Gosport to Le Havre, France (6 June 2015)

In 2015 we are exploring new ground. After a number of years of heading west now we are intending to go east along the French and Belgian coasts and then inland into the Netherlands.

This year preparations for our summer cruise had taken much longer than usual. Not only had I decided (over the winter) that some new equipment was needed but also more routine maintenance than usual had been required. Whileaway is now 19 years young so I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised that upkeep is more demanding. But one consequence that we soon came to regret was that, for various reasons, shortage of time between completion of various jobs and setting off meant that we didn't have time for good shake down trips.

At 0600 (sunny but chilly) on Wednesday 20 May we said farewell to Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight and headed almost due South to St Vaast la Hougue on the north east coast of the Cotentin Penninsula. 

South of Isle of Wight and on our way.

The wind was forecast to be from the W but initially it was NNW (nor nor west) which made sailing difficult as the wind was almost directly behind us. So we used a little light engine in tandem with the sails until about 1300 when the engine went off as the wind strengthened to Force 5 and occasionally 6 but from the W. It was spring tides (higher and lower than the average tide) so we were swept first E and then back W as the tide direction changed. But by just before 2000 we were arriving near the entrance to Saint Vaast-la-Hougue an attractive small town on the east of the Cotentin peninsular (about 10m E of Cherbourg). We had covered approaching 90m in just under 14 hours. We anchored in the bay to wait for the tide to rise sufficiently for the harbour gates to open. We made good use of the time as we had a problem with furling the main sail it having managed to compact itself into a tight space at the head. Fortunately we could drop the sail and leave further investigation until the next morning.

By 2130, in the increasing dusk, we observed a couple of fishing boats steaming around the Grande Jetee so deduced that the lock gates were now open. (A weakness at St Vaast is that it is not possible to see the lock from the bay, nor are there lights on the jetty to indicate when the harbour is open).

Most of the next day was devoted to repairs! Firstly sorting out the main sail and then re-hoisting it. Next the delightful job of stripping down the pump for the heads (toilet) and removing obstructions from the impeller these being bits of plastic that had fallen into the tank when it was being modified during the winter for inland waterways use. Next repairing a leak on a hot water supply pipe. These tasks took most of the day but we did at least enjoy an excellent seafood dinner, St Vaast being renowned for local oysters and a big fishing fleet. On Friday we reacquainted ourselves with the town including the famous Messrs Gosselin provisions emporium, established over 125 years, still run by the family, and with a wide and excellent range of fresh and preserved food and drink.

Our next planned destination was Carentan about 20nm to the S. Carentan is a fascinating country town around which were fought many pivotal battles immediately following D Day on 6 June 1944. The town has had a port since before the 4th century but the access through a wide mouthed bay gradually silted. Around 1800 Bonaparte ordered the building of a canal to improve access and onward communications and although it and the town were heavily bombed around D Day it was repaired. The drawback is that it is a passage of about 8nm across a drying bay and into a river up to the lock and the canal. Both St Vaast and Carentan locks can be accessed from about 2 hours before to 2 hours after High Water. So in theory you might just be able to get from one to the other by leaving at HW-2. But that would mean that for the second two hours you would be going up a channel and then a river with an increasing current against you on the ebb and the risk of not getting to the lock in time and then being stranded!

Having thought about this I decided that we would leave St Vaast on Friday evening as soon as the lock opened at 2330 local time (LT). We then anchored (in the pitch black) in the bay outside and had a pleasant night at anchor. Just after 0900 LT the next morning we weighed anchor and then followed a gentle and enjoyable down wind sail to the estuary where we arrived at HW-2. We then carefully followed the winding channel (seeing a seal en route) and the river before entering the lock into the canal and on to the town.

Looking around the town in the afternoon it was easy to see how the locals still remember the events and significance of D Day with, in the run up to the anniversary many shop windows decorated by cartoons and with appropriate window displays.

Shop windows in Carentan decorated for D Day anniversary

Sunday was sunny and the bikes made their first appearance. We cycled about 20km each way to and from Utah Beach one of two landing areas allocated to the Americans on D Day. On the way we stumbled across a special event in a country park where families were picnicking and enjoying live music and other entertainments. As our journey took back roads we saw much of this low lying countryside plus various memorials to events related to D Day. The Utah Beach memorials were well presented and even the sole bar/restaurant had its claim as originally a German command base and then US Naval HQ masterminding landing of men and equipment for a couple of months after D Day.

On Monday morning our housing friends Ann and Steve, who have a home on the other side of the peninsula, came over for coffee on a pleasantly warm day.

The first lock opening was at 1400LT and we were accompanied by a boat that we had seen being maintained on the quay at Carentan, which is said to be the last working example of one of the landing craft used by US troops at Utah Beach. A very basic craft but beautifully restored.

Restored US landing craft in the lock 

We were heading for Grandcamp-Maisy only 12nm along the coast but with a much easier access then Carentan. We entered the harbour and tied up at a relatively empty visitors pontoon. A few other craft (on a rally) soon joined us. We noticed that substantial works to the harbour wall were in progress. What was then discovered was that there was no shore access from our pontoon! People tried ringing the Harbour Master (HM) but he was not available!

We were less concerned than others as we needed to leave at around 0530 LT the next morning so as to get out whilst there was sufficient water in the entrance.

