En France 71

 Surf breaks in the marina entrance. Within the outer breakwater ; and that within the protection of the Goulet de Brest. (See En France 67 for chart).

Six days of strong south westerlies, with a run up the length and breadth of the Atlantic, has mounded up the sea. The significant wave height, beyond the relative shelter of the Rade, is almost three metres. With a further two metres of swell running on top of that.

 (The significant wave height is an average of the largest third of the waves. Much larger waves will be encountered in reality).

Once north of the Chenal du Four, the coast trends east. Giving some lee from the wind. Although the seas will remain high, as the long Atlantic rollers find bottom and clamber skyward, to compensate.

The forecasts suggest that the gale may blow itself out, or at least move south, over the next forty eight hours. A further twelve hours or so will be needed for the seas to drop below two metres.