Kevin and Moya's 6-month ADVENTURE !!!

Friday the 21st May 2010 will ever be etched in the minds of Moya, Kevin, Sue, Shelley and John. For it was on this day we returned to Brantome to canoe the mighty Dronne. With Shelley and John in one canoe, Sue, Kevin and Moya (combined weight at least 30 tonnes!!) squeezed into a 3 seater. We were transported to a spot from whence to launch and away we went. The rowing was not particularly difficult as we were going with the current and pretty soon Shelley and John were out of sight. In ancient times the waters of the river were used to power mills (moulin) and at various stages there are man made weirs. We came upon one such in our intrepid journey, Shelley and John negotiated it in a fashion but when it came to the senior citizens turn we got stuck hard and fast on the lip of the weir, we blame the low flow, others more unkindly hinted at the combined tonnage. In any event Moya in her usual selfless manner quickly jumped out of the canoe, fully clad one might add, and with a push and a heave released us. Then she noted the canoe drifting away from her so executing a parabula of exquisite proportions she launched herself into the canoe and we continued on our merry way until the next rapid. Again Shelley and John manouvered their way through, (wretched youth), while the old farts tried the side on manouvere only to find the blasted canoe had a mind of its own and decided to half fill itself with water. That was only a minor problem as it turned out as no inanimate object was going to defeat Moya and again without thinking of the danger she once again took charge righted the canoe and we were able to continue as it happened without further excitement to Brantome. Just to rub our faces in it Shelley and John then did a circuit of the town while we, wet but happy, were content to call it a day. Having dried out we all dined at the excellent ‘le Charbonnel’ restaurant and then returned exhilerated knowing we had conquered the Dronne!!

Although the weather has been great we have been unable to use the pool as the person who opened it didn’t know what they were doing and the pool is still murky and scummy. So we now await someone else to right the wrong. Shelley and John are off 25th to continue their honeymoon and Sue is off same day to visit relatives in Rochefort. Moya and Kevin will pick her up Thursday and we will all have a couple of days in Il de Rey, an island off La Rochelle, before returning to Gardes for our final month.