20th September

Another warm, cloudless day - so we had a lovely gentle sail down to Bougenay, about 6 miles further down the coast. Although this is a totally artificial marina and resort, we found it to be a lovely quiet spot. I took Dom and we walked along the coast path, through pine woods to a beautiful beach. Another warm evening with a long lazy supper in the cockpit - now this is what Sunday evenings should be!
After a totally cloudless sunset, it was a totally cloudless morning. WE had an interesting chat wit a couple on the boat next door who have already sold up and moved to France with their boat - they gave us lots of information about this area. Then it was back to the beach - w explored the far end where a river cuts through from behind the dunes.
We attempted to laze in the sun but the wind freshened …not good for us but it brought out the kiters!!! These were serious kiters!!! Three of them seemed to put bon a show for us as they tacked, jumped, turned and flew high above the waves - they were so skilful. It must be totally exhilarating, but not my next sport. Instead it was back to the boat for a game of scrabble!!!
Funny, we never miss tv on the boat. The whole day slides forward, we often don’t eat before 8 or 8.30. We read, write, do crosswords, blog and occasionally watch a d.v.d. but that need to watch something mind numbing just isn’t there!
Today we left Bourgenay and sailed to St Martin on the Ille de Re - this is where Vauban built his first fortress and the marina is inside it!!! Very attractive but the rest of the world thinks so too - we just cannot imagine how busy it must get in summer because this is out of season and it’s packed!!!

18th September

We didn’t rush! Enjoyed showers, which were free for a change [often they are as much as 2 euros each I.e. £1.50!] Paul got the bikes out and revved up ready for action! First stop was the supermarket…but here lunch is a 3 hour event so they were closed until 3.30!!!
We set off to explore the island…and this turned out to be absolutely wonderful!! We left a very windy marina and crossed the island on a `Chemin Cyclable’ which took us through woods which were littered with beautiful white houses with red pan tiled roofs and brightly painted shutters. On the other side of the island, we found tiny beaches between the rocks which were totally sheltered - wow! We chatted to a lady who advised us to look at La Meulle - this is a tiny harbour with a light house on one side and a tiny white chapel on the other…a possible for Havorn another time!?
The wind had dropped a bit the next morning and was forecast to drop even further, so we set off at about lunchtime. It was very lively sailing at first - 25/26knots of wind, but with 2 reefs a tiny bit of genoa and on a broad reach, we romped along, often topping 7knots on the log [8knots s.o.g.] The forecast was right and by the time we were a few miles off we were able to shake out all the sails - probably the best sail so far this trip!!!
We went into Les Sables d`Olonnes. This is home to the Vendee Global so it has a huge marina full of `speed machines’ - interesting but not really our scene.

15th September

The anchorage at Ille Groix looked so snug on the chart; it was indeed quite sheltered, but this did not allow for the Atlantic swell which seems able to be reflected into everywhere!!!
After a rather disturbed night [ Paul did not come to bed at all!!] we continued southwards to Belle Ille. We opted for Sauzon which was definitely the right choice!! It was a pleasant change to pick up a mooring buoy, instead of a marina pontoon. Sauzon is beautiful! The moorings are in trots with boats moored fore and aft. From the mooring it was a few metres drift/row/swim ashore [Dom being the swimmer, attracting a little crowd of spectators!!] We enjoyed a rather strenuous walk along the cliff path, to the lighthouse; a laze in the sun; and a return walk by road [a much shorter route!!]. It was such a warm evening and we sat in the cockpit, eating supper…until very late!!
The next day was cloudless, windless….a perfect day for a dinghy trip!! We stuck our noses into various coves, then settled for a lovely beach. Spent the rest of the day on the beach - reading, sunning, swimming, snorkelling. Whist swimming, I watched a kingfisher busily flying in and out of a cave very close to me - perhaps still feeding?? I tend to forget that they like shorelines as well as rivers - it was so beautiful!
So after a lazy day it was time to stir ourselves. We wanted to make Ille d’Yeu our next stop, some 50 miles away. We made a fairly early start [8ish!!] and enjoyed a lovely comfortable trip - some motoring but mostly sailing. This time we saw only 4 or 5 porpoises, but they came very close and actually swam alongside the boat for a while! We went into the marina at Joinville.

