La Hirondelle 79

 

A silver tongued creek meanders inland, between wooded banks. To the accompaniment of birdsong and sighing boughs.

A stone mole wades out to the deepest water. Where gulls may swim, instead of paddle.

A string of rough hewn cottages links hands. Poised, on the beach, to dip their toes in the tide.

Below the hamlet, an oyster fishery.

At the still head of the creek, the village of La Foret-Fouesnant. Nestled amid the trees, which prompted its naming.

Roger (whom we met last year, on the Gironde. He from Chatham. Katy-Dee berthed on the Vilaine) texts from the head of another creek, just twenty five miles to the east (overland). 

There, sheltering from, what is forecast to be, a week of gales. In scenic splendour, beside Gauguin's "Watermill in Pont Aven." Able to dry out, upon Katy-Dee's bilge keels, beside its famous (sic) old quay.

La Hirondelle 78

 

It has been an energy-sapping week: The Tour du Finisterre a la Voile ("Tourduf") fleet sailed, from Roscoff, on Monday. 

Racing south via stop-overs in L'Aber Wrac'h, Camaret and Douarnenez. With a final, overnight, leg through the Raz de Seine and into Port La Foret, on Friday. 

This morning has been filled with round-the-cans racing, in Benodet Bay. Now, the sponsors and dignitaries take to the stage, to award prizes.

Refreshments are served.

Before the victorious teams step onto the podium. Broad smiles upon their weather beaten faces.

To polite applause, and some private commentary, from their peers.

The assembled family crews (in the main), relax into summer holiday mode. Their boat pleasurably 'delivered,' from the northern Channel ports, into the Atlantic cruising grounds of the south.

La Hirondelle 77

 

Stargazer slips past the beach at Kerneval, on the last of the ebb.

Port Louis away to port.

The cranes and skyscrapers of Lorient astern.

A breeze ruffles the glassy water, as we near the citadel narrows.

We hoist sail and swoop out over the swell. Groix a dark smudge on a grey horizon.

The sun playing hide-and-seek with mizzle bearing clouds.The remnants of yesterday's downpour, sheepishly moving on.

Each cloud brings a shift in the breeze, on arrival and departure. Stargazer tacks on the headers; eats up to windward, on the lifts.

Clearing the serrated western tip, of Groix, in five boards.

With clear sea room, I set to work on the foredeck. Making a Mkll repair, to a leak from the forehatch, which yesterday's rain had revealed. This time using brown parcel tape.

The water is finding its route in, where the internally mounted hinge attaches to the glass. Clamped by two bolts, which run through the glass and into an external moulding.

Mkl, applied during a brief lull yesterday evening, had been made using sail repair tape. It stuck well and conformed neatly to the curves, of the clamp assembly. But proved porous.

The improvised catch tray, above my bunk, containing an egg-cup-full of water, by morning.

Stargazer closes the mainland shore off Doelan.

Before tacking out, to clear the Pointe de Trevignon. The breeze backing from west to south west. Almost allowing us to clear it, ‘in one.’ We opt for an impromptu route, inside the outermost islets and reefs. Eyes glued to a well zoomed-in plotter.

Our reward is to ease sheets. Hugging the shoreline, as Stargazer sweeps deep into the north east corner of Benodet Bay. Wind on the quarter.

Making for Port La Foret. Home base for many an offshore racing campaign. Currently host to the Tour du Finisterre a la Voile. A well attended club racing regatta. Boats rafted four and five deep, on the events pontoon. In a thicket of masts.

Possessed of that rarest of things, in this age of on-line shopping, a comprehensively stocked, on site chandlery. Where, at seven o'clock on a Friday evening, I am able to obtain Gaffer Tape. Which I hope will provide a watertight, get-us-home fix, for the leaking hatch.

La Hirondelle 76

 

A downpour has set in. Making it a below decks, listen to music, afternoon.

I am glad to have taken advantage of yesterday's sunshine, to dry the washing; and of Stargazer's city centre berth, to replenish our stores.

Winds seem to be set westerly. Making short hops the order of the day (due to the need to tack). Once we feel the need for a change of scenery.

La Hirondelle 75

 

Stargazer finds herself amongst the best of company, for the evening.

The day had started with a surprise: the wind blowing north of west (instead of the forecast west). Leaving Stargazer no gaining tack, as we leave Belle Ile.

By mid morning, the wind has veered west and built. Spray flies as Stargazer's speed climbs.

By lunch time, we are able to free off onto a fetch. Romping across a foam specked sea. Bow firmly on the rhumb line.

We scud past the north east tip of the Ile de Groix. 

Stargazer has made far better time than anticipated. The weight of breeze allowing us to overcome an adverse current.

Our choice is to take the shallower, but shorter, east channel at low water; Or to take the deep water channel, adding upwind distance.

I furl Stargazer's jib, the better to pick out the channel marks; and bear off down the east channel. Thundering upriver, the wind on the beam. A single reef in the main.

Into the still heart of Lorient.

Making fast on the bustling visitor's pontoon. Beneath a bar fashioned from a repurposed shipping container.

A short stroll from the futuristically sculpted capitainerie. Before which boats both modern. . . .

. . . . .and classic are convivially clustered.

La Hirondelle 74

 

A sure footed mountain goat surveys me from the ramparts. Sheltered, from the whistling west wind, by the masonry and by the bulk of the island. Which has its back to this weather.

I descend the steep stone steps, of a Sally Port.

Built to allow defenders to disrupt an enemy laying siege, without. Set within the thickness of the citadel's stone walls.

It emerges above a sandy cove. The cliffs forming a protected sun trap. The sally port offering respite, as short sharp rain squalls flit by.

Across the bay, there is a visible line of white caps, where the breeze touches down. After its deflection over the top of Belle Ile. My gaze is half on the view and half on the Fastnet Race tracker, as I eat my picnic.

For line honours have been claimed, in a record time, by Francois Gabart. Who stretched his lead, over Armel Le Cleac'h, on the way to the Cherbourg finish line. With more than half the fleet yet to round 'the rock.'

The forecast suggests a window, to head west, tomorrow. Albeit against wind and (slight) tide.

Picture Credits

SVR Lazartigue rounds the Fastnet rock. Courtesy of  Kurt Arrigo / Rolex.