This we did and, because we couldn't access our next destination until HW-2, we had a very leisurely motor down the coast in very light winds. En route we passed Omaha Beach and then Gold Beach. The latter is one of the British beaches and the one where the floating harbour was created (at Arronmanches). We had a close view of the remains of the 60 metre caissons that had been built in southern England and floated across after D Day. This enabled stores and men to be landed and "Port Winston" as it is called was, for a couple of months the busiest port in the world! Drifting close past it it still seems substantial. What the charts around this area of the coast also show are the numerous wrecks on the seabed, far too many to count.

We had plenty of time to get to our next port of call, Courseulles-sur-Mer and we arrived about 90 minutes before we could safely tackle the entrance so we dropped anchor and had lunch. As with nearly everywhere in the Baie de Seine, the port is cut off by sandy beaches and access through a lock and swing bridge is only available from about 2 hours before to 2 hours after HW. Once I judged that there was sufficient rise in the tide plus a small margin to enable us to cross the sand we weighed anchor and, with caution, began our approach. At the shallowest point we had a full 0.6m (about 2 feet) beneath the keel so no problem! Once into the channel between the quays leading to the harbour this increased to about 3.5m and we could see the traffic on the swing bridge being halted. At this stage Andrea called the lock keeper on the VHF to request a berth and we subsequently decided that he must have said to pick any berth on the hammerhead or end of a pontoon. Having passed through the lock depths reduced and just after passing the first vacant hammerhead heading for one a little further in we ran aground! Fortunately very gently into sand and silt. I applied revs astern and we slowly began to edge backwards and I got Whileaway alongside the first hammerhead. Incidentally the next morning we noticed that an engineer towing another boat to a different berth within the harbour also ran aground. Off to the Capitainerie to report in to discover that at this time of the year the office only opens 0900-1200! It was now about 1430.

Courseulles is a small unremarkable town except for one key event. It sits in the middle of Juno Beach which was mainly tackled by Canadian forces on D Day. So there are many memorials and a museum at the sea front. In addition a much improved promenade was created for the 70th anniversary. This has interesting historical and contemporary photographs about every 100 metres or so. It is clear that there is a strong affinity with the Canadians as photo's taken last year with headings such as "Les veterans - nos liberators" show. Indeed we read that one of the D Day troops settled in Courseulles in the 1960's and was subsequently made a Free Man of the Town. The events of that day and the ensuing couple of weeks are documented not only there but also in the adjoining villages along the coast which we cycled to.

Beautiful flower shop in Courseulles

We left on the afternoon tide the next day, as soon as we could get afloat from our berth! Our destination for the night, 12nm to the east was Ouistreham, where there is all weather and tide access but you do have to be locked into the canal. Opening times of the locks are published and we arrived shortly before the appointed time of 1830 and waited to enter the smaller boats lock. Just four of us in there and we were soon lifted and out the other side whereupon we immediately turned to port and tied up at the marina alongside a friendly and chatty Dutch couple.
Our plan was to go up the canal to Caen (about 9nm) so we were ready promptly the next morning, Thursday 28 May, as we needed to be at the first of three bridges at Bourneville by 1010. This is because, for leisure traffic, the bridges lift in sequence on three occasions each day, if not you have to pay! Of course the Bourneville bridge is more generally known now as Pegasus Bridge, a key target captured by men of the British 6th Airbourne Division who arrived in gliders on the night before D Day. The original bridge was replaced about 20 years ago by one in the same style. The old one is incorporated into the Pegasus Bridge Museum right next to the canal. As it happens the half a dozen yachts travelling up the canal were delayed slightly here as the bridge lift waited for a big grain freighter slowly following us up the canal to appear.

Through the new bridge at Bourneville

Caen marina is right in the centre of town so an excellent base from which to wander around an interesting City which is well worth visiting. Amongst the places we visited were the very old castle with its ramparts affording good views and a number of Churches including the one with the tomb of William the Conqueror and another with his wife. We also took the bus to the Memorial Museum on the edge of the city. This not only covers World War 2 but also the events from 1919 onwards leading up to it and then the cold war and other conflicts later. Well worth visiting.

Ancient gate to castle

We decided to leave Caen at the 1500LT Bridge opening on Saturday and to head down the canal and then, having waited about 90 minutes for the timed opening, to go through the lock at Ouistreham and then E to Dives. A pleasant evening with little wind so we motored arriving at Dives as required about an hour before high water. We are back to crossing the sand with sufficient height of tide and mooring in a harbour with a lock gate. Only two visitors boats were at Dives a modern marina with relatively new homes overlooking it. The Sunday was our wettest day of the trip but we got the bikes out and firstly cycled east to the genteel Victorian style resort of Cabourg. This is a planned town with a distinctive road patten. So much so that a plaque records that this town was used by the gliders heading towards Pegasus Bridge as a key mark from which to line up their landing. Then back to Dives itself and in the afternoon to Houlgate to the west. The town of Dives has its claim to fame as being the base from which William the Conqueror amassed his troops for the invasion of England. So the HM Office has a decorative tile frieze with a reproduction of parts of the Bayeux Tapestry and in the town centre you find Rue de Hastings! What you also find is a splendid medieval Market Hall and separately by the port a local fish market where we made a very cheap purchase for Dinner.

Capitainerie celebrating the fleet setting sail for Hastings!

A gale was forecast for Tuesday so we had to move on Monday or wait for Wednesday. We opted for the former and another short passage of 10nm in the morning, together with high water, got us to Port Deauville with its sister town Trouville. Elegant pleasure resorts for "people of eminence", certainly some very impressive and smart 19th and 20th Century buildings and a superb fish market, said to be the best in this part of France. And for those of eminence a couple of casinos! We enjoyed two days walking round the twin towns, including seeing the impressive art deco railway station.

