WORDS BY KEITH FISHER
They said, if you want some great sailing in beautiful surroundings with lots of warm sunshine, go to Southern Brittany. So, with great expectations, we decided that this year’s RSYC Summer Cruise would do just that.
Unfortunately, the heavens thought otherwise and the Azores High never got a look in during the period of the cruise!
Naturally, not everyone has the time to go that far, so it was gratifying that 11 boats signed up to have some involvement in the cruise. It was decided that we would set off on or around the late May Bank Holiday with the aim of getting to Guernsey in time for a rally dinner in the Guernsey Yacht Club on the Bank Holiday Monday, then move on to North Brittany and round through the Chanel de Four to Cameret in West Brittany by early June.
Thereafter boats would do their own thing, maintaining contact by texting messages, and meet up as and when for those proceeding south into North Biscay. Two of the boats were already in the south and would be moving back north in that period.
In reality things didn’t work out quite as planned. First Dawn Treader (FDT) and APOS were fortunate to be able to set off across the Channel in pleasant conditions on the Thursday preceding the Bank Holiday and, as things turned out, they were the only two boats to be in Guernsey for the rally dinner. Callisto of Wem, Coralie of Hythe and Charlie(the 3 C’s) were unable to get away until after the weekend and by then the weather had deteriorated. Arabesque decided to go to St Vaast first and could only make slow progress west from there against the strong winds and disturbed seas. Eventually she escaped from Cherbourg and in one hop ploughing through some steep seas, with a lunchtime refuelling stop in St Peter Port, made it to Paimpol. She then came on to Treguier where FDT and APOS were safely ensconced, having left Guernsey in the middle of the week in a NW3. By now the weather was deteriorating in N.Brittany as well but we were able to get about, if only to that wonderful treasure trove of a chandlery across the Canada Bridge, up to the town with its magnificent church and climb the hill to the Intermarche to restock.
Week 2 began with a sudden change in the weather and FDT, APOS and Arabesque set off for Trebuerden in bright sunshine and virtually no wind. Once there, however, it was on with the sweaters and out with the boules as the 3 boats set up a competition in the car park, subsequently won by Arabesque. Meanwhile Avalon, having first gone to Poole for another engagement, had made it to Perros Guirec in company with three other boats and the 3 C’s had crossed to Cherbourg in thick fog. Whilst FDT and APOS stayed another day to play yet more boules and to celebrate APOS crew’s birthday, Arabesque then decided to push on and in calm waters for a change, was able to use his superior horsepower to motor round the corner to Cameret.
The following day, with a N3/4 forecast, FDT, APOS and Avalon sailed on the 45 miles to L’Aberwrac’h, arriving there in an uncomfortable F5/6 to find the place a construction site, the piles sticking out of the water being the early stages in the construction of a marina. This was FDT crew’s birthday made memorable by losing the boathook overboard whilst trying to pick up a buoy in the rough conditions. APOS came to our rescue by allowing us to tie up alongside them overnight. It was a relief the following morning to find the wind still in the NE so we pushed on into the Chenal du Four hoping for better weather further south and the following day
In Cameret we found it! It was a lovely sunny day which we spent exploring the cliff tops and seeing lovely displays of wild flowers with various colourful butterflies taking advantage of the weather too. So overcome with the beauty of it all were they that APOS’ skipper managed to lose a day in his calendar! Avalon arrived the next day en route to Brest where they were to change their crew and Arabesque moved on to Benodet. The following day, which all agreed eventually was Friday, FDT and APOS ghosted through a very benign Raz and round to Audierne where we spent the weekend. A pleasant but sleepy place where the Capitanerie is only open on weekdays and the Tourist Office where you can purchase the jetons pour la douches closed at midday Saturday! The 3 C’s by now had made it to Guernsey where once more they became storm bound.
Week 3 brought another window in the weather to enable FDT and APOS to push on SE round Penmarc’h Point to Benodet. We knew that Trombone was in the area, having spent the previous night in Port Tudy on the Ile de Groix and, off Guilvinec, she passed us going like the clappers, presumably trying to get through the Raz northwards before the tide turned. The way the weather suddenly turned for the worse over the next week I think he may have had prior notice! As Benodet marina was pretty full FDT and APOS were relieved to be able to tie up alongside the long visitors’ pontoon across the other side of the River Odet at Ste. Marine and we stayed here for the next eight days until the storms abated.
By this time APOS skipper and crew had become quite adventurous cyclists on their fold-ups, exploring the local countryside with a particular focus on the local bar/tabacs. It was also during this time that the 3C’s, who had managed to get to Trebuerden, gave up the idea of sailing further west and moved inland to Morlaix where they were to spend the best part of two weeks. Heidi of Bembridge, we heard, had begun to move north from their winter quarters in Rochforte and Avalon sheltered from the storms in Audierne.
