The fishing fleet is racing homeward, beneath a cloud of wheeling gulls. As Stargazer sails from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.
The breeze is from the north west, twelve to sixteen knots. Due to back westerly during the day. Stargazer beats up the rhumb line. Tacking on the shifts.
Her reward is to overtake and ease away from her big sister. The Dutch flagged Rassy 342 Robuste. We are sailing lower but faster. Taking advantage of the favourable shifts. Skipper at the helm, as opposed to autopilot (I'm guessing) aboard the Dutchman.
By the time we reach Les Boeufs (off Noirmoutier) Stargazer is seven nautical miles ahead and to windward, of the bigger (theoretically faster) boat.
Stargazer eases sheets. Setting off on a scorching reach. The breeze up to eighteen knots, out of the west.
Swooping past the ship anchorage, off the Loire. Her skipper clambering about the deck, dodging dollops of spray as best he can, rigging fenders. For, at seven knots, our arrival is imminent.
On the plotter, I see the AIS track of a boat emerging, from Pornichet, through a gap in the encircling reef. The route will save five nautical miles, over the dog-leg main channel entrance. I furl the jib, to reduce Stargazer's speed and to better pick out the two buoys, which the chart (upon closer examination) indicates should mark the pass.
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