Back to the Jungle

Seaview on our final morning

We left Cherbourg on Thursday morning with the wind having gone east of north which made for a much better than hoped for crossing.   We left in a stiff F6 with Rich promising that it would ease off, which it duly did half way across.   Ten hours later we rounded the Needles and picked up a buoy off Yarmouth having clocked up a total of 1200 nautical miles and visited 31 different ports/anchorages.  We then had a couple of very idle days soaking up the sunshine in Newtown Creek.   For the first time this year I swam and Rich paddleboarded!   Slightly ironic when we had been so far south, but there was always a wind, a choppy sea or it was just too cold to tempt either of us into the water.   Apparently Biscay is 4% colder than normal for this time of year.    Our final night we spent anchored off Seaview where we were wined and dined in style by Tori and Tris.   A terrific ending to a good trip.     Now back in Duck St trying to tame the jungle.

Nomad and her crew in Priory Bay

In summary - a great time despite some dodgy weather early on.   We've filled in lots of gaps in our geography, know how a salt marsh works,  never had any really frightening moments and are convinced of the benefits of going May/June - less crowds, cheaper berths.  We are still talking, and planning the next adventure - Scotland? Baltic? Spain?

Murray Mania At Sea

Nomad in Petit Port, Guernsey
Three days after Murray’s epic win.   We were glued to Radio 5 Live as we came across to Guernsey from Treguier.   Reception was not that great but we didn’t really need to hear, we could just tell by the crowds’ reaction who had won each point.    We anchored in Petit Port, a beautiful bay on the south of Guernsey.   Sukey (Rich’s sister) and Mike greeted us there with champagne and fish and chips.   What better way to celebrate?   Courtesy of Mike’s workshop Rich has mended the anchor hause pipe (again) and fashioned a new bowsprit for the cruising chute.  Courtesy of Sukey’s laundry we now have beautifully clean, ironed (unheard of on a Nomad) clothes.   On Monday we climbed up the 365 steps to the top of the cliff and were rewarded with a spectacular view across to Sark and Herm.   The sun continues, but so does the NE wind, which is not so good for our return across the channel.  After a benign passage through the Aldernay Race we are now in Cherbourg.    Today we will stock up with French goodies, enjoy our final moules frites and, possibly, visit the decommissioned  nuclear submarine, before sailing for UK tomorrow.  

Back in North Brittany

Charles Style & Geoffrey G, Stte Evette

We had a great evening with Charles Style and Geoffrey, his crew, in Stte Evette swopping salty tales.   The next morning we woke to thick fog as we both departed in opposite directions.   Luckily the fog half lifted as we reached the Raz de Sein so we could see the bottoms of  the marks, but not the tops, which were still shrouded in gloop – very eerie.   We pushed on through the Chenal du Four and arrived in L’Aber Benoit mid afternoon.  A frustrating day with little wind, grey and mizzly, and then the visitors buoy we picked up, which we were assured was free by the trusty Channel Pilot, cost us a mighty 18 euros – the most overpriced place we have come across.   Luckily we woke the next morning to glorious sunshine and despite there being no wind had a very happy day motoring our way to Treguier helped by a large atlantic swell that was so smooth it looked more like giant rolls of silk gently billowing across the sea.

British Underwear on Parade

Kite surfing school, Iles de Glenans

Now in Loctudy having had two glorious days in Iles de Glenans.  We arrived there in thick fog so were mightily relieved to anchor safely.    Two days of lazing, boat cleaning and general pottering.   Excitement came when the customs boat swooped on us.  Rich was comfortably lounging on the spinnaker bag wearing nothing more than his holey boxers.  I said I thought we were about to be boarded.  He thought I was joking.    Within seconds the customs boat was alongside with one guy face to face with my knickers drying on the guardrails, whilst Rich hastily struggled into his shorts.  They concluded their business very rapidly and let us off the 150 euro fine – “because the sun is shining”-  that we should have paid for our boat registration being 2 days out of date.  (In the heat of the moment we couldn’t find the in-date one that was lurking in the chart table).   Were we let off because of the sunshine?  Or too much Brit underwear?  We will never know.   Tomorrow we plan to meet Charles Style, who is heading south, to hand over charts/books etc.