Part of one of the excellent seafood stalls in Trouville

By Thursday morning the gale had subsided and so it was a 13nm motor into a F4 wind firstly north and then turning west and into the Chanel de Rouen south of Le Havre and which takes you to Honfleur (or all the way to Paris if you continue up the river). The timing was good again and we were able to go through the lock into the Avant-Port at Honfleur just before HW. Here you can either moor in the Avant-Port or the Vieux Bassin. The latter is right in the centre of the very busy town and is surrounded by restaurants. The former is next to some gardens about 100 metres away from the main square and much quieter so we opted for that.

Honfleur Vieux Bassin

We have visited Honfleur a few times before and it is one of our favourite French towns. It is really attractive and this time Andrea took us on a steep climb up the hill from which we could look back over the town and its surroundings. It was certainly busy (and warm) whilst we were there. One new development is that the town now receives at least one river cruise boat a day bringing 400+ people with them each time including (it seemed to us) quite a few Americans. These long river boats can only enter and leave at HW when the lock is open on "free flow" and they then manoeuvre in the Avant-Port doing a 360 degree turn before going astern through an open bridge into another Bassin. It looked like they had less than a metre clearance each side of the boat to get through the bridge!

Glad that I wasn't steering this one into a berth!

Our final leg on Friday lunchtime was about 13nm back down the Chanel de Rouen then across the bay, carefully avoiding the shipping and into Le Havre Yacht Harbour. We were actually leaving Whileaway in a large Bassin ("Port Vauban") on the other side of the town centre but we had to make all the arrangements at the Capitainerie in the Yacht Harbour. This is because to access Port Vauban you have to go through a lock and then a little further on a lifting bridge, both of which each open at fixed times usually twice a day. As we entered the Yacht Harbour the man we had been in touch with to arrange the reservation was in the dory at the entrance! Once we said Whileaway he said "ah oui" and escorted us to a waiting pontoon and then came into the office to deal with the paperwork and give us our instructions. Be at the lock by about 1910 was the requirement. This was a huge lock, obviously used for ships as well as smaller craft and there was just us and a little 8 metre sailing boat in it! Unfortunately it was low tide and so the rise in the lock was going to be about 6 metres. When the lock began to fill the water came in like a torrent and we struggled to hold the boat to the ugly cables tied to a slimy and mussel strewn wall! So we were very glad when the rush abated and we moved on to wait for the bridge to be lifted for us.
Our last day was spent cleaning and maintaining the boat before a final Dinner and on Sunday morning the Normandie Express back to Portsmouth.

St Malo - Portsmouth (24 September 2014)

We left St Malo just as the sun was rising on what was forecast to be a day of light winds. Surprisingly this was correct and we mainly motor sailed on a warm and sunny day. Navigation was not difficult; we just had to avoid a few islands and rocks. After leaving St Malo it was very quiet and we saw just two other boats.

One of these was a traditional oyster boat from Concale which was heading home, perhaps, judging from its course, from a trip to Jersey. Concale claims to be the oyster capital of Brittany but I suspect that a few other places would also claim that! Our destination was 50nm to the north of St Malo, Carteret a commune on the west side of the Cotentin peninsula.

This part of the coast features lovely gently sloping sandy beaches backed by sand dunes. Consequently the approach to the harbour and river that leads to the marina dries extensively. For a boat of our draft there is normally enough water to enter the harbour and pass over the sill which holds water in the marina for about two and a half hours each side of high water. So our departure from St Malo had to take account of that. As it happened we arrived just before HW in late afternoon and were met by the cheerful HM who showed us to a residents berth that was vacant.

In the evening could see lightening many miles away (probably 50+), but with no sound effects. That night we had light rain briefly in the night, the first since we had returned 18 days previously! Saturday brought another sunny morning in this lovely quiet spot behind the dunes and with plenty of bird life.

Having visited Cartaret before we knew that there was an excellent street market at its sister commune of Barneville (about a mile away) on Saturday mornings. We patronised many stalls buying fish (Dorade and crevettes), fresh vegetables, olives and so on. We were also reeled in by the same stall holder that we had seen on our last visit about three years earlier who sells his own farm produced Normandie Pommeau and Calvodos. He is very ready to call passers by over with a flourish of glasses quickly filled with a very generous taster! And it is excellent and good value, so bottles purchased. After lunch we decided to cycle along the coast to Port Bail an attractive ride through the countryside. As with other places in this area this is a significant year remembering the 70th anniversary of liberation in 1944. Those who read the first blog of the summer may remember that at the beginning of our cruise we saw in Cherbourg a special day with many historic American vehicles and locals dressed in 1940's uniform. After D Day it was the Americans' responsibility to advance up and secure the Cotentin peninsula whilst the British and Canadians had objectives to drive eastwards. Port Bail had a special committee overseeing their remembrance with small information points around the town. From these we learnt that much of Port Bail had been abandoned by residents during the occupation and that Port Bail had to be heavily bombed to dislodge the German army. It was said that it was the first French town to be overflown by Allied bombers on the night before D Day. Another story was of a local French hero who after D Day but before the Americans arrived climbed the Church tower and hoisted a French flag in defiance of the Nazis. As part of the remembrances the flags of France, Britain, Canada and USA have been flying on the four corners of the Church tower this year.