In spite of the prevailing wet and windy weather at the start of week 4 Avalon decided to move on to Concarneau whilst Heidi moved north from the Ile de Re to La Crouesty in the Quiberon Bay. A lessening in the winds led FDT and APOS to emerge from the Odet and make for Lorient and on the same day Avalon sailed to Port Tudy. The Kernervel marina in Lorient lies outside the city in the shadow of the dark sulking U Boat submarine pens still much in evidence over 50 years since the end of WW2. They looked even more menacing in the drab wet and windy weather we experienced while we were there but we were able to get out and about and see something of the lovely beaches nearby as well as visiting the city by bus, in the case of FDT, and bike, in the case of APOS.
A W4 at the beginning of week 5 enabled FDT and APOS to push on south to Haliguen in the Quiberon Bay and, in the early hours of the next day, we were joined by Aquaholic, who having left the UK considerably later than the rest of us, had sailed for 20 hours overnight from L’Aberwrac’h.
Bad weather had earlier thwarted their attempts to sail direct from Yarmouth direct to Cameret. Avalon moved to La Crouesty ready to enter the Morbihan and make for Vannes where the boat was to be laid up for two weeks.
The two motor boats Arabesque and Heidi had by this time met up at Auray in the Morbihan. For those in Haliguen it was out with the bikes and more exploring. As usual APOS pushed their bikes and themselves to the limit and almost got blown into the sea having decided to cycle along the narrow peninisula which links Quiberon with the mainland. However they did manage to restore their equilibrium at another bar/tabac, this time at the local flying club!
After three days in and around Quiberon FDT and APOS sailed across the bay to La Crouesty where, at the beginning of week 6, by dint of numerous text messages, we were able to engineer the coming together of five RSYC boats for pre-dinner drinks on board FDT. Heidi was there already and Arabesque and Aquaholic came down from Port Bono. Heidi was keen to move on northwards and left the next day and the other two moved on the following day. It was new territory for FDT and APOS so we stayed on to explore the area once again by bike and bus. The winds were forecast F5,6,7 for the next ten days and we decided not to go further by boat but to see as much of the Morbihan as possible by walking round some of the headlands and visiting Vannes by bus. La Crouesty, and subsequently Vannes, was full of boats from the South Coast because the three yacht clubs around Fareham had sent boats over to take part in a biannual twinning celebration with Vannes. They looked very colourful dressed overall as they set off through the Morbihan to Vannes in line astern.
Week 7 and the start of the long haul back home. The 3 C’s had already turned back along the N.Brittany Coast, in great disappointment at not having got “round the corner”. Heidi, Aquaholic and Arabesque had deadlines to meet in the UK so were en route via the Raz and the Chenal du Four. FDT and APOS, with more time to spare, moved north to Lorient for a brief overnight stop en route to Concarneau. Both enjoyed walking round Le Ville Close, in Concarneau with its ancient buildings enclosed by the ramparts and providing a variety of interest including a museum of fishing, lots of touristy shops and eating places, musical entertainment and views of the town and the harbour from the ramparts. But it was soon time to move on and, on our eleven hour return journey to Cameret in a flat calm, we were accompanied by two schools of dolphins. The wind and the rain were never far away and unfortunately put a bit of a damper on Cameret’s attempts to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks a day early, towns being required to stagger their celebrations.
This worked to our advantage because the next day, which was also the start of Week 8, we motor sailed to L’Aberwrac’h in time to join in their celebrations, although their fireworks too had to be set off in the pouring rain. However, the town had a double celebration as, on a sunny afternoon we were there to witness the opening of their new, albeit still incomplete, marina developed at a cost of 6 million euros.
From here we moved back along the N.Brittany coast stopping at Trebuerden and Treguier as and when a window appeared. At the latter we were delighted to be invited to a drinks party organised by the local Club Nautique, celebrated in the rain under a tarpaulin stretched between two trees, and to meet Monique, the Town Clerk who, it transpired, is no stranger to Southampton!
Throughout the previous two weeks, meanwhile, Callisto of Wem had met up with Sujani in Lezardrieux and subsequently with Ossian and Purrforus in Paimpol, three late starters, while Coralie of Hythe and Charlie had decided to return home.
And so, at the beginning of week 9, FDT and APOS found themselves motor sailing in a brief window back to a cold and damp Guernsey. It was here that the Siamese twins became separated because, having set off for Cherbourg together, the former developed problems with water circulation in the engine and had to turn back.
The weather then stepped in again and meant that FDT followed APOS back from Cherbourg to the Solent two days later. FDT stopped off in Lymington overnight and, whilst motoring in a flat calm up the Solent the next day, we were delighted to be accompanied by a dolphin!
Somehow this seemed to signify that our ten week cruise, although badly disrupted by the weather and bringing disappointment and frustration to some of those taking part, had been achieved safely. What is more, for FDT our safety had been secured by the presence throughout (almost) of our Guardian Angel. Well, it was actually the Club’s Guardian and his Angel! Many thanks for your support and company David and Audrey Octon
.
Keith Fisher
First DawnTreader
For details of all cruising events please contact Maggie Puleston at Ocean Village.
Tel: 023 8021 0877 or email maggie@rsyc.org.uk