8am this morning, and endless black clouds and high winds assail us click to enlargeOwn up – who turned our brilliant weather off?
The 6 weeks following our departure from Audierne on 12th June have been utterly glorious. Sun cream by the gallon (well, not quite), calm seas and blue skies, all courtesy of a friendly Azores high pressure system spreading its wings over Play d’eau. It was perfect.
But the moment John and Beryl left nine days ago, we’ve had thunder storms and high winds created by an endless march of depression after depression which have won the battle and sent the high pressure running.
Where now?
Good question. So far we’ve been holed up in Les Sables d’Olonne for six days and the first weather window seems to be next Thursday. If so, we’ll have been in Les Sables for nine days when we only intended one.
Our plan had been to visit Île d’Yeu, Pornic, Roche Bernard in the La Vilaine River, anchor off one of the beautiful, small islands of the Quiberon Peninsula, moving onto Lorient, the Glénans archipelago known as the Breton Tahiti, and finally Port la Fôret before heading for Camaret on the Finistère Peninsula on or around 9th August.
Looking further into the forecasts brings even more depressions. Growl.
Battle plan
Well, two can play at this weather game. So, planning for the worst, rather than seven stops en route to Camaret with time off to play at each, we’ll do it in three. Pornichet, Lorient and Sainte Marine, taking any available weather window.
Meanwhile, if another high pressure graces us with its presence and banishes the depressions, we’ll stay and play. If it doesn’t, at least we know ‘the plan’.
You see, there’s always next year….
Piers and Lin
from the Meteorological Observatory of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
Our ‘inaccessible by land’ river pontoon at La Roche Bernard. The only other habited boat moored alongside us click to enlargeWe’d had a brilliant six days at La Roche Bernard, not the least because we met Chris and Sue of Yacht Aquitaine again, whom we’d first met in Vannes.
The forecast was good but reality was to prove very different for our journey to Lorient.
En route to Arzal lock
0530 and the alarm woke us from a deep sleep. As I struggled to prise my eyes open I was thinking of good reasons not to go, but a strong cup of coffee from Lin soon put paid to the ideas.
Stepping out of the saloon to sniff the weather, total cloud cover drew blinds on any light from the night sky; so different from the previous night when clear sky allowed a huge full moon and countless stars to light the valley as clear as daylight. A NW F2 breeze ruffled wavelets in the river. The air felt damp. Silence was being broken as terns woke and began chirruping the first calls of the morning.Before dawn broke, the FLIR thermal image showed three yachts on mooring buoys and the Roche of La Roche Bernard behind them click to enlargeThe plan was to leave La Roche Bernard at 0700, head downstream to Arzal and take their first lock of the day at 0800.
Our 200m river pontoon was home to only one other inhabited boat which had chosen to be immediately next door to us. Wanting to be quiet we waited until 0640 to crane the dinghy onto the saloon roof. In the remnants of the night’s cloak the crane’s motor screamed as it lifted ‘T/T Play d’eau’ at which point the yacht’s two man crew popped out of the cabin, thanked us for the alarm call and made ready to cast off for the same lock as ourselves.
The nav plan
Today there were no pinch points to worry about and the plan was straight forward. As long as the weather played its part, or more accurately, as long as the forecasters were on our side, there’d be no problems at all.
The weather
The forecasts and synoptic charts showed the wind being N/NW F4 becoming N/NE F4/5 as the fronts passed.
This would be perfect and coincide with our plan to traverse the Teignouse channel through the reef at the base of the Quiberon peninsula, separating the Baie de Quiberon from the Atlantic Ocean.At the Arzal sluice barrier the Cormorants were waiting for breakfast click to enlargeGiven we’d be on a 1kt falling tide (helping us along), the NE’ly meant the wind wouldn’t be against us. If it had been it would have created a classic wind against tide scenario, building waves and swell, made worse as the sea funnelled through the channel over the reef.
The journey
As dawn’s light began to penetrate the clouds, we cast off, bid La Roche Bernard farewell and meandered gently downriver to Arzal’s Lock where we waited only ten minutes before it opened and allowed us to enter.
About an hour after leaving the lock and wending our way to the sea, it seemed the wind was probably a notch stronger than forecast but nothing worth being concerned about in the least.
