France, Spain & Portugal

[Roger S]

Hello,

We successfully went through the tunnel to Calais this morning with our dog. Despite my apprehension with the paperwork for us and the dog it all went very smoothly. We got the AHC certificate from Abbeywell Vets at Folkestone and going through the Pet check area at the tunnel was a pleasent experience, very helpfull & friendly. We had our Fit To Fly tests done by Eurofins at Ashford round the back of Asda's. It was a small hut no bigger than a garden shed and really poorly signed but it was all quite casual and we showed negative so happy days. Mad me laugh when we got the email showing the results it read carried out in their Laboratory !!! no it was a shed.

Being a sunday the traffic was light so we have got down & stopped the night at an aire in Sur let Loir, nothing outstanding but it will do. On the way down we saw a herd of very majestic herd of dear with antlers an all, then opposite the aire was a field and there where about 10 small bever looking animals, ive heard them mentioned on here before but cant remember wht they are called.

Heading south again tomorrow, hopefully get to San Sebastion lunchtime tuesday.

Roger

 

[Poursay]

Could be coypu, look a bit like beaver.

 

[Peter and Julie]

All about the Coypu or Ragondin in France

The Coypu is a large rodent and is the only member of the family Myocastoridae.It is not a native species in France and was introduced from South America in the 19th century for its fur, (as were American Mink and Musk rats from North America). Following escapes and deliberate releases in the...

www.planetepassion.eu

small bever looking animals, ive heard them mentioned on here before but cant remember wht they are called.

 

[Mikeco]

Could be coypu, look a bit like beaver.

Taste the same as well.

 

[Roger S]

Yep thats them, taste good with soy sauce !

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[EuroTrotters]

Thanks for an informative post. It will ease a lot of peoples minds.

 

[bobandjanie]

 

[Roger S]

Yeah that's him, the first one

 

[ChrisL]

They had those on the Norfolk Broads years ago, illegally set free but they culled the lot, i believe they put a bounty on them so hunters got a small amount of money for each one handed in.

 

[Orion]

They had those on the Norfolk Broads years ago, illegally set free but they culled the lot, i believe they put a bounty on them so hunters got a small amount of money for each one handed in.

The U.K. population was estimated at 200,000 when the culling commenced in the early 1960s and the overall cost of the eradication programme was estimated at some £2.5m. Most were trapped and dispatched rather than free hunted.

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[L' Hobo]

They had those on the Norfolk Broads years ago, illegally set free but they culled the lot, i believe they put a bounty on them so hunters got a small amount of money for each one handed in.

The ones we had in the Cambridgeshire Fens had tails and producing these tail was how my Father got paid for them.
Thank goodness we didn't have to lug the animal about, they were bloody big and heavy and made massive tunnels in the river banks, these holes & tunnels was the main reason for the cull. Most of the Fens are below river level, the was a real danger of flooding from the Great Ouse etc.!

 

[cyberyacht]

Anacondas eat them raw without any sauce.

 

[yodeli]

Yep Coypu! Lots of them in France everywhere next to rivers or lakes. You will know when they are a bit of a pain when you'll see around lakes or along rivers man's work to prevent the soil collapsing under your feet with long logs planted in the water

 

[L' Hobo]

Anacondas eat them raw without any sauce.

In todays ecological climate, that is, perhaps, what the Fen Farmers would have to do, import a few Anacondas?

 

[ChrisL]

In todays ecological climate, that is, perhaps, what the Fen Farmers would have to do, import a few Anacondas?

That'll be okay until the Anacondas start eating cats and dogs and their walkers

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[L' Hobo]

That'll be okay until the Anacondas start eating cats and dogs and their walkers

In my Navy Days up the River Plate, we were told they could eat full grown people and IF the one I saw was anything to go by, I believed them.
Between them and the Piranha's, plus little worms that swim up your willy, we didn't go swimming in the river much but the local kids did!

 

[Trevor Wbm]

They had those on the Norfolk Broads years ago, illegally set free but they culled the lot, i believe they put a bounty on them so hunters got a small amount of money for each one handed in.

'Ragondin' in French and officially a pest there too. A small number of them did huge amounts of damage to my mates fishing lakes, putting holes in the dam walls.

 

[ChrisL]

In my Navy Days up the River Plate, we were told they could eat full grown people and IF the one I saw was anything to go by, I believed them.
Between them and the Piranha's, plus little worms that swim up your willy, we didn't go swimming in the river much but the local kids did!

