Stargazer puts her shoulder down and charges.
Rounding the twin towers on the Ile du Pilier like a racing mark.
Eighteen knots of true wind on her quarter. Full sail up. La houle snapping at her heels. (Which accounts for the 'soft focus' photography in parts of this post)!
It had been a beat out. . . . .
. . . . from L'Herbaudiere. Stargazer is hitching a ride, on the coat tails of a system, which blew through overnight.
Thundering south. Her speed boosted, to nine knots over the ground, by the St Nazaire ebb. Which sweeps around the tip of the Ile de Noirmoutier in its hurry to gain the the open Atlantic.
By mid morning, Stargazer has overhauled and passed Baloo (sail on horizon, top left). A Dutch Hallberg-Rassy 37, which left harbour an hour ahead of her (and should be faster).
An hour later, the German flagged forty five footer Falbala passes us. Making eight and a half knots to Stargazer's six and a half. Demonstrating the potential, of a modern 'wide bodied' design, in these conditions. (And the speed advantage conferred by fifty percent greater waterline length).
The weather system eases away, as the afternoon advances. The breeze dropping to fourteen knots true.
The Ile d'Yeu slips past to starboard.
Stargazer's cruising chute is up soon after.
Maintaining Stargazer's momentum in ten knots true.
We harden up off the Grande Barge light. The chute furled once more. Close reaching under white sails. An evening sea breeze filling in.
Houses throng the low sandy shore, trampling grassy dunes underfoot.
Stargazer hardens up, fully onto the wind, off the Phare d'Armandeche.
To sail into the famous approach 'canal' of Les Sables d'Olonne. Home to the Vendee Globe Race.
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