Tag Archives: Brittany

Cruising

Leg 5 – Audierne to Port La Forêt – 25 June 2013

Leave a comment

The west Brittany coast is strewn with reefs, rocks and lighthouses
click to enlarge
With the sun daring to make one of her rare but welcome appearances during the summer months, Play d’eau and ship’s company waved au revoir to the small, unspoiled town of Audierne.

Audierne may not have the finest of marinas but it’s ‘real’. Wi-Fi may only be available from a bar on the quay front provided you keep drinking Cidre Pression (quel dommage), but when you have fresh croissants and baguettes and fresh local vegetables and fish only 200m away in the small covered market, does it really matter?

The nav plan

The plan was to leave Audierne as the tide fell and enter Port La Forêt as the tide rose again without , timing both so we didn’t fall foul of the sand bars at the entrances to both ports. It worked.

Bringing his catch home, a fisherman proudly displays a fine moustache
click to enlarge

Again, the sea was kind to us, keeping wonderfully flat and calm all the way with a wind never reaching more than a 4 knot NW’ly. Perfection for Play d’eau, not for yachts.

Port La Forêt

The first time we visited Port La Forêt was three years ago. We loved it then and we still love it.

As the piggy in the middle between Benodet and Concarneau, Port La Forêt tends to be bypassed by visitors. Such a shame since it’s a quiet yet vibrant marina with facilities way beyond the norm.

The France-Finistère training centre for the Figaro and 60′ single-hull races is based at Port La Forêt and some of the pontoons are especially wide for these single and multi-hull racing yachts.

Tecky details

A delight to behold
click to enlarge
0933hrs FST – Departed Audierne
1523hrs FST – Port La Forêt
Planned distance – 38.1nm
Longest leg – 13.0nm, Audierne to Men Hir on the Pointe de Penmarc’h peninsula

Tech problems – minor, annoying issues with the nav gear requiring investigation.

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

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

Macif, one of the 60′ racing mono-hulls based at Port la Forêt with its huge mast
click to enlarge
Looks like half the boat’s been cut off
click to enlarge
A giant’s cat’s cradle for kids to climb in the play area
click to enlarge
The Saveol 60′ racing mono-hull, one of many based at Port La Forêt
click to enlarge
Cruising

A Maritime history of Audierne, Brittany

Leave a comment

A Caravelle sailing vessel. There were 100 of these 60 tonners at Audierne
(click to enlarge)
We had no idea of the importance of Audierne and the sea – read on…

XVIth and XVIIth centuries

During the late XVIth and early XVIIth centuries, Audierne’s Breton sailors became known for their coastal navigation skills creating a commercial industry of almost a hundred 60 ton ‘Carvelle’ sailing vessels, all based in Audierne.

Merchants from all over Europe would hire these Carvelles, confident the crews with their knowledge of the narrow Breton channels would carry their goods safely.

The fortunes made by Audierne ship owners can be seen in the more opulent houses which remain to this day.

XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries

One of the magnificent houses built by an Audierne ship owner
(click to enlarge)
Later in the XVIIth century, French monarchy became involved in many wars hindering Audierne’s trade, and by the end of the XVIIIth century competition from the English and Dutch further diminished trade.

XIXth century

A maritime resurgence came in the XIXth century when sardine fishing became the new trade, growing to over 500 vessels supplying 20 canning factories, all based in Audierne.

Today

Today, there are no cargo vessels and no sardines and the number of fishing vessels has reduced considerably.

However, Audierne has diversified into shell fish, both farmed and fished and has a large processing plant standing halfway along the estuary. The output is huge and Audierne is now a major supplier throughout France of lobster, crayfish, scallops, brown and spider crab and langoustine.

Audierne’s shell fish processing plant
(click to enlarge)
Piers
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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

Cruising

Leg 4 – Camaret to Audierne – 20th June 2013

4 Comments

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.

Cruising

Goodbye cabin fever – hello Brittany!

7 Comments

Play d’eau
in St Peter Port, Guernsey at the start of our summer cruise around Brittany
click to enlarge
At last!

After I don’t know how many weeks of staring at weather forecasts, the skies and sea states, we have started our summer cruise – just four days before mid-summer’s day.

Waiting had caused Cabin Fever to set in to the point it had almost become Cabin Rot. Endless delays had been caused by high winds and tracing the last of the gremlins in the new electronics.

But now it’s goodbye Cabin Fever, hello Brittany.

Summer Cruise Leg 1

So today we positioned Play d’eau from Beaucette Marina to St Peter Port to take advantage of catching the tide early tomorrow morning (18 June) for the 12 hour journey to L’Aber Wrac’h on the north west coast of Brittany.

The St Peter Port water taxi
fondly known as the ‘St Peter Port exocet missile’
click to enlarge
The next day (19 June) we plan to take the Chenal du Four and Raz de Sein bound for the pretty, little marina, at Audierne. After that, who knows?

When will we be back?

Our plans are to cruise the west coast of Brittany followed by the north coast as well. How long will we be away? Who knows – maybe we’ll be back in September, maybe October. We’re retired now, so it doesn’t matter.

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

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