We had various choices for our departure on Sunday. After talking it over we opted for a departure in the afternoon as soon as the sill opened, likely to be by 1630LT. That would mean arrival at Cherbourg at around 2300LT, quite late but considered a better option than leaving at 0345! Again going with a fair tide was crucial as we needed to leave as soon as we could to get us through the Alderney Race and around Cap de la Hague. Even then we might have to fight a turning tide in the last hour. Looking at the forecast it could also be lively in the morning but perhaps F4 reducing to F3 for an afternoon departure. So we were ready to go on time but the combination of high pressure and a still fresh wind reducing the height of the tide we couldn't leave until 1650. We then had a great sail for the 25nm up to and into the Race with a F5 NE wind. Off Cap de la Hague we had the not unknown very confused seas and had to turn into a continuing strong F5 now E wind. Whileaway coped well but it was like being on a roller coaster in what was now pitch black with no moon, just the sweeping light from the lighthouse. We were glad to get round the Cap and turn ESE towards Cherbourg. But it was nearly midnight LT before we were tied up in Cherbourg, just a little way from Eos whom we had last seen in Roscoff! This had been a testing 46nm that had been covered in a relatively quickly just under 7 hours.

I had been watching the weather forecast for the following days for a week, in particular monitoring a brief quiet period on Tuesday and Wednesday as a potential window for our Channel crossing. On Monday morning, Tuesday was still looking good but winds were now definitely increasing on Wednesday. Exchanging notes with Em and Mari on Eos we agreed that we needed to be ready to go on Tuesday. So on Monday we stocked with essentials such as cheese and then visited Cave Marcel to choose the wine which about an hour later were delivered along the pontoon to Whileaway. A farewell seafood dinner at a restaurant that we often visit in Cherbourg was as good as ever. Before we sailed there, Cherbourg was known to us just as a ferry terminal through which we quickly passed. From years visiting as sailors (including periods when we have been storm bound) we now know that it has some very interesting history, attractive parks, good quality restaurants and a very high standard, welcoming and comfortable marina! 

On Tuesday Eos and Whileaway left at around 0500, again in pitch black! Eos was heading for the Needles Channel and then Yarmouth whereas we had opted for Portsmouth, a longer distance but more convenient and trying to make use of  the initial strong east bound tide. So after leaving the outer Rade we went our separate ways. It was a day when winds started at F4, reduced to 3 and then 2 before increasing to 3 again. And started off NE and gradually moved round through E, SE, S to SW. So we had a mixture of motor sailing and sailing generally under summer skies. We saw few ships before, around 1730, we passed the Nab Tower off the E coast of the Isle of Wight. At 1900 we picked up a mooring in Portsmouth Harbour having completed 87nm and relaxed for the evening.

The next morning we went the short distance into Gosport Marina.

So ended our summer cruise of 79 days covering approaching 1440 nm and on which we sailed for 48 days.

If you have read this far, hope that you have enjoyed the blog!

Lampaul, Ile d'Ouessant - St Malo (18 September 2014)

We left Ouessant on a sunny morning about an hour before LW. As a consequence many more rocks were visible as we left the sound of the main town! The strong advice in the Pilot not to take a short cut just inside the lighthouse was clearly right!

Like the UK we were geting sunny and warm weather. However we were squeezed between a High over England and a Low to the south giving easterly winds which were very unseasonal! From Ouessant we again headed straight into this pattern. We had left before the tide turned  to make best use of the Passage du Fromveur between Ouessant and Ile de Molene and that was successful although because of the mist we couldn't see Molene, only its lighthouse! Leaving at that time was also designed to counter the wind over tide problem and that worked for a few hours but then conditions swiftly worsened. We had  thought that we might get to Roscoff but after passing L'Aber Wrac'h and with conditions deteriorating we turned back into the port. The problem of the previous four days was that the winds were invariably E, ENE or NE, the direction that we are heading. As we were also having to coexist with the strong spring tides we were invariably facing rough conditions when we were trying to go with the tide but against the wind.
However a big bonus from visiting Ouessant was that we enjoyed seeing dolphins in the bay Even more satisfyingly after a couple of hours passage we had three of them began playing around the boat. They were in and out of the bow wave, twisting and turning just a metre or so in front of the boat. then one would shear off and swim parallel to Whileaway just at the surface a couple of feet away. They seemed to take turns. Magical! Their tracking of us lasted about 10 minutes and as other sailors have remarked they seem to peer up at you. Must research more about why they behave in this way.
On Thursday we left L'Aber Wrac'h well before a fair tide; but by the time the tide had turned the wind was increasing, at least top of F5 and getting into F6 (up to 24kn) so we had a very rough 30 nm. This was especially so as the waves and swell worsened as we passed shallower areas of the sea bed even when shallow in this context meant 20m! We did eventually get a little respite from the rough seas once we started to get some shelter from Ile de Batz. As it was HW we used the passage between Batz and the mainland at the end of which we let the Pont Aven bound for Plymouth pass and then headed into the new Roscoff marina. Roscoff is a very attracrive town and in the event we stayed three nights. On one day we cycled many miles through the local countryside. The countryside around there is the biggest vegetable growing area in France with two particular specialisms, pink Roscoff onions and artichokes.
On our last night we met up with Em and Marie of Eos whom we had last seen in Concarneau and are also on passage to southern England. They sail from Wales so we were able to learn more about favourite places there and in Ireland and W Scotland whilst we talked about Brittany and southern England. They also had some very amusing sailing stories to tell!
We were up at 0520 the next morning! Slipped mooring at 0600 and headed 20nm east to Ploumanac'h. Wind (even at that time of the morning) was F4 increasing to 5. First hour was rough but then as we moved further away from Roscoff and dawn broke, the swell and the waves eased to moderate. We got to Ploughmanc'h in just under 4 hours which was good all things considered.
We had a very enjoyable 3 +hour walk that afternoon
around what is known as the Rose Granite Coast. Unusual coloured stone and different shapes. Unique landcape.That night had very nice meal, excellent moules and sardines.
There is a sill in this otherwise delightful harbour so the following day we again left early, around 0630, and headed into the wind until the tide turned Again it was E5 with some very confused seas and rough cconditions (mer agitee as the French say). So we were glad to stick to my plan which was to get to Ile de Brehat where, at the shallow inlet of La Cordiere on the W side, we picked up a mooring and took a four hour break.

