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From very early morning we are lashed by a storm; torrential rain and force 6-7 winds. Leaves and twigs and seed pods clatter against the roof and sides. By the time we are up it has subsided to heavy sporadic showers, but doesn't look promising for a day of scenic driving.
We use the service point and leave around 11:15 with the idea of stopping in Surgeres for coffee and planning the next move there. As we head south the skies lift and roads are only just damp by the time we stop. After coffee Ali, Grete and Nick W go up to the ramparts and the remains of the chateau. This old part of Surgeres dates to Roman times and is somewhere we have liked very much since we first visited 6-8 years ago.
There is no point moving on now before lunch so we eat and decide that with better weather we can go on to Mechers as planned yesterday. Approaching Rochefort we drive over the tall concrete bridge with the old Meccano-like transporter bridge below to our left. The land becomes very flat, with drainage channels and sedge grass spreading for miles. It reminds us of areas of the Netherlands we saw in April.We pass oyster farms with their shallow pools and wooden huts before skirting busy Royan.
A few miles later we arrive at the marina parking, [more similarities with Holland] and then find the ticket machines are cash only and we cannot summon enough coinage between us, so Ali wanders down and finds some fishermen, who jokingly say they will only help with change if she agrees Brexit is bad. Change secured, ticket bought, electricity plugged in.
Beside the expansive mudbanks of the river are traditional fishing houses, little wooden shed on stilts with booms and nets suspended from the decking.
Just after dark the power goes off. Various people climb out of their motorhomes, check plugs, shrug and moan. Someone has a number fior the harbourmaster, Ali rings, he says it will be fixed in the morning, she moans about it being a problem for cooking, he repeats it will be fixed tomorrow and byebye.
Anyway, an hour or so later it comes back on.
Sausage and bean casserole for dinner and the rain keeps coming.
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