En France 7

 

The sun rises over a gently ruffled sea.

Stargazer is reaching north, a light south easterly breeze on her quarter. Too deep an angle for us to deploy the cruising chute. She is making a sedate four knots over the ground. And enjoying the view.

We thread our way though the craggy 'granit rose' wonderland of the Ile de Brehat archipelago. Following the towers and markers of the Chenal Ar C'high Bras.

Past fairy tale bays and anchorages, which must wait until another day for exploration.

Clear of the Brehat reefs, Stargazer turns west. Able now to deploy the kite. Reaching in twelve knots apparent. The true wind now from the south.

The tide is away, pouring the waters of the Channel into those of the Atlantic. Powering Stargazer to nine and ten knots over ground, as she romps past Les Heaux de Brehat.

 Some inner instinct, as well as the urge to enjoy the gloriously rugged view, draws us inshore. As high on the wind as we dare, whilst keeping clear of the outlying rock pinnacles.

Lunch is punctuated by the need for sail changes: I furl the cruising chute. The apparent wind is up to sixteen knots. And rising. Then take the first, followed fifteen minutes later by the second, reef. The apparent wind climbing steadily to twenty two knots. In part due to the degree of our tidal assistance.

Stargazer sweeps past Les Sept Iles. The breeze is still climbing and veering south west.

The sea is starting to build (apologies for the blurred photograph!). With the shift in wind direction, the wind now cutting up the tide. It is also in danger of becoming a full head wind. Glad now, that we hugged up to windward earlier, Stargazer shaves the craggy corner, off  Ploumanac'h, and the Mean Ruz tower, which marks its hidden entrance.

Stargazer dips down, among the reefs of the Baie de Morlaix. Not the most obvious approach option, for Roscoff. But one which, I hope, will shed some of our, now unwanted, tidal assistance (which is also lifting the apparent wind. Now at twenty seven knots); and an option which will allow us to fetch the harbour entrance on this tack. Fortunately, there are tried and tested waypoints already in the plotter (from Stargazer's 2020 exploration of  Le Guerzit Bay and the La Penze River) to guide us.

Stargazer rockets in, close reaching. Down to double reefed main only, in thirty two knots true. Seeking the lee of the harbour mole. Spray flying. Shaving the jetty fine. Skirting the bows of the waiting ferry (still loading, there is no smoke from her funnel). In under the lee of the Roscoff breakwater.