There are so many campers that at 06:55 we get asked to move up to check in straight away.
It’s grey and wet as we follow the new layout of marshalling lanes, through customs and up to the gates. A huge number of caravans and motorhomes line up on one side and loads of cars the other.
The frustration and impatience is tangiable as time passes and finally at 10:10 Armorique appears from the gloom. No way will we sail at 10:30, but boarding starts as soon as the last car comes out of the bow and we sail at 11:15
Whatever engine problems she had are fixed because we are soon pounding along at full speed. When we go out on deck we see how full the ship is as cars are being carried out on the open stern area.
As the crossing progresses kids that were tired this morning come alive. How do three year olds make so much noise? Most of the kids are just excited and well behaved, but one group of boys spend the entire voyage running ferral with no apparent supervision or control. Hopefully their parents will have a long drive trying to keep them entertained later.
France looms into view, we dock in Roscoff at 16:15 British Time, 17:15 Continental, and disembark past the full lanes of those waiting to board their late crossing to UK
Our plan was to drive down to the aire in Roscoff, unlikely to be too busy on a Sunday evening, we thought. Whether there was a festival of some kind we don’t know, but motorhomes were parked on the roadside, in the cemetary layby and the normally empty service point. So no surprise that the air was jam packed as were the next two lay-bys.
We continue to another favourite spot, Penze and park easily.
It must be neap tides, the river continues filling, higher than we’ve seen before. People sitting on the benches have to move as the water rises onto the bank. Part of the footpath is submerged and eventually the arch of the bridge is hidden under water. Allong the bank the water boils with bubbles of escaping air. Water even comes up the drain in the car park.
Penze is always peaceful, and after the frustrations of the last couple days it is bliss and we are in bed very early.