Island hopping northwards

Pointing at the Arse of an Ass in Ars

Been shopping on Hoedic

A week in which we have either had no wifi or been too busy enjoying ourselves to find a hotspot.  La Rochelle was as far south as we got, from there we headed north to Ars en Re, on  Ile de Re (pronounced Arse) where we had a very happy time due to Libby & David Habershon who provided a great welcome.    We left saddlesore after biking 50km in an effort to ‘do’ the island in a day.  We have island hopped since, anchoring off Ile de Yeu where we spotted Jetstream moving further south – grrrr!  Hoedic, which reminded Rich of the Falklands, and Belle Ile, where we anchored last night in a fabulous cove.  After a rugged start to the day – grey, missly & F5 on the nose -  we are now basking in hot sunshine in Port Louis in L’Orient estuary (opp the WWII submarine pens) listening to French sea shanties being played on the harbour wall.

Port An Dro on Belle Ile

Smallest Street in the World

Ile de Re Bridge

Smallest St in the World

Arrived in Sables D’ Olonnes Thursday afternoon after a ‘simply horrid’ crossing from Ile de Yeu.   Large swell, confused sea and wind right on the nose.   First impression was Virginia Beach meets Beirut.  Something about so many apartment blocks shutters being closed gave it a bombed out look.   An explore of the old town, including squeezing down the smallest street in the world (shouldn’t have eaten that extra croissant),  the markets and  a bike ride out to the fabulous beaches and the salt flats and we have completely changed our minds, now thinking more Virginia Beach meets Dartmouth.  Anne & Anthony Morley (friends from USA) joined us on Friday evening which was v. jolly, particularly as the town had laid on a music festival – different bands playing all over town.  Now in La Rochelle after a very wet, but fast, sail.   We were met with ‘Le Port est complet…’ but have managed to tie ourselves up to a catamaran that is so huge that we aren’t sure we will be able to get back on board if we go ashore as her deck is so high!

Laundrettes, chutes & moules

En route to the Ile de Yeu

Disaster !  Our washing machine has died so we found ourselves this afternoon feeding coins into the laundrette washer & dryer.  Ouch!  Makes me realise how lucky I have been.    We arrived in Port Joinville on the Ile de Yeu yesterday, having had  a beautiful sail in sunshine from L’Herbaudiere (aka Herby Derby), with the cruising chute’s first outing since our disaster two years ago.   It worked a treat – a gentle rehabilitation for me.  Love this place – fabulous bike rides, small beaches and coves and no-one here – though judging by the warehouses stuffed to the rafters with bikes for hire, that all changes in July and August.   Also Rich has just had moules that scored a 10/10.   We will return!

Beavers & fishermen in floating chairs

Fishing on the Vilaine

A couple of lovely days up the Vilaine River with hardly another boat in evidence.  A chance to spend time birdwatching (loads – good to know the French haven’t shot them all) and to our delight we saw a kingfisher and a beaver in the same binocular view.  Rich described it as a ‘river badger’, but we decided it wasn’t a coypu as it had a fat tail – so we think definitely a beaver.   Our other sighting was of a fisherman in a small floating camouflaged ‘chair’.  To begin with we decided he was legless, but actually he had a wet suit on his bottom half and flippers.  Also had a fish finding sonar and an array of rods and hi-tech fishing paraphernalia.    Now enjoying the delights of Piriac – a very pretty village with a delightful Capitaine in charge of the marina.   

I'm not going to mention the rain...

