Leg 5 (2015) – Port la Fôret to Port Haliguen

A serenade, flat seas, hot sun, dolphins, the ‘joy’ of falling into the middle of a yacht race in crowded waters, and just a touch of sunburn.

The last supper

To celebrate such a brilliant time in Port la Fôret of jazz, more jazz, meeting friends and being in such a beautiful area, we decided to eat out.

With cidre de maison on the table (2 bottles and pottery mugs) at the eccentric Crêperie Quartier d’été we ordered the day’s special: Crèpe Arlette, a gorgeous concoction with fromage de chèvre, confit de cidre, maison salade, et noise. Supremely delicious.

(Maison Salade – begs the question of when will the rest of the world learn how to serve and dress salad rather than just depositing two bits of tomato, a limp lettuce leaf and a sad slice of cucumber on a plate, undressed, with the temerity to call it a garnish?)

To follow we indulged in Crèpe d’Happy, a crèpe froment with green apple sorbet and manzana (wild apple) liqueur. Although we felt full we just had to have another but this time we chose crèpes froment with just sugar and lemon.

Is your mouth watering yet?

Au revoir Port la Fôret

A fine, clear, calm day greeted us. Over a coffee (tea for Lin) we checked the weather and prepared for a 9am departure. Slipping the lines we gentled our way to a glassy flat sea which at times sparkled in the sun.

Leaving the pierhead we became aware of – music. Looking back, we saw Alain, the jazz band’s trumpeter, serenading us! We waved, he waved (as much as anyone can with a trumpet to their mouth) and when he stopped I replied with my trumpets, the Kahlenbergs.

What a great send off.

En route

We hadn’t been travelling long before Lin shouted, ‘Dolphins!’ Out came the cameras as they played about a hundred metres away from us.

12 miles from Lorient we spotted an AIS target on our track. It was a Yacht race buoy. Soon, we’d counted 56 yachts racing out of Lorient to a distant buoy way out to our starboard.

Looking at Lin, I said, ‘When they reach that buoy they’ll turn and come for the buoy on our track. We’ll be there just when they arrive. Oh, Joy.’

There’s only on thing to do in these circumstances. Close your eyes and go into denial. Well, not quite, but it’s the thought that counts isn’t it? It must have been because rather than turn and head for us they turned the other way and headed away. Denial works – result!

Quiberon Peninsula

We either took the long way around the rocky outcrops, or we cut the corner and threaded our way through the shallows between the rocks in the En Toull Bras channel. It was only one hour after low tide and at its shallowest point which was also its narrowest point, we’d only have 1m below our keel.

Play d’eau aced it.

Nav data

Times are FST.

Departed Port la Fôret: 0900, 19 June 2015

Pinchpoints: None
Arrived Port Haliguen: 1535
Time en route: 6hr 35min
Planned distance: 52.9nm

Tech issues: None

Piers and Lin
from the Chart Table of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

(click on the photos below to enlarge, and use the left/right arrows)