When we woke in the morning we found Lianda had already moved on, and that we were now moored in the middle of a fishing match. Several rods were either side of us and coffee cups laid out on the bench outside our window. An animated discussion ensued over what should happen to the competitor who had drawn the spot where we lay. It all appeared to end amicably and water was magically heated for the morning coffee in the back of one of the cars. We didn't see any fish being caught, but pastis, bread and pate appeared by turns as the fishermen enjoyed a leisurely day by the river.
Our yachting friends from Honfleur in Umande II appeared during the morning, having made an early start from Elbeuf. They had to make their final crew change, as they waved goodbye to mother and daughter, ready to embark on their voyage proper. We gave them a headstart for the days passage to Les Andelys, overtaking them again halfway there.
Apparently the only suitable stopping place at Les Andelys is the green pontoon immediately downstream of the tiny harbour, which now has only 0.8m depth. Mooring to the pontoon seems relatively secure and there is a free water tap if your hose is long enough. We just had time for a cup of tea before Umande arrived to join us. They did have a look in the harbour, going aground in the shallow entrance before accepting our invitation to tie alongside. A third English boat, Tipanie, did the same thing shortly afterwards, before joining our happy gathering for the night. Being an all-electric boat they didn't fare so well with the lack of facilities and we couldn't help but appreciate the suitability of Lady Martina for this type of cruising.
As we were not in a hurry to move on, we paid a visit the next morning to the Normandie-Nieman museum, dedicated to the 96 French pilots who fought with the Russians on the eastern front between 1942-45. The Yak fighter plane which was their principal weapon is joined outside by a modern day jet fighter, used to this day by the same squadron.
A good selection of shops and restaurants are close at hand to the moorings in Petit Andelys by the Seine, whilst a mile away is Grand Andelys where the real people live. The main attraction in these parts though is Chateau Gaillard which overlooks the river from its clifftop position, and we made the steep walk up to the observation plateau. On a clear day you can see for miles, but unfortunately, it wasn't...