I guess the locals know where it is safe, but it would definitely be two condoms and a jubilee clip before i'd join them

 

[L' Hobo]

'Ragondin' in French and officially a pest there too. A small number of them did huge amounts of damage to my mates fishing lakes, putting holes in the dam walls.

In the period we are talking about, there were 'Mole Catchers' employed, in the Fens full time, by the River Authorities to kill Moles for the same reason. They got a basic wage but sold the skins as a bonus so 'No Moles' , little food on the table.

 

[L' Hobo]

I guess the locals know where it is safe, but it would definitely be two condoms and a jubilee clip before i'd join them

What happens when the, sometimes, cold water reduced the circumference? better stick a screwdriver in you trucks!

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[Jonny1953]

That'll be okay until the Anacondas start eating cats and dogs and their walkers

Reminds me of a nursery rhyme "there was an old woman......."

 

[Jonny1953]

What happens when the, sometimes, cold water reduced the circumference? better stick a screwdriver in you trucks!

Couldn't you just swim in the pool on the ship?

 

[Ingwe]

Couldn't you just swim in the pool on the ship?

 

[Paulypaul]

They had those on the Norfolk Broads years ago, illegally set free but they culled the lot, i believe they put a bounty on them so hunters got a small amount of money for each one handed in.

Should do that with stag and hen parties who hire boats on the broads

 

[L' Hobo]

Couldn't you just swim in the pool on the ship?

It was early 60's and a Merchant Navy cargo ship called the 'Darro'. Pool, we were lucky if the showers worked and that was in the Officers quarters

EDIT: Just Googled 'Darro' and feel I must inform everyone that my 'Darro' is NOT the one involved with the sinking of the Mendl?,

I initially thought it might have been but was relieved to read that this vessel was a SS (Steam Ship) while mine was a MV (Motor Vessel) but it COULD have been because my 'Darro' was the roughest ship I ever sailed on and I left after only one trip.

One incident,
we were leaving Montevideo on the evening of New Years day and, in the wee small hours of the next morning, who was left alone at the wheel was a Scotsman (who had been drinking well into New Years Day, as had many others, and this should have been anticipated).

The alarms went off in the engine room. Full Ahead to Full Astern as quickly as possible, followed soon after by other strange orders.

We found out later that we were on a collision course with another ship and it was only spotted when the Officer of the watch returned after a 'prolonged smoke break'. (kip!)

There were many other incidents on this 5month trip which I will probably bore you with later?

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[Jonny1953]

It was early 60's and a Merchant Navy cargo ship called the 'Darro'. Pool, we were lucky if the showers worked and that was in the Officers quarters

EDIT: Just Googled 'Darro' and feel I must inform everyone that my 'Darro' is NOT the one involved with the sinking of the Mendl?,

I initially thought it might have been but was relieved to read that this vessel was a SS (Steam Ship) while mine was a MV (Motor Vessel) but it COULD have been because my 'Darro' was the roughest ship I ever sailed on and I left after only one trip.

One incident,
we were leaving Montevideo on the evening of New Years day and, in the wee small hours of the next morning, who was left alone at the wheel was a Scotsman (who had been drinking well into New Years Day, as had many others, and this should have been anticipated).

The alarms went off in the engine room. Full Ahead to Full Astern as quickly as possible, followed soon after by other strange orders.

We found out later that we were on a collision course with another ship and it was only spotted when the Officer of the watch returned after a 'prolonged smoke break'. (kip!)

There were many other incidents on this 5month trip which I will probably bore you with later?

I was offered a job with Shaw Swivel in 1970 but went to Elder Dempster instead as Eng Cadet

Are you in this vid?

 

[L' Hobo]

I was offered a job with Shaw Swivel in 1970 but went to Elder Dempster instead as Eng Cadet

Are you in this vid?

No, that's 1973, I was on it over 10yrs earlier, 1962/63 I think, but it looks as if not much had changed, still on the South American meat runs.

Shaw Saville were mostly 'tramper' were they not? Can't remember Elder Dempster?

 

[jdk62]

Enjoy your trip.......

Seems the OP's thread has gone off on a bit of a tangent...

 

[L' Hobo]

Could be coypu, look a bit like beaver.

It's all your fault!

 

[mitzimad]

used to get a shilling for grey squireels tails till it got to expensive and they gave up

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