Etier du Moulin

In the depths of winter, it's nice to recall those summer days.

The Etier du Moulin is a channel which separates Noirmoutier-en-i'lle from the rest of the island/peninsular. Running east from the bridge in the centre of town, the drying channel is a haven for small classic boats. On the southern bank away from the town are several traditional boat builders

For someone like me it was day boat heaven wandering around and having a good look at everything while Joseph and Mrs BB spend an hour of so in the nearby shops.

Wooden day boat, wooden cruiser, wooden motorboat (probably) and a really cute wooden tender.

Shore side workshops probably haven't changed much in the last 70 or even 100 years.

 Moorings over on the town side (opposite) are a bit more upmarket

Quintessential France, bar, boat and bicycle, could do with someone carrying a baguette but close enough.

 

Sinking Feeling

Caption perhaps?

 

Winkle Brig

I remember back in the early 80's thinking this would make a nice picnic boat, there don't seem to be many around these days.

 The French would probably call it a pêche promenade, we don't really have a translation.

Ketch

 Rowed past this really nice ketch which I hadn't seen before, the crew were tiding up and cooking breakfast. They had brought the boat around from the east coast which must have been a challenging trip given the weather we've had recently.

 The boat is to a design by Kim Holman which once having been told it's easy to see familiar characteristics from his perhaps more famous designs the Twister, Stella, Rustler 31.

 

Still Life

 Even on those cold, grey, short winter days there's always some uplifting beauty to be seen along the river.

Winter days on the water

When it's grey and overcast as well as cold with hardly any wind then it must take a lot of motivation to get out on the water.

However when the sun comes out, everything looks better, and the juniors were out in force

 The local wildlife seem to have found a safe sun trap.

Langstone cutters out for a winter row at Emsworth.

A couple of boats were running engines in the Elephant boatyard, later heading out under motor, good opportunity to charge the batteries and maybe go over to Cowes for lunch

A perfect early morning for rowing, morning sun, river like glass and not a breath of wind

 

Changing seasons

Changing seasons seen from the view point in  Old Bursledon where I took the original blog header photo

 

Very different with the stark contrast in winter