Leg 9 – Île d’Yeu to Les Sables d’Olonne – 11 July 2013

The forecast was right. The NE’ly had reached F5 again. Looking over the harbour wall showed a mass of white. Masts of departing yachts were ‘bucking like broncos’ as they made headway with water cascading over their bows. I suspect that if I was a yachtsman, I’d be shouting, ‘Yee Ha!’ – or is that Dave of Yacht Akemi I hear?

Decision criteria

The chart of our planned SE’ly track to Les Sables d’Olonne
click to enlarge

So what was the pressure to leave? First, the forecast was continuing with NE’ly F5/F6 for the next five days; not good. Second, the national French swarm starts this weekend possibly precluding a future mooring; not good. Third, I want to take Lin to dinner on our (41st) wedding anniversary on 15 July and restaurants in Île d’Yeu leave everything to be desired. Fourth, we need to be in La Rochelle for the 26 July – a long time away, but still a pressure.

Looking afresh at the chart, our track would be SE meaning a beam sea, reducing the closer we inched (centimetred?) to the mainland. That would be OK given we have stabilisers. So the main ‘nasty’ would be the first 1.3nm as we left Port Joinville whilst heading NE straight into wind and swell to clear shallow ground before turning SE just south of the Basse Mayence NCM.

The SE corner of Ile d’Yeu. Why don’t photos ever show how rough it really is?
click to enlarge

The journey

By 1145 the wind had dropped to a mid-F4. Lin had rigged Play d’eau for ‘silent running’ (everything stowed and battened down) so we left.

Between the breakwaters we began to experience the head seas. Once out of the breakwaters and heading straight into the wind and swell, it become ‘exciting’ but in no way fearful. Play d’eau is just brilliant. Sea spray was flying everywhere!

Just to make the point, five of the yachts we’d seen leave earlier that morning had turned around and were returning….

Once we’d turned SE, the ride became manageable, and the more the journey progressed the more the seas quietened and the ride became enjoyable.

Port Garnier, Les Sables d’Olonne
click to enlarge

Arriving

Arriving at Les Sables d’Olonne was ease itself. Although the wind had risen to F6 it was from over the land so the sea was flat. We radioed Quai Garnier, were given a berth, and we moored up. Simples.

Play d’eau was covered in salt from the seas we’d taken. We’ll give her a good soapy bath in the morning.

The tecky details

1226 FST – Departed Port Joinville, Île d’Yeu
1646 FST – Arrived Les Sables d’Olonne
Planned distance – 29.7nm
Longest leg – 22.4nm – Basse Conche to the Petite Barge SCM
Tech issues – Stbd engine, small oil leak detected from the gearbox into the flywheel housing

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

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