More Laundry

We can think of many reasons to like Cognac; not the drink, the city.  For one thing it straddles the Charente river so you can visit Cognac by boat.  It is possible to follow the lovely Charente all the way from the sea to Cognac and beyond.  We dubbed our cruise up the slow moving river the Charente chateau show because its banks are lined with one elegantly large house after another. 

When visiting Cognac, its most famous drink can't be overlooked.  A pervasive scent of liquor hangs in the air and many of the buildings are covered with a black fungus caused by the spirit's evaporation during its aging process.  The locals call the fungus "the angel's share."  Distillers are glad to give you tours showing how their product is made--although, when we were there in 2002, the larger distilleries were quite happily charging five euros to show you around.

Charming Cognac is the birthplace of Francis I, one of the more reasonable French kings.  After wandering through a couple of distilleries, you can tour the grand house where Francis was born a Count....instead of a baby like the rest of us.  Mostly though, we like Cognac because of its people.

It was laundry day for us when we arrived in Cognac.  After securing our boat, we asked the marina staff for directions to the closest laundromat.  Naturally, our journey began by walking uphill away from the river.  Our wheeled grocery cart stuffed full of dirty laundry made the climb a little easier than carrying a duffel but the walk proved to be longer than we'd expected.  After trudging over a mile, despite our shyness about using our poor French, we asked a lady walking toward us if we were headed in the right direction.  "Ah, oui," she replied pointing the way.  We thought she told us to go another few blocks and turn right.  Of course, we were wrong.  Frustrated at being lost and tired after walking miles from the river, we were about to give up.  Just then our lady-of-the-good-deed came whipping around the corner in her car and ordered us to get in.  The laundromat was a few more blocks.  We hadn't understood her directions.  She knew that, so she went home, got her car, tracked us down and delivered us from failure.  


We never learned her name or where she lived but we always will remember her kindness.  See what we mean about the citizens of Cognac?

The Traveling Laundry Bag

No matter where we are in this world, our clothes get dirty.  Sometimes getting the laundry done not only becomes urgent but just a little difficult.   We've been lucky, though, to find washing machines everywhere.  Apparently everyone has the same problem that we do.

 
This little lavamatica is on a hill overlooking the anchorage at Turtle Bay, Baja, Mexico.  It's relatively simple to get there.  First, of course, you have to sail to Turtle Bay.  Then you collect all your dirty clothes in a waterproof duffel, remembering to put detergent in the bag in case there isn't any in town.  While you're doing that your partner is pumping up your inflatable dinghy.  When that's done, it takes both of you to safely lower the outboard motor and attach it to the dinghy's transom.  Now you're ready to go find a laundry.  You drop the duffel into the dinghy, climb over the rails, seat yourself, pull the starter rope on the dinghy motor a few times until it coughingly starts, putt-putt to the beach, step out into the water before the bottom scrapes, lug the dinghy high up on land to keep it safe, throw the heavy duffel over your shoulder and climb the hill.  When the clothes are clean you repack the duffel, walk back down the hill, put your clean, dry clothes under a seat in the dinghy where they will be less likely to get splashed on the ride back.  You push the dinghy out through the gentle waves and climb in, hoping your wet feet won't drip salt water into the laundry bag.  Once back at your anchored boat, you very carefully lift the bulky duffel into the cockpit, although, if you are smart you tie a line around the bag before you lift it over your head.  Que milagro....the clothes are clean again.

My best trip to the laundry was in Ft. Meyers, Florida.  We didn't have a wide inflatable dinghy then, just a little fiberglass boat with a well-rounded bottom.  Dwight decided to stay onboard to do some routine engine maintenance, so it was me and the laundry heading off in our tippy little dinghy which was very soon surrounded by a few playful dolphins.

As I cautiously motored down a little canal, one dolphin after another would push against the boat making it rock precariously from side to side.  The laundry duffel rolled from port to starboard and back again, each time getting awfully close to going in the water.  I was busy steering and holding on myself but I finally got the bag tucked securely between my ankles.  I could picture our dirty laundry floating all over Ft. Meyers.  My dolphin buddies were having too much fun. 

My friends didn't wait for me to get the clothes done, though.  They were long gone by the time I loaded our clean, dry clothes into the dinghy.  I was kind of lonely on the way back to the boat.