Three and a half hours later as we neared the Quiberon peninsula, Lin and I had been urging the wind to be as forecast but it stubbornly refused to budge. As if to dig its heels in and show just how belligerent it could be, it backed to W’ly and increased to top end F5 and edged into F6.Waiting for the lock gates to open to let us out to the tidal part of La Vilaine river click to enlargeThis created a 1½ mile stretch of somewhat challengingly large and steep waves over the reef giving Lin and I the dubious pleasure of one moment seeing the sky, the next the ocean floor, then the sky again and the ocean floor again, as Play d’eau rode the bronco for the next fifteen minutes.
Once through the reef and heading NW to Lorient, the sea calmed to a gentle Atlantic swell and we could breathe again.
A blessing
Nearing Lorient and some three miles east of Île de Groix, we espied a flock of cormorants swimming on the water, which, on closer inspection was a small school of dolphins, playing and jumping! How brilliant was that?
Our unpleasant memories of the Teignouse channel roller-coaster just evaporated.
Arriving
Halfway to Lorient, the sea behind us was agitated and the remnants of a front hung over a lone yacht click to enlarge
The entrance to Lorient is a really narrow 135m wide from zero contour to zero contour. Since it was absolute low tide it was even less. Traffic was reasonably dense in both directions with many yachts and small fishing craft. To keep ‘in the flow’ Play d’eau was at idle and 5 knots. Sensibly, sail boats were pulling their sails down before entering the channel and running in under power.
There had to be one…
But there had to one, didn’t there, who insisted on entering the channel under sail alone. Not a problem in itself, but a potential problem. He’d been overtaking other boats and was now some 75m on my port side. All was well until the high walls of the ramparts to our starboard took his wind whereupon he immediately turned straight for me.
Nearing the Lorient entrance we kept to starboard ready to take the next channel to Port Louis I pulled all power off hoping he’d pass in front. Turning to starboard wasn’t an option; I was already as far to starboard as possible ready to turn into the next channel for Port Louis marina. click to enlargeTurning to port would have hit him. Engaging reverse power would have taken far too long to effect Play d’eau’s 35 tonnes of inertia, as would increasing forward power to accelerate. Even with fresh wind in his sails he kept on coming straight for me. Coming into ear shot he shouted ‘Give way! Sail!’.
What could I do? Evaporate? Almost hitting us and just before going about, he shouted, ‘You should plan and anticipate. We have sail.’
I felt like bellowing ‘9b’ (sail doesn’t have right of way in a narrow channel where a craft is restricted in its ability to manoeuvre) but was so stunned at his arrogance, I didn’t. It should have been he who planned and anticipated, not me. Where’s the Gattling gun when you most need it?
However, in complete contrast, a delightful and welcoming girl from the Capitainerie came out in a dory to greet us and shepherd us to our berth. Just as earlier with the dolphins, it’s so good that a blessing can ameliorate a growl-inducing event.
Peace descended, and we forgave the forecasters.Port Louis the next morning. Peace reigned as dawn broke click to enlarge
The tecky details
Departed La Roche Bernard – 0710
Arrived Arzal lock – 0754
Departed Arzal lock – 0824
Arrived Port Louis – 1534
Time on passage – 8hr 24min
Total planned distance – 55.3nm
Longest leg – 17.8nm from Basse des Mats to NE Teignouse SHM
Tides – almost midway from Springs to Neaps
Tech issues – nil
Incidents – ‘There had to be one…’
Piers and Lin
From the Nav Table of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.
This pigeon rested on Play d’eau for ten hours gathering its strength before flying off click to enlargeHi Everyone.
We are about to head for the Brest peninsula to take advantage of the neap tides. This will involve us travelling from La Roche Bernard via Port Louis (Lorient), Port La Foret, Camaret and L’Aber Wrac’h, in the next few days.
Of course, if the weather and sea state prevent this happening, we’ll have plenty of time to update the site.
Hence, if there are no posts please forgive us. There’re many sea miles to cover with little time off, leaving even less time for the fun of updating the website.
However, as soon as we can, we will resume normal service.
Piers and Lin
From the Saloon of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.