A very pretty stop.
Later, after navigating the narrow channel to the S of Brehat we enjoyed a very pleasant sail in a gentle F3 breeze to St Quay Portrieux where we arrived about an hour after dark. Unusually Stin Brittany St Quay has both 24 hour access and staff on duty 24 hours so we were met and assisted in by the duty HM in his dory. Very welcoming.
On Wednesday we cycled to the nearby villages of Etaples and Binic, places that we had not visited before. Still warm and sunny so plenty of people enjoying this unusual September.
A day later we again battled into what was to begin with an E4 but by noon was E3. Our destination was the attractive and historic city of St Malo. We did sail some of the way but after rounding Cap Frehel decided that we would do better to motor sail closer to the wind.
Our preferred mooring in S Malo is by the ferry port at Les Bas-Sablons. From here it is a15 minute walk to the walled city but the very attractive village of San Savan is just five minutes away. Today we have had a leisurely time in the walled city as well as walking around the headland to San Servan. It has been a day of little wind and temperatures of 24C. An unusual September. We have also learnt much about the liberation of St Malo in 1944 and aspects of the Resistance. The classic view below I
is looking N from the City walls.

Tomorrow we plan to head N to Cartaret on the W Cotentin peninsular before sailing for Cherbourg on Sunday afternoon. Last legs now!

Locmiquelic - Lampaul, Ile d'Ouessant (9 September 2014)

Our return to Locmiquelic and Whileaway went well and we were back on board by 1800 BST having left home 10.5 hours earlier. Our journey involved taxi to Warminster station; trains to Southampton Central and then Southampton Airport;  flight to Nantes; bus to SNCF station; train to Lorient;  bus to Port de Peche; and ferry to Locmiquelic!  We even had nearly 2 hours waiting for our train in Nantes, sitting in 25C in a very attractive park near the railway station as we had a sandwich lunch while waiting for our train.
We decided that we should have a relatively short passage the next day especially as that meant returning to the R Belon about 17nm north. We had called in there on our way south in May and enjoyed an excellent Plateau de Fruit de Mer at the renowned Chez Jacky. You cannot have too much of a good thing and we were not disappointed!
On Friday morning we headed for Concarneau.  We left Belon as soon as we had sufficient rise of tide to enable us to cross the bar at the mouth of the river and motored north in a light wind under a sunny sky. We moored in the marina under the ancient city walls and spent the rest of the day doing domestics such as replenishing stores from the supermarket and visiting the launderette! And exchanging notes with fellow sailors!
Sadly this is the time of year for making passage home. Our French neighbour on the pontoon was heading for Vannes in the Morbihan Gulf; whereas a Welsh couple in Eos were, like us, heading north, in their case for Chichester as they needed some repairs.
On Saturday morning we went to the market hall and purchased some excellent fresh shrimps and merlu (fish) for dinner. We then had an enjoyable very warm afternoon cycling around the old port and then the southern headlands looking at the views and discovering some really tucked away drying river estuaries. Finally we had a leisurely walk around the old city, quieter than in the busy months, but still with quite a few visitors.

On Sunday we left early,  just after 0700 BST. Our plan was to round the Pointe de Penmarc'h from where we turn NW and to then to moor overnight at Ste Evette, about 10nm S of the Raz de Sein. This would be a passage of about 35nm, perhaps just over 6 hours at our usual cruising speed. But if we could make good time and get to the Raz with the tide still with us we could press on. As it happened we had another warm sunny day, but quite misty and thus regrettably with little wind. This did though give us a flat sea. Apart from enjoying our first sight of dolphins this summer, two pods as we motored towards the Raz, there was little else to seen in hazy visibility.  We arrived at the Raz with just under an hour to spare before the tide turned. Success! Of course after the Raz we had to begin to fight a little tide but we arrived in Camaret just SW of Brest and after 63nm at 2000 local time and picked up a mooring for the night.
On Monday morning we moved into the harbour to discover, sadly, that the Harbour Master was away for two days (exceptionalle!). What a shame; free mooring! On another sunny afternoon we again cycled this time along the peninsular to the east. Many old and current military fortifications here as this peninsular guards on one side the entrance to the Rade de Brest.
For some time I have been intrigued by the Ile d'Ouessant, that windswept land on the NW coast of France looking out to America and which has many shipwrecks around it. There are two possible mooring and landing points, one exposed to the SW (and winds from S to NW) and one to the NE (and winds from NW to SE). Unusually we had a forecast of NE or E  moderate winds enabling us to visit the main settlement of Lampaul in the SW part of the island.
It was a tricky passage some 30 nm WNW of Camaret out into the Atlantic. Another warm but hazy day so plenty of time trying to discipher shapes in the mist before we clearly made out La Jument the lighthouse on the SE tip which guards many rocks. We then had to cope with a rip current and swirling waters that rush us past the entrance to a deep and wide inlet. Once we had the sails down and regained control we started to motor the 2nm up this wide bay at the jead of which are visitors mooring bouys.
We then took our dinghy ashore to discover an island that is certainly different. The houses seem to crouch into the landscape as if hiding from the wind and adverse weather. The landscape is mainly scrub with only about a third cultivated. There are some shops and restaurants and a few tourists clearly help to sustain the economy. The island is probably cut off for days at a time by adverse winter weather so you have to be happy to live here.

