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A straightforward, day to day account of what we have done during the current year's cruise. What we found may help others. I hope that anyone interested in the area will cherry pick rather than trying to read from start to finish.
Our boat is a Hallberg Rassy 34, Anhinga. Home port is Darthaven, Kingswear opposite Dartmouth
Mainly due to age, Jennifer and I cannot now sail unaided. This year, plan was for our daughter, Jayne, to sail with us to St Peter Port. Our son, John will join us there and sail with us to and around Brittany. John’s wife, Penni, and small dog, Timmy will join us somewhere or other. They will take a break from the oldies tor a fortnight sailing in the Ionian.
Ports visited
St Peter Port
Lézardrieux
Roscoff
L’Aber Wrac’h
Camaret
Audierne
Loctudy
Locmiquélic
Le Palais
La Turballe
Piriac sur mer
Port Haliguen
Back to Locmiquelic
Loctudy again
Audierne – long stay
L’Aber Wrac’h gain
Back to Roscoff
Lézardrieux again
St Peter Port
Darthavem
To St Peter Port, 28 June. 72 miles.
This could have been a disaster. Clearing the River Dart, we found that the autohelm was not working. OK, Jayne said that she would steer manually with a little assistance from Jennifer and none from me – my AMD is too bad. Then, the navigation software was not working on my iPad although I could use the cell phone with its independent satellite connection, i.e. not via AIS. Then the log was not working. The log was gunged up; I cleared that. I sorted the iPad iSailor settings. The auto help problem remained. Otherwise, it was a good sail with a F4/5 initially gradually becoming mainly F4. North of Guernsey the wind dropped and we had to motor-sail to reach Platter Fougere. We arrive with the last of the daylight.
At St Peter Port
After moving into the marina, the marina made contact with a Raymarine engineer who agreed to come and check the autohelm. Sea Tech, Ian Hoskins did a good job. Total cost, £1300. We had an excellent meal at the Slaughterhouse. Jayne did a little shopping before returning home on the Sunday. We now await the arrival of John to get us down to France.
We had hoped to go to Lézardrieux on Monday, 8th but winds were a little too strong and it would have been a very wet sail. the next window looks like being Thursday, 11th. The weather really is terrible for July. We cannot remember having to wait in such bad weather. Of course, it seems longer for Jennifer and me because we have been here since the 28th. Nevertheless, such a long spell of bad weather is virtually unknown at the time of year.
To Lézaedeieux, 11 July. 45 miles.
The forecast was light, mainly N’lu. We had about 90 minutes good sailing. Arrived Lézardrieux early enough for a boat man to show us to a berth, it was our first use of the Formulaire allowing us to enter without the formality of a customs visit. We submitted our online form the previous day. On arrival we were given a stamped, dated form saying that we were in France legally, A big improvement.
At Lézardrieux
Friday is market day here! As usually is the case, the quality of the food was great. The boulamgerie here is one of the best. I need say no more.
To Roscoff. 14 Julu, 48 miles.
Another light wind motor-sailing day. What may well be our last French cruise is not going well. Roscoff is a convenient stopover along this coast but is far removed from shops and restaurants. For the past 112 years there have been two good restaurants, one was a depot de pain. Both are now closed. Any food, including bread is a mile or mor walk or bus ride. As it was pouring with rain, it was a far from perfect day! The main consolation, to counter the negatives is having John on board. His different views on siling and passage planning are a challenge.
At Roscoff
The next day started wet. The Météo France forecast for Roscoff was rain until 1800. Luckily, they cannot have used their normally good AROME forecast. The rain ceased at noon. We took the free service into Roscoff for a good crepe lunch and a little basic shopping. A plus is that Ross, Wei Wei, Ishbel and Verity are coming tomorrow morning. Ross’s boat Gemini II is still being repaired after the first named storm this year. Like the 1987 storm it hit Brittany far more the UK.
TO L’Aber Wrac’h 17 July, 36 miles.