When this year began we had no idea some of the ‘firsts’ that would happen.Lin and our four boys. They won’t tell us the joke they’re sharing…. click to enlargeIn October 2012 we spent a week in Guernsey making sure we knew the practical details surrounding our move to the island in March 2013 where we’d live on Play d’eau in the privately owned Beaucette Marina.
The first first – Furniture
We could store all our furniture in Guernsey but would it fit when we bought a house? Instead, the decision was made (not easy) to keep only those pieces that were family ‘heirlooms’ or had ‘special reasons’. The rest could either be sold or given to our sons. Their choices and requests were mostly able to be met and thankfully there was no falling out over who had what!
So, Jan 22 2013 saw most of our furniture being collected to be sold at auction. The rest was to go to long term store in Guernsey.
We slept on our mattress on the floor; we started married life that way but on a different mattress, I hasten to add! It was not as easy to get off the floor to get out of bed, age was creeping up on us. Our garden tables and chairs were used indoors and one sofa was kept for comfortable sitting.
We culled our bits and pieces into what we needed and could use on the boat now, what we would use later, and gave the rest to charity shops or sold. We became ebay masters! The remainder would go into short term storage in Guernsey where we could access them, if necessary.
I found I had squirrelled away loads of toiletries when they had been on special offer – they will keep us going until at least next year!
Second first – Houseless
We had been renting a house in Chetnole, near Yeovil, since selling Orchard Gate in Nov 2011. Now we had to vacate and clean the rental property so moved into a holiday let at the other end of the village for a week. We left this on 9 March 2013.
Third first – the Fox
I took the first car (our little Fox) to Guernsey at the beginning of March 2013, taking the fast ferry from Poole and back later that day for Piers to collect me.
Fourth first – Snow
We ‘first’ departed the UK on 9 March 2013. Piers had to go to USA so he flew back the next day leaving me to hold the fort. The following day saw the island assailed by a blizzard. The wind was gale force north-east and the snow was horizontal. It was exciting yet daunting. Guernsey had not had such bad weather for over 50 years and the airport was closed for 2½ days.
Fifth first – Cessation
We are no longer employed. Piers had started Onaphone in 1979 making his first sale the next year. Later, the company name changed to du Pré plc. It was really strange being cessated by our own company! Our last day of employment was 21 March 2013.
Sixth first – Guernsey
It was 22 March 2013 and finally we arrived in Guernsey to live on the boat. The longest time we had holidayed on her in one stretch was 10 weeks in 2010. Now to live on her with our belongings and in the winter as well! Guernsey self-store has been brilliant for those things of which we have no immediate need.
Seventh first – A Fiancée
Toby, our youngest son, proposed to and was accepted by his girlfriend Amy. He did ask Mark, Amy’s dad, for permission, beforehand. They will marry in South Africa next April.
Eighth first – Piers was officially old
Piers was 65! We had a huge gathering of all the family in May – the weather was very good to us and brilliant memories will be cherished.
Ninth first – Exploration
We have been away exploring since June 18 and ventured further south than ever before. We reached Rochefort which is up the river Charente (south of La Rochelle) and a lovely place to visit. From there, we’ve started the return back north, visiting places we missed on the way down.
Tenth first – Another Fiancée
Adam, our third son, proposed to, and was accepted by Perdita. Wow, two future daughters-in-law in 4 months. So exciting for us all. How come this all happens when we are not in the UK?
We still have another 4 months of this year. How many more ‘firsts’ are there waiting for us?
Lin
From the Saloon of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.
The falling spring tide would bring today’s special challenges. The gorgeous 23m yacht Copihue left Pornic half an hour before us click to enlarge
La Vilaine River
La Roche Bernard is some 10nm up the beautiful La Vilaine river. Just beyond midway is the Arzal lock and the 1400 écluse would be perfect – if the planning allowed it.
The nav plan
The first challenge was the time to leave Pornic before the spring tide had fallen to a level where the silted marina approach channel would be too shallow for our safe exit to the Baie de Bourgneuf.
The second was the mouth of La Vilaine which has sand bar 2nm long at its ‘embouchure’ reducing depth only 0.5m above chart datum.