That evening the Mist comes down and Iit felt like a remote part of Cornwall (if there is such a place any more!). Next day it is sunny and we see a unique island in a good light!

Piriac-sur-Mer - Locmiquelic, Lorient (27 July 2014)

We left Piriac early on an initially sunny Sunday morning. We were now only about 60nm due south of our destination for this leg, but our plans and the geography meant that we would be covering some 130nm in the final week. Our first objective was to enter the Golfe du Morbihan, a large inland sea of over 100 islands. The three mile entrance to the Morbihan is relatively narrow; and with all that water needing to move through the gap it is essential to enter or leave at slack water or with the tide. We arrived at the entrance on schedule about 30 minutes before HW and moved rapidly through the entrance being greeted by a heavy shower. As you move quickly with the tide and there are not only islands but shallows too, you have to be alert to the navigational challenges.
Our objective was to go about 6 or 7nm up the River Auray to the small town of Port Bono. We thought that we might find a mooring there from which we could also take the dinghy to visit Auray itself, which is beyond a bridge with a span 14m above the river (Whileaway is just over 15m from water line to the top of the mast). Bono is a quiet very attractive small town which grew up, like others, on the cultivation of oysters. Unfortunately a disease in the 1950's killed all the stock. We moored in the river near a relatively new high level road bridge which has enabled the old cable stay bridge to be retained for pedestrians.

The next morning we motored the dinghy for about 45 minutes to the very attractive and busy town of Auray. Auray and its adjoining town on the other side of the river are full of old buildings, has a huge market (the day that we were there) and very busy with tourists.

After a couple of nights we decided to retrace our steps to the mouth of the Morbihan and then head up to the main part of this sea (to the south). I noticed when we started the engine the battery sounded as if it was struggling. So in light airs we set off, gently motoring to help charge the battery. When we were at our planned destination of Le Passage I checked the battery to discover that it was still flat. So we decided not to anchor off but head to the safety of the busy Port du Crouesty just outside the mouth of the Morbihan to sort the problem out. The next morning I called at a local electronics dealer at the port. He was very helpful and said that he couldn't promise anything as his technician was on a job and might be tied up all day. But as soon as he was free he would send him over. In the meantime I started tackling the water pump that had also failed the previous evening and discovered a sticky pressure switch that I managed to get behaving again. I had just finished when the technician turned up with his box of electrical tricks. Within 90 minbutes he had confirmed that the battery was life expired, replaced a faulty wire from the alternator and fitted a new battery. Excellent service. By early afternoon we were heading back into the Morbihan to anchor off Ile d'Arz.
This is a small inhabited island that we have walked around before. It was a lovely sunny evening and we watched the locals sailing or rowing their traditional boats (the next morning racing too).

After a walk across the island the next morning we weighed anchor and headed to the other main island, Ile Aux Moines. This is larger and had more visitors. But it has some lovely traditional buildings and is very pleasant to walk round.

We had a mooring and having been ashore for a shower found that a thunderstorm had rapidly approached on what was a very warm and humid day. Although we tried to dodge between the heavy showers we still ended up being thoroughly soaked motoring back to the boat in the dinghy.

Time to leave the Morbihan and our penultimate stop was Sauzon on Belle Isle, another one of our favourite villages. On a beautiful sunny day we picked up a mooring just outside the harbour and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon and evening wandering around and sampling the local sea food and lamb!

On Saturday we enjoyed an excellent 30nm, five hour sail into the Lorient estuary and to the harbour at Kernevel. We had not visited here before. This harbour is on the north bank of the estuary and to enter you pass the submarine pens built by the Germans during the Second World War. They were built to resist the Allied bombs and so are still there over 70 years later! Another pleasant walk along the busy beaches that evening and the next day we just had the final 3nm across the estuary to Locmiquelic. Fate decreed that we had a problem with the sea water intake that cools the engine, to which we were alerted by the high pitched whistle of the engine alarm. We suspect that the intake had been blocked by either seaweed or some plastic but after a hectic five minutes we managed to restore normal service and got to Locmiquelic.
On Monday we were up early to travel home. This involved 5 minute walk to the Ferry; Ferry across the harbour to the Port de Peche; Bus (there within 5 minutes) to the Railway Station (30 minutes, combined ferry/bus fare 1.40 euro); train Lorient to Nantes (1h 45m); Airport bus from outside the train station; flight Nantes to Southampton; train Southampton airport Parkway to Warminster; taxi home! Left Whileaway 0730 LT; home 1530LT, so 9 hours.

