veryoldbear

The official figures get posted here ... https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/ They usually come up about 1800, but the MSM seem to get hold of preliminary figures round about 1430 which are usually wrong.

More fun and games https://www.lamanchelibre.fr/actualite-897718-cherbourg-en-cotentin-un-ferry-a-destination-de-saint-malo-deroute-dans-le-port-normand

I fear that BF are burning the midnight oil over the Spanish routes at the moment and dear old Barfleur will stay snugly at her home from home just above the Caen bridge for a while yet.

Just out of interest we were originally booked Ouistreham - Portsmouth 7th July and had filled in ther UK tracking form, but after some thought we rebooked to come back 10th to avoid the quarantine requirement (as usual all praise to Jane on the other end of the Twitter). There is no way to amend or cancel the tracking form once done, so we duly did another on for the 10th which we showed to the Border Bloke on arrival. Yesterday we had a follw-up check call and I explained we hadn't actually come back to UK until late pm 10th July and they seemed quite happy with that. I don't think any of the borders have ever been completely closed and even when BF were closed for passengers there always other ways and means of getting to and from for essential workers. The list of exemptions was lengthy.

Sister and Brother-in-law have just landed in Roscoff and Son is off to Caen on Tuesday. I await reports in due course. IMHO the whole COVID thing is now tailing slowly off: it won't disappear but will become just another low-level seasonal bug. Much has been made of the concept of a second spike once temperatures drop, but if COVID only flourishes in cold temperatures why is it doing so well in places like California and Florida? Answers on a postcard please.

We travelled back to UK on July 10th and and we believe there was no obligation to quarantine in the UK. However we did do the UK tracking form and presented them to UK Border Force. Oddly enough on the ferry the landing announcement did suggest that quarantine was still in force but that may now be corrected.

We were down in Granville 03 July for the Dior Museum and a bit of beach time at Donville and it was pretty quiet. It may have hotted up a bit now that the Parisians have arrived.

We went Portsmouth - Caen 01 July and returned 10 July. No temperature readings either way.

On the bright side, last week on the beach at Blainville-sur-Mer (Manche), the density of sunbathers (and occasional swimmers) maxed out at about a dozen people on two miles of beach.

I didn't notice anything on Deck 6

Back last night 10 July on the MSM Ouistreham to Portsmouth. The inbound sailing from Portsmouth was obvioulsy quite full judging from the offloading. We ate in Ouistreham on the beach before joining the mighty queue. Finally got on board around 1630 then off the berth around 1650. Deck 5 pretty full but we managed to get a lift up to Deck 9. No Commodore on this leg, just an ordinary 2/4 outside, but just along from the bar. Did a bit of exploration and stood at the stern (now largely obstructed by the gigantic scrubber housing) to watch France disappear. Although the self-service is operational we took a picnic onboard (including Macarons to make up the loss of the Commodore). 30 minutes late into Portsmouth and a very slow progress up the lanes and out through Passport Control 2230. Motorway West closed so tedious run through Bishop's Watsit behind a very slow van, and home in Occupied North Berkshire by midnight

It can only be filled in online, there is no "form" that can be downloaded. It works on questions and answers and then creates a filled in pdf which runs to three pages. Although they claim that it can be shown on a phone, it would be unreadable.

I think that was already going on at Portsmouth last week boarding the MSM. We were dished out with coloured stickers to go on our mirror hangers and they were marshalling over a wide spread of lanes.

I ought to be on a diet. This lockdown lark has had an adverse effect. If I see somebody eating a lettuce leaf I shall come and say "Hi!"

La Neptune in the square at Agon-Coutainville, plus severaral of the cafes. L'Ecume running but was fully booked last night. For the beach hut moules/frites experience La Cale at Blainville just North of Coutainville.