Pandora's Box

Stargazer swoops past the island, which guards the entrance to St Quay Portrieux, and into the shelter of its harbour.

This morning we left Ploumanac'h's natural wind and wave break. Outside were twenty two knots of west wind and a ripping east going tide. Both working in our favour.

I tuck two reefs into Stargazer's main and set full jib. The wind is on our quarter. As is the swell. Its a surfing combination. We fly east, averaging seven knots, touching nine each time we catch a wave.

A wave hisses up astern. I feel the lift. Bear off to catch it. Stargazer rides the breaking crest. I put the bow up. The wave slides past. The stern lifts.....  

The miles reel off. We still have two hours of fair tide in hand, when Ile de Brehat comes abeam. There will be no calm anchorage to be found there, with this swell running. We press on to St Quay Portrieux.  Its an all tide refuge, well placed for a foray to Paimpol.

We are allocated a berth next to Pandora. They were in Ploumanac'h a couple of days ago. Arrived damp and bedraggled, after the harbour master had gone home, and struggled to secure to the dumbell moorings. I rowed over and took their lines. Then, their priority - as with all freshly arrived passage makers - was to secure the boat, eat a hot meal and turn in. Now they want to say thank you. Talk ports visited and to visit. We spin our sailor's yarns in the evening sunshine.