attended the local VE day commemorations and were then invited to join the Mayor for drinks and nibbles at the town hall. Corre was a centre for French resistance during the last war,

During the NZ summer I had constructed a new teak hatch and we carried it dissembled in our travel bags. The old hatchway had been too small to allow extraction of the old washing machine, which must have been 'built in' since the boat was new.  A side issue was that the old hatch had started leaking anyway. 


First major task, cutting a big hole in the steel cabin top.


It fits ! The new teak hatch assembled.

After two seasons and many miles Antiope needed a couple of weeks cleaning and painting before launching,  


All clean and ready for launching May 17th

Antiope is back in her element, and keen to go exploring.

As I write this, we are tied up in a quiet backwater only a few miles downstream from Corre, a glass of wine is next on the agenda.

Monday 1 May 2017

2017 A new season

We are booked and ready to fly.

                   
                                                  Antiope in Berlin 2016

Annie and I will rejoin Antiope on 5th May in Corre where she has slept for the Winter.
This season will be more about taking our time and cruising more slowly, mostly in France.
We plan to spend a week or so getting Antiope ready for the water. We then we have a choice of directions to head away, either South down the Soane river or North up to Nancy.
Colmar, Strasburg, and Basle are on our list to visit this year.

Summer in New Zealand has kept us busy, Our Stewart 34 yacht has a new engine and lots of fresh paint. She has rewarded us with a few wins on the water, proving that she is still quicker than her crew! Partner Bill will continue to campaign her through the Winter.

I was asked recently to deliver a talk at the Ponsonby Cruising Club here in Auckland.
The format was a compilation of two cruises to Copenhagen, the first in 1966 by open boat, and the second, last year in Antiope. see our earlier blogs. If anyone is interested, I am happy share the show next time I am in town. contact  cscoones@ihug.co.nz

Our next post will be from on board Antiope.
Cheers Charles and Annie