About this site

Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003.

She was berthed in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands at N49° 30’.197 W002° 30’.350 until she was sold in October 2021.

This site charts the thrilling adventures they had in her.

You can contact us here.

Where’s Play d’eau?

If the new owners have the AIS on, you can find where Play d'eau is right now.

Click here.

Zoom in and our position will be shown on a map.

Recent Posts

Leg 4 – Camaret to Audierne – 20th June 2013

La Vieille lighthouse 0.2nm NE of La Plate in the Raz de Sein
click to enlarge

Well, the wind screamed through yacht rigging and it poured with rain during the night but by 6am it had exhausted itself and become a reducing F4 with misty drizzle. By the time we cast off at 1113 it was a mere NW’ly 2. Perfect Play d’eau weather.

The nav plan

The ‘pinch point’ of the route was to be abeam La Plate WCM in the Raz de Sein at 1415 when the tide would be slack as it changed from north- to south-going. Given the wind was forecast NW F3, the passage through the Raz should pose no problems.

As soon as we emerged from the protection of the marina the wind began to pick up and for most of the journey to the Raz we had a WNW F5 with a 2m+ Atlantic swell on our beam causing Play d’eau to ‘loolop’ (a special Play d’eau technical term…) creating white caps on the coffee. The stabilisers worked hard.

Interestingly, the two hour journey to La Plate was more tiresome than the transit of the Raz itself. Maybe because the Raz was at slack, maybe it was the westerly wind. But it certainly wasn’t the tyrant it can be.

La Plate West Cardinal Marker in the Raz de Sein
click to enlarge

Passing La Plate at 1412 (three minutes early: note to self – must try harder) we turned east towards Audierne with the wind and swell behind us. A gentle and lovely ride.

Audierne

Our AA guide tells us Audierne used to have a great fishing fleet travelling to Africa to catch tuna. Nowadays its fishermen concentrate on crustacia, lobsters, crab and langoustines.

Arriving

Arriving in Audierne was great fun. The marina is 1nm up the river, reached by a dredged channel which is narrow, and I mean narrow, passing some 25m from the breakwater and 15m from the fishing wharf – narrower than Beaucette Marina’s entrance! Concentrating on the leading lines marked by fore-aft chevrons, it worked perfectly.

Having called the harbour master, he had a hammerhead ready for us. Remembering we were there three years ago almost to the day, he was on the pontoon to welcome us back. A lovely touch.

Round the Finistère corner

The last few days have meant early rises and long hours. Now, well and truly around the Finistère corner, the pressure’s off and we can saunter south to warmer climes as and when we feel like it.

As I write, it’s overcast, raining and chilly. Lin’s just reminded me it’s mid-summer’s day tomorrow, and Christmas is only 6 months and five days away; forever the cheer-leader!

This Gannet was swimming in the middle of the Raz de Sein with no concerns at all
click to enlarge

Tecky details

1113hrs FST – Departed Camaret
1537hrs FST – Audierne
Planned distance – 30.5nm
Longest leg – 11.8nm, Basse de Lis SCM to La Plate WCM
Tech problems – nil

Piers and Lin
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

Message to Gary – given langoustines are fresh every day, we’re going to make Langoustines bisque!

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

4 comments to Leg 4 – Camaret to Audierne – 20th June 2013

  • Dave Birch

    Great stuff to hear that you’ve made it ’round the corner and all down hill from here. Additionally, so pleased you managed to take the lovelly British weather with you, it’s almost tropical here!!!
    Audienne is such a delight as I remember it, and for you guy to have the harbour master remember you and greet you on a berth is simply wonderful, or to use a ‘peir-ism’, outrageous!!!!
    Have a great restful weekend
    Dave and Jen

  • Kim

    Congrats on breaking into the south from Formanda, currently stationed at 50N 5W above you! Sorry we couldn’t catch you up this time, we just had to console ourselves with Falmouth crab, hake and gurnard yesterday…

  • Dave Birch

    Hey Peirs,
    You mentioned using the AA guide, question is, is that the AA guide or the AA road maps? If the later, how do they compare to admiralty maps?!!!!

  • Hi Dave and Jen, we’ve found the admiralty maps too cluttered with things like contours. We find the Michelin road maps to be far easier to use….

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