Took the canoe on the Dordogne. Launched from the Quai in front of the Chai... alongside the immoveable hunched figure of 'Monsieur Miserable', the fisherman who never speaks or smiles or moves out of the way.
A cool day. Drizzling too.
Laithwaites Champagne was needed to raise spirits.
This is the boat that was Monsieur Cassin's one gift to me (apart from teaching me how to sell wine, run a business, vineyard etc). Called 'Loch Ness', she was built by Castillon boatbuilders (still in business) as a canoe/skiff to Monsieur's own idiosyncratic design.
You can row her - with outriggers and a sliding seat, or paddle. And now, me being just a touch unfit, she can also be pushed along by an electric outboard.
We set out for the plage at Ste Terre but didn't quite make it due to getting the tides wrong. The river is tidal here and, sod's law, we had it against us both ways. We saw egrets, herons, lots of swans, cormorants a big fish - that I swear was golden - coypu and water rats. No ducks! Maybe all been eaten in this foie-mad region?
The water is so shallow; which will be interesting next year when we plan to ship wine from the Chai by river in a Gabare down to the sea and a sailing ship for England.
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