Misty Morning on the Vilaine River

Now in the beautiful Vilaine River enjoying it’s peacefulness.   We’ve had time in the Isle de Glenans which are just gorgeous. The sun came out for a few hours and was actually warm enough for R to go topless and me strapless – a first this trip.   A sailing school was set up here after the last war run along French Resistance lines and 13,000 people a year now pass through it.   The latest group of youngsters were unloading their kit and supplies from a fishing boat – some of the girls looked rather incongruous with their wheelie suitcases and heels….  I have no doubt they will be knocked into shape by the end of the week.   Rich still enjoying (mostly) fixing things – the latest being the fresh water pump and our first puncture on a bike.

Loctudy is closed

Mending the hawse pipe

A happy Sunday afternoon sitting in Benodet Marina.   Rich has so far fixed the washing machine, mended the anchor hawse pipe, diagnosed the spluttering water pump problem and got the radio to work on LW again.    We didn’t mean to be here; we tied up to a buoy in Loctudy late last night having had a cracking sail in the sunshine from Camaret, joined fleetingly by dolphins.   This morning we were awoken by a huge engine noise which, when we popped our heads up thru the hatch like meerkats, turned out to be a 60m sand barge squeezing past us.    At that moment it became apparent as why no one else was on the outer moorings.  Feel lucky to have escaped unscathed.  A little while later the harbour master arrived to inform us that Loctudy was closed to visitors until July while they dredge the marina and would we please leave.   Heading to Iles de Glenans now....

    

Flooded heads

Yesterday saw us goose-winging all the way from Guernsey to the Iles de Batz.   A cool grey day until the evening whilst, I gather, the UK was basking in glorious sunshine.    Had an interesting time navigating the twists, turns & rocks of the Chenal de Batz as we were heading straight into the sun, so could see no colour on any buoys.    Found a sheltered anchorage and had quiet night with great sunset and no-one else around.   Today we had a good sail to L’Aber Wrach where we are plugged into power so the washing machine had it’s first spin of the  year.   Only I forgot to open the sink drain so the loo was totally flooded -  good fresh water wash out for the bilges?  Tomorrow we head through the Chenal du Four and onto Cameret.

Confused compass

Tuesday 4th June

A gorgeous still, sunny morning yesterday saw us motoring out past the needles & half way across the channel before the wind got up.   Then had fabulous sail past Alderney to Sark where we were the only boat in the anchorage last night.   Woke this morning to grey skies, but good wind so set sail for Trebeurden only to discover that our plotter’s compass was working backwards and the boat on the screen was going the wrong way!   Decided to be sensible and come into St Peter Port to sort it.    Rich has now fixed it, but we have missed the tide, so we get to enjoy the delights of a summer's day in Guernsey.  

One very happy man

Waiting at Hurst for the tide...

Sunday 2nd June

Our trip has started with a lovely, sunny weekend in the Solent for the Round the Island Race with Tori & Tris on board.  15,000 sailors took part yesterday and the record was smashed by 16 mins by Ben Ainslie - incredible.    We anchored at Hurst Castle and watched them all stream through towards the Needles in perfect conditions.  A quick trip up the Hamble to fetch a spare engine part (just in case) and then back to Yarmouth where masses of Old Gaffers were partying hard.   Actually I think it was Isle of Wight youth doing most of the partying - not a pretty sight.    We set sail for Guernsey tomorrow morning - weather looks good, though not much wind.  Now anchored back at Hurst ready for the off...... 

Round the Island Race at Hurst Castle

Getting ready....

One more day til we set sail on Nomad and I am surrounded by piles and a very long list.  Rich is down on the boat doing manly things, like oil changes & fixing the heads.    The garden is growing at a phenomenal rate, so today is Chelsea chop day when I will cut everything back in the wishful belief that it will then all be flowering beautifully when we return towards the end of July.

The outline plan is a leisurely explore of South Brittany and onto the Ile de Re where we hope to meet up with Libby & David Habershon.    We begin with a weekend in the Solent with Tori & Tristan to watch the Round the Island Race, before crossing the Channel on Monday - weather permitting.