The fleet say au reviour to Paris and make for the Ile de France Yacht Club at Les Mureux
Go with the flow
By 0745 everyone was readying for the off. The MBM team was ready at the lock and the first boats were hovering waiting to lock out of the Arsenal Marina – it was time to leave Paris and start heading downstream.
As the lock is so small and wasn’t due to operate until 0800, timing was crucial. With 51 miles to travel it would be a long day at slow speeds – any delay to boats could result in having to pay a fee to use the locks at the other end after normal working hours. After some careful planning and calculating by cruise leader Neale, all boats were allocated a lock according to their size. It was time for a military exit MBM Cruising Club style and it worked perfectly.
Out on the river temperatures soared into the mid thirties. Suncream, shades and plenty of cool water was the order of the day. The spread fleet traversed four locks in total and was assembled at the Ile de France Yacht Club by 1900.
Tomorrow the fleet will split again between Vernon Yacht Club and Port Venables. This time the roles will be reversed – the 12-boat group with Blue Fin will visit Venables and vice versa for Time Flies.
Photos
Neale aboard Blue Fin passing the Eiffel Tower
Going down – the fleet in the lock
Broom for two – The two fleet Broom 41’s Sea Star and Olympia approaching Les Mureux