8th September

8th September
Left our anchorage off Cap de La Chevre heading for Audierne. This route took us through the infamous Raz de Sein - timing here is crucial!! There is a half hour window of slack water at the top and/or bottom of each tide. This is the only time toi go through the Raz as tides run at 6knots round this corner and rough seas build very quickly. We approached for the slack water window at low tide. The seas in the approach were a long rolling swell; winds were light; warm; patchy cloud. The headland is so impressive with rocky cliffs and jagged ridges. Isles de Sein lies offshore and could be seen clearly. WE knew that we had our timing right because about 6 other yachts wee passing throughat the same time!! We motor sailed past La Vielle and La Platte without any difficulty. The tide began to set against us and waves started to build around the rocks…but we were well clear by then!
Once we were round the Raz we weree able to bear off the wind - the rest of the afternoon was a beautiful sail in lovely warm sunshine. The rugged coastline soon changed to rolling dunes and heatrh dotted with pretty white houses. Paul tried the mackerel lines - but no luck.
By 5p.m. we turned into Audierne and moored in the marina.
By the way…
The pilot book suggested an anchorage where you could wait before going through the Raz - it
was called the Anse de Trespasses - we then found out that this does not mean Trespassers but Departed - the bodies from the wrecks in the Raz were washed up there…pass!!!

3rd September

3rd September
And now we are officially NOT at work!!! Term started on 1st September without us…can you believe it!! So we just had to have a Moet breakfast followed by a beautiful walk along the cliff tops and a lazy afternoon on the beach…such is life!!!
We have now passed Brest. This is quite significant in a number of ways…
It gets warmer!!! Paul kept telling us that it would be 5 degrees warmer south of Brest and it really does!! When it’s sunny it’s really warm, right into the evening, but even grey days are warm - certainly too warm for anything more than shorts and t-shirt! We are not complaining!!!
We have come through the Chanel du Four! This is a serious bit of navigation with very strong tides, big seas [even on calm days] and lots and lots of rocks! Hopefully msn pictures will show some of the rocks we have negotiated - freaky!! In fact we came through the Chanel du Four in perfect weather. It got a bit hazy but we could see Ushant through the mist and had no problems, thank goodness.

We are now heading south rather than west - good for moral!!
We are really in Biscay! It’s got it’s own kind of aura - I think that I have read too many yachting-horror stories.
Since leaving Treburden we have been into the Morlaix river, L’Aberwrach, Cameret and Morgat. The next significant passage is through the Raz de Sein.
We found a lovely anchorage in Morlaix. We were able to go exploring in the dinghy - visiting rocky islands, one of which had a castle and another a really old light house.
From there we went to the marina at L’Aberwrach - a peaceful spot where we could sit on the boat and watch Egrets and Guillemots. On the way along the coast we spotted some birds which at first glance were like House martins, only much too big and in the wrong place!! They turned out to be Storm Petrels - don’t think we’ve seen them before! Our friends from Surfleet, Andy and Mandy, have a house in Brittany and invited us to see them. Andy had a bit of an epic journey to come and collect us [thanks Andy] and then when we got to their house Mandy had a wonderful table all set up in the garden under the gazebo with a full roast Sunday dinner!!! [thanks Mandy!] we felt like royalty!! Then we stayed the night,, sleeping in a bed that didn’t roll! The next morning started with a full English breakfast, again in the garden - it was so good! They then came back to the boat with us and we anchored off a little island where we had a barbacue on the beach. It really was a wonderful couple of days!!
Cameret is a lovely little place. The cliffs and little bays make it seem quite like Cornwall. While walking along the spectacular cliff tops we saw a big butterfly - Paul skipped after it with his camera, not a net, and got a fantastic picture - it was swallow tail!! Another first.
And to continue the French supermarket thing….in Cameret there is a supermarket called Huit a 8 [8 til 8]…it opens at 8.30 closes at 7.30 and is closed for lunch from 12.30 to 2.30!! Something not right, methinks….