Another sail with too little wind. There was a sea breeze but not enough. We rafted up by a Jersey yacht with whom we had a long chat so did not eat until 10pm. Tide time and forecast not easy, We like L’Aber Wrac’h but did not want to stay for 5 nights. The decision is to leave around 1300 hours tomorrow for Camaret.
To Camaret. 17th July, 35 miles.
Force majeure, ie unfavourable wind for the next few days if we did not carry on straight away. Apart from a sailing wind across the Rade de Brest, it was motoring on a nice sunny day. Camaret was unusually quiet for the time of the year. Never our favourite port due to the showers/toilets being in a cellar built by Vauban in the 17th century, we like the town. Good walks, good shopping and a good Super U. There are many restaurants but, this time, we pushed the boat out at Thalassa. Expensive but good.
To Audierne. 21st July, 28 miles.
At last, a good sail. Winds 4 or 5 on a reach gave us a fast sail to the Raz de Sein got us there just about high water. Bearing off for the leg to Audierne it was still strong enough to be arriving with not too strong a flow. We had telephoned in, as is now advised, and got a berth on a finger not the usual hammerhead. The young lady duty harbourmaster was very helpful.
At Audierne
Woke up to a thick mist. Monday is never a good shopping day in France but the covered market had all we needed. We walled a little way downstream to show John the sand banks that appear at low water.
To Loctudy. 24th July, 30 miles.
Yet another day of little wind. The following day would have been better but I wanted to arrive so that we could shop and make necessary arrangements for Panni and Timmy to arrive on Friday. The marina gave us clear instructions to a berth.
To Locmiquélic. 27th July, 36 miles.
Nearly a good sail. The wind came up around midday as forecast to give a broad reach. However, it died after a while and, inevitably we had to motor again.
The marina answered promptly and gave us a berth, including which side to. Good to be back in this quiet, no frills marina with its excellent showers.
At Locmiquélic
I did my usual boulangeries run, then we all went shopping. As ever the boucherie/traiteur was a little limited but he Cocci-Marché is of a good standard.
To Le Palaos, 30th July, 25 miles
As forecast, no wind at first but increasing to give a good sailing wind, 5 knits through the water. Nit forecast was the decrease in wind giving a largely motor sail. We arrived in good time to be early into the bassin a flot.
At Le Palais
John and Penni were able to marvel at the Vauban citadel looking as good as when it was built, around 1670. We had a nice meal at Hôtel Restaurant Corto Maltese and coped with the heat.
To La Turballe. 1st August, 26 miles
At last! A good sail in a top end Force 4 but right downwind. We rolled a good deal approaching the coast. The marina has recently been extended and there seemed to be plenty of space although there were fewer arrivals than they expected.
David Wright, a CA member who we had met at Le Palais was already there and kindly invited us for drinks.
At La Turballe
It is a very touristy holiday type town, a larger but less attractive Piriac sur mer.
To Piriac sur Mar 3rd August. 8 miles.
A short but good sail in a F4, touching 5. We arrived at about half tide and had well over 2 metres over the sill. The boat girl gave us a place near the shore but, later, asked us to move two spaces even closer in. As always, friendly and helpful.
At Piriac
Provisioning is easy and close with an excellent boucherie and fruit/vegetable shop. The nearby Crrefours is good for heavy items.
To Port Haliguen, 5th August, 25 miles.
Not a promising start with light winds forecast. However, it increased slowly to give some nice sailing on a broad reach. It died away in the Baie de Quiberon. Fitting, as this is where the French Fleet went aground in light airs only to be shot by the British, smaller lighter vessels.
At Port Haliguen
Although not our favourite port, it has its good points. There are more showers and toilets than anywhere else we know. There is an excellent Creperie du Vieux Port with its delightful sheltered garden.
Ross, Wei Wei and family visited us for a good salads meal at the marina.
Back to Locmiquélic, 8th August, 30 miles.
Slow going after the Teignouse LH and some odd light wind/wave structure south of Port Maria but then a good broad reach to the Lorien river and up to Locmiquélic. As usual, a boatman helped us sagely in.
At Locmiquélic
Shopping in the smaller than usual market, some overdue cleaning of the fridge and just lazing around.