Planning showed that if we left Pornic as the latest safe time and kept our speed to 7kts (using one engine only to save servicing time) we’d arrive at the mouth to La Vilaine as the tide was on the rise giving us an extra 1.5m above chart datum. Adding that to the chart’s 0.5m would give 2m. Since Play d’eau’s draft is 1.52m, she’d have 48cms under her keel.We motored through a shoal (a wobble?) of these huge 2′ diameter jelly fish click to enlargeWell, that was the theory which we knew would be subject to many factors such as additional silting, atmospheric pressure, wind effect and so on, but we could test this as we approached the mouth by monitoring chart soundings against the depth sounder. Dead slow at this point just in case.
The weather
A NE F3, clear skies and excellent visibility greeted us when we woke at 0630. Even if the wind had been much stronger it wouldn’t have mattered since the land would be there to protect us.
Preparation included Lin going to the Capitainerie to use their wi-fi (wee-fee) to download emails only to find the Capitainerie wasn’t open but the laundry was. Perching the laptop on the washing machine – ‘le wee-fee marshed’ as they say in French.
The journey
Lin took Play d’eau off her berth at our ETD of 0754 and manoeuvred her towards the entrance. A sharp turn to starboard took us into the approach channel, the depth was just right, and we were into the Baie de Bourgneuf.Approaching Arzal lock, about half way from the sea to La Roche Bernard click to enlargeTravelling close to the Jade Coast our journey took us past the Pointe de St Caldas and into the Grande Rade de La Loire.
Crossing the approach channel to St Nazaire Lin was reminded of her Dad’s involvement on the raid on the lock gates of the Normandie dry dock in WW2. He was on the hunter destroyer, HMS Atherstone, and his account of the Atherstone’s involvement differs significantly from that in the text books….he lived to tell the tale and have five children, one of which, of course, was Lin.
From Point du Croisic with its shoal of jelly fish (or is it a ‘wobble’?) to Piriac-sur-Mer, we passed the small bird sanctuary and mussel farms of Île Dumet to port before heading for the mouth of La Vilaine.
The whole journey was so, so pretty.
’Bonjour La Vilaine’
At her shallowest point, La Vilaine’s sand bar gave us 1m clearance below Play d’eau’s keel. We thanked her.We entered the Arzal lock stopping before the lifting bridge took our mast off! click to enlargeLa Vilaine is a beautiful river. Leaving the mussel farms behind and the dark green tree lined banks ahead, we wove our way towards the lock at Arzal.
Arzal Lock
The timing worked. The lock was open as we approached and the lights were green. We entered, stopping before the road bridge which spanned the lock. We looped the hanging chains with our warps and a few minutes later we began the 2m rise.
Given Play d’eau’s air draft, the lifting bridge was raised and we exited.
Arriving
The next 4nm to La Roche Bernard reminded us of the beauty of La Sein when we cruised to Paris in Play d’eau in 2004. For sake of repeating ourselves, the river’s beauty has to be seen to be believed. The lifting bridge had to be raised before we were able to exit the lock click to enlargeGiven our length we had to moor on the visitor’s pontoon which itself is moored in the river. Access to the shore is by a small dory and pulling a rope on a pulley system. The 200m journey takes for ever, is hugely exhausting but the macho in a chap prevents fatigue from showing.
The tecky details
Departed Pornic – 0754
Arrived Arzal lock – 1355
Departed Arzal lock – 1415
Arrived La Roche Bernard – 1448
Time on passage – 6hr 54min
Total planned distance – 45.8nm
Tides: Spring
Longest leg – 11.9nm from SE Lambarde SCM to Pointe du Croisic
Tech issues – nil
Incidents – nil
Navigational info: La Vilaine carries considerable amounts of silt, mainly mud. The marker buoys are moved often to reflect this, and the chart bears no relation to reality.
Piers and Lin
From the Nav Table of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.La Vilaine river between Arzal and La Roche Bernard click to enlarge
La Vilaine river between Arzal and La Roche Bernard click to enlargeLa Vilaine river between Arzal and La Roche Bernard click to enlargeVedettes ply La Vilaine click to enlargeThere are some lovely houses on La Vilaine click to enlargeThe dory links the pontoon with the shore. You pull on the rope and pull yourself along – exhausting! click to enlarge
These were the voyages of Piers and Lin du Pré aboard their Fleming 55