Marans - Piriac-sur-Mer (18 July 2014)

The last blog said that we had been asked to be at the Brault lock by 1600 Local Time (LT). It was only 3 miles along the canal and we were in front of the swing bridge above the first lock gates in good time. In fact time enough to see the lock keeper arrive in his van! After a short while he stopped a couple of cars and swung the bridge. We tied to a pontoon inside what is really a large canal but then had to wait about 40 minutes for the tide to flow into the lock and lift us to HW level. We then passed under the lifting bridge, a Belgium yacht going in the opposite direction.

The river was very high (high spring tides) and some of the adjoining fields were flooded. Our destination options were limited by tides and the relatively late afternoon departure. We could either go back to La Rochelle for a night; or call again at St Martin de Re. We had opted for the latter but then had to tackle a very hurried and bouncy crossing into a stiff wind across the bay to St Martin de Re. We knew that the lock there closed at 2015 LT. We were just over half a mile from the harbour with less than 15 minutes to go so we called them on the VHF and they said ok. As we passed the breakwater and then turned towards the lock we saw that there was a red light and the footbridge across the entrance was in use! However the Harbour staff waved at us to wait and the footbridge began to lift. As soon as we were inside a very crowded harbour (rafted 6 boats out) the lock closed! The town was noticeably very busier than when we were there just over a couple of weeks before. It is a place that is very popular with British and Irish tourists judging by the voices. Next morning the lock was due to close again at 0845. We learnt that many crews were aiming to leave at 0800 and we decided to do the same. Weather forecast was W3/4 in the morning but increasing to 4/5 in the afternoon with some rain. Within an hour of leaving we had W5 gusting to 6, heavy swell and choppy seas combined with heavy rain. Super! Our plan was to go about 20nm roughly north to Bourgenay but as we got closer and conditions worsened we discussed the advice in the Atlantic Pilot that for Bourgenay "Entry should not be attempted in strong W or SW wind" as there will be very confused water in the entrance. So we carried on to the better situated Les Sables d'Olonne and took refuge there. In the afternoon the sun came out and the weather brightened up! After a wander around another busy town we had an enjoyable fishy three course dinner in a popular restaurant for 18 Euros each plus wine. French National day on 14 July was sunny and warm with light winds so we left about 1300 and sailed north to Saint Gilles Croix de Vie. After the rough seas of the previous three passages it was a pleasure to gently sail along the coast at 3.5 to 4.5 kn! Saint Gilles is surrounded by camp sites and is very much a bustling holiday resort. That night we were in grandstand seats in the harbour to see the splendid fireworks which marked the close of the national day. There is a prodigious tide in the harbour at St Gilles. We awoke early on Tuesday morning (0700LT) about half an hour before HW slack and within the hour we were casting off under a blue cloudless sky and heading the 20nm away from the mainland to Port Joinville on Ile d'Yeu. Another quiet passage this time with little wind! Ile d'Yeu is one of our favourite places. About 10km x 5km the only connections are ferries and helicopters.

Port Joinville (see photo) is bustling in the morning and evening and has a delightful feel to it. The traditional catch which made money for the islanders in years gone by was tuna and one of their specialities is smoked tuna. Very enjoyable it is too. Other fish and crabs can be bought straight from the fishing boats in the harbour. Locals travel on bicycles or in predominately old cars so we admire the Renault 4, 2CV,  and wonder that they still go.

We decided to stay 3 nights and did plenty of cycling around on very quiet roads (more bikes than cars). Discovered the 150 year old fort where Marshal Petain was held after WW2. It was very sunny with a temperature over 30C one day and just a little cooler on the others. Because of its location off the coast, Ile d'Yeu is very popular with sailors and on our third night the harbour was absolutely packed.
However the island benefits from lovely coastline and beaches and they are not crowded.
On Friday we headed N to Piriac-sur-Mer. This was a passage of about 45nm including crossing the mouth of the Loire. We kept an eye open for the big ships but there were more anchored off the estuary than entering or leaving. In the morning there was hardly any wind but we did get a couple of hours sailing in as we passed Le Croisic (where we moored on our journey south). We arrived off Piriac not long after LW so we had to anchor for an hour or so before we could cross the rocks and then the sill to go into the harbour. Chatting to our French "neighbour" on the adjoining pontoon (who had also been anchored outside) we discovered that he has a job with two offices - in Brest and Lorient. When Lorient has its renowned Celtic Festival in August he moors his boat in the city centre marina and enjoys the craic! Today (Saturday) there was an excellent market so we stocked up with bread, cake, fruit, vegetables, fish, crab and olives. And did the boring bit of clothes washing using a local launderette. Piriac is a pretty small town with lots of centuries old buildings and beautiful flowers. Plenty of cafes and bars and quite a few musicians playing. With all the cider, crepes and Far Breton (cake) we are definitely back in Brittany.
For the next few days we plan to go into the big inland sea, the Morbihan Gulf and visit some old and new locations.

Boyardville - Marans (12 July 2014)

After a pleasant couple of days in Boyardville we left early on the morning of Friday 4 July and motored just 8 nm north to Saint Denis on the north east corner of Ile d'Oleron. En route we had to carefully avoid the extensive mussel and oyster beds where the traditional flat bottom boats were busy lifting the stocks that would be on sale that day.

Saint Denis is a delightful small town with a large market in the square every day. Very wide range of produce as you expect in French markets and we bought poisson, bullots, fromage, pain, hericot vert, petite pois, vin etc etc. Nearly all from the island. We again cycled our main call being at the Chassiron lighthouse on the northern tip where our climb up 224  steps was rewarded with a superb view of the island and across to La Rochelle. The first lighthouse was built in 1685 with a wood burning light! The modern version was completed in 1836.