To Loctudy. 10th August, 36 miles.
As forecast for the last few days, this was mainly motoring until near to the Iles Glénans when the sea breeze effect gave a pleasant hour’s sail. The boatman showed us to a place,
At Loctudy
Before leaving for Audierne the next morning, , we walked into the village for some shopping at the new store, a coffee and to buy some excellent crevettes.
To Audierne. 11th August, 30 miles.
A Curate’s egg sail, good in parts. For several days the forecast for the 11th had been for strong easterlies, possible up to F6. Latterly strengths had decreased a little but all gad wind decreasing gradually. The high tide for Audierne was 2130. I usually want to be going up this twisting river at HW +/- 2, so we planned to leave Loctudy at about 1400 expecting a fast passage. Initially, it looked good, but rounding the mass of cardinal buoys the wind dropped way. (Between Pointe de Penmar’c and Benodet there are more cardinals per sq metre than anywhere else.), However, approaching the Men Hir LH, off Penmar’c, winds increased again and we were doing a good 7 kts. Not for long. Winds dropped again so we had to motor as we had told Audierne that we would arrive shortly after 1900. Again the wind strengthened – for a while – long enough to get close enough to have to motor in and upriver. The duty harbourmaster met us and showed us to a berth, noy on the usual hammerhead.
At Audierne
John, Penni and Timmy are leaving us here for a fortnight sailing in Greece. We had warned the harbourmaster who, very helpfully gave us an easy-to-enter berth inside a hammerhead.
Basically, we just live and enjoy the French way of life. Good boulangeries, parisseries, boucherie/traiteur. We got talking to Alain and Christine, a delightful French couple who invited us home for aperitifs. It is their recently acquired second home, they live near Le Havre but Christine was born here.
A British boat created some excitement when they arrived at mid-tide with a coefficient of 110. They misjudged the strength and the crossflow so finished up resting on the bow of the yacht on the hammerhead and our stern. We just packed fenders in and waited until slack water. It could have been nasty.
Back to L’Aber Wrac’h. 2nd September. 55 miles.
John having returned from Greece, we have no reason to stay anu longer at Audierne, surely the best port to stay in for any period. A delightful village, friendly and welcoming.
It was nearly a perfect sail after motor sailing to the Raz de Sein in a WNW’erly. A slight decrease in wind in the Chenal du Four, apart, we were doing over 6 kts general. 55 miles door to door in 9 hours was good going.
Back to Roscoff.4th September, 36 miles.
A rumbustious sail in a N’ly 5/6. Door to door was 5 hours for 36 miles. Although only 1830, we had no reply from the Roscoff marina and the office was closed. The following day, we saw no sign of any boatmen. Most strange and unlike our experience here over many years,
Back to Lézardrieux. 6th September, 48 miles.
With strong winds expected for the next few days, it seemed sensible to get to Lézardrieux if at all possible. Easier shopping, nicer place, more options regarding wind directions. So, it was a 3 am start in a forecast light wind – motoring all the way. There was a bit more wind but never a sailing one. Arrived 1130, and met by boat man.
To St Peter Port again7th September, 46 miles
Another force majeure. We had hoped to stay at Lézardrieux for a few days to enjoy the peace, quiet, good boulamgerie and bouvherie. However, a prolonged period of bad weather is expected so it seemed more sensible to get to St Peter Port as a stsrting point for our return to Dartmouth. With little wind, mainly on the nose, it was 10 hours motoring. Bearing St Martin’s Point it began to rain. The heaviest was getting on to a berth. Torrential. It is now a matter of being patient pending a suitable slot for the cross-Channel passage.
Back home to Darthaven, 14th September, 70 miles.
We had been expecting a motor-sail all the way. That was so until near the northern limit of the Casquets TSS, after which we had a good 5 hours sailing. Although we were quite close to some ships, there was never and danger. In the inshore shipping lane a brief call to a fast moving ship reassured us that he woul avoid us.
It was an interesting experience and we are becoming accustomed to someone else sailing the boat with us doing little. The penalty and benefit of old age!