On Saturday early evening we joined the locals in a packed bar to watch France play Germany in the Football World Cup Quarter Finals. Germany won by the only goal, a disappointing result especially as France applied considerable pressure in the second half.

The next day we sailed across to La Rochelle, through the two guarding towers and into the inner harbour (Vieux Port). It was a very busy Sunday afternoon in the City and we enjoyed a wander around seeing the sites and the sights!

On Monday 7 July we left early (0800 LT) as we were heading for Rochefort about 25nm south. This entails a coastal passage followed by about 12nm up the River Charante. It was a quiet morning as we headed inside Ile d'Aix and past the 18th century forts that guard the river estuary. Once into the river we saw the many fishing huts that are built on wooden piers extending about 20m or so into the river. Each has a large net about 2m square which is lowered and raised on a winch. These are a feature of the Vendee and the Charante regions. Andrea remarked that it is a different way of fishing, but usually with the same result - no success!

As we got nearer to Rochefort we passed under the 1980's high level concrete road bridge and then quickly after under Le Pont Transborder, the last remaining transporter bridge in France. A "gondola" is suspended by cables hanging from the span of the bridge and moves across without hindering river traffic. Built around 1900 it originally carried carriages and then motor vehicles before the bridge was built but now only pedestrians and cyclists. During our stay in Rochefort we took a return crossing on it.

Rochefort harbour is inside a lock gate which is only open for around an hour each side of High Water, so at the appointed time we were there.

Rochefort is a city full of historic buildings as you would expect in a place that was the French Navy's shipyard from the seventeenth until the early twentieth century. The town is built on a grid with many fine 18C buildings and a few mid to late 20C architectural disasters! A current major attraction is L'Hermione; an almost completed replica of the French frigate originally built in 1779 and which supported George Washington in his fight in the American War of Independence. L'Hermione will be crossing the Atlantic next year (2015) to visit the colony! It is an excellent replica, well worth seeing. Interestingly we learnt that the original had been lost in the early 19C when a navigational error led to her hitting the Le Four rocks off Le Croisic a port which we had safely visited earlier this year.

Two days later we left Rochefort in mid afternoon to return to La Rochelle. This was not a pleasant trip as strong winds, up to F6, together with a rough sea and significant swell made the crossing of the bar at the river mouth and then the coastal passage very bumpy indeed notwithstanding Whileaway's best efforts.

Being either naive (or believing the weather forecast of F4/5) (or foolhardy) next day we decided to move on north to Marans which is a little visited inland town. This requires a coastal hop of about 12nm from La Rochelle, under the bridge to Ile de Re, and then across a very large and shallow bay and into another river and then a canal. Timing is again crucial as the road lifting bridge and the subsequent lock only open at local HW. Of course once we left La Rochelle the wind blew up and even well reefed in we had a strenuous sail. We lost a little time through having to tack across the wind but we did eventually find the red and white striped cardinal that marks the entry channel to the bay. At this point, some 5nm from the mainland, we have to carefully find cardinals and then a channel with port and starboard marks to stay in the deeper water. We passed numerous mussel and oyster boats before swinging to port and beginning to motor up a narrow river with reed beds and low lying land either side.These are the wet and dry marshes. We were now about 3 or 4nm from the road lifting bridge, this being about 0.25nm before the lock into the canal. It was clear that if we didn't get into the canal we would have to return to La Rochelle as there was unlikely to be sufficient depth for us in the river or the estuary at LW. Both the Atlantic Pilot and the French Almanac (Bloc Marine) indicated a need to telephone the Lock Keeper to request an opening of the lifting bridge. This we did to be told to be there by 1600 LT about 20 minutes earlier than I had expected. So we increased the revs and progressed at nearly 7kn with the tide until finally, with 5 minutes to spare, we rounded a bend to see this busy road with many articulated lorries and cars crossing the bridge ahead of us. After a few minutes traffic signals halted the vehicles and slowly the bridge began to lift; then we noticed another boat, a cabin cruiser, speedily approaching also keen to make today's bridge opening. Through the bridge and then into a big wide lock we went where we tied up to a pontoon and the cabin cruiser joined us. It took 20+ minutes to automatically fill the lock so the Keeper joined the two boats for a chat. We learnt that much is now automated and he operates the lifting bridge from the lock gate with the assistance of CCTV cameras to view the road and river traffic. Once through the lock we motored 3nm to Marans and became the only boat on the visitors pontoon.

Visited the Capitainerie (the Harbour Master's office) to sign in and not surprisingly found that extensive paperwork had to be completed and documents formally stamped and all for a very small fee!

That evening was a very jolly one in Marans as it was one of their occasional summer night markets with many craft and other stalls. Yesterday we got the bikes out and saw much of the many canals, lakes and countryside. A strong agricultural area mainly growing wheat, barley and sunflowers.

From the boat we have been amused by the various flotillas of ducks with their eight or nine ducklings. Grain being delivered to the mill nearby has been spilled on the road and so the ducklings are encouraged to risk life and limb to get this treat. No fatalities so far! A disappointing feature of the last five or so days has been the lack of sun. By mid morning the sky clouds over with the clouds only clearing by the late evening.

Last night we called our new "friend" the Lock Keeper to ask him to operate the lock and the lifting bridge today. He immediately recognised the name "Whileaway" and told us to be at the lock by 1600 LT.