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Cruising

Leg 18 (2015) – Sainte Marine to Camaret

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The day we left, the dawn sun was glowing through the milky cloud
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Please excuse the lack of photos in this posting – read on and you’ll see why.

We’ve never, ever been in such threatening seas.

Leaving Sainte Marine under a grey and cloudy sky, we headed south with a calm wind onto a flat sea, amongst many yachts. Soon we were heading into a slow, smooth swell which I have to say was rather enjoyable, even soothing.

‘The remnant of yesterday’s swell,’ I said knowingly to Lin.

Before I continue with the story, please excuse the lack of photos. The seas made it almost impossible to take any.

Penmarc’h Peninsula

Turning west to start the long passage around the Penmarc’h Peninsula we were joined by two 14m Dutch yachts out of Port Loctudy, forming a 7½kts cruise in company.

As the swell slowly increased, Lin retired to the saloon to take a Kwell and lie down. Having been in worse conditions around Start Point and Le Cap de la Hague, I was happy to continue. The positive was that the wind remained calm.

At least we had two yachts keeping Play d’eau company for encouragement.

When to abort?

As we were leaving, Yacht Popoff came in. Great name…
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After an hour our companion yachts were half disappearing in the troughs and I was at the point of making the decision to abort and return to Sainte Marine. The swell was now a fairly steep 4 metres.

The issue, though, was how to turn around? Crest to crest was far less than my turning circle and I certainly didn’t want to present Play d’eau broadside to this swell during a turn.

I tussled in my mind. Can it really get much worse? The wind was still calm and the yachts were still with us.

Turning NW

Reaching the westerly point of the Peninsula, the swell was at its worst. By now the yachts and their masts were disappearing in the troughs leaving only their VHF antennas visible. Quite a sight to behold. But I’d be telling an untruth if I said I was enjoying it.

Heading north west for the Raz de Sein, the first encouraging sign was the cloud clearing and the sun coming out. The second encouraging sign was the wind staying calm. The third encouraging sign was that the swell slowly, very slowly, starting to subside.

It took two hours before the swell had settled back to its initial gentle, acceptable rhythm and with no wind, the sea was quite glassy yet at times it looked as though it would shiver and come out in goose bumps. A strange sight.

Play d’eau motored out of Sainte Marine amongst a procession of departing yachts
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Later, Lin told me that when she’d woken, she’d looked out of the saloon windows, seen the sea towering above her at which point she decided denial was the best reality, closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

We mused whether a Kwell thrown into the sea would help have settled it. Maybe not.

Raz de Sein

The plan had been to enter the Raz at slack. Annoyingly, the tide turned some 30 minutes before the Admiralty tide tables and pilot books stated. More lumpy seas? Pah! Used to them now.

Ten yachts and Play d’eau converged on the Raz, yet I have to say that the transit itself was a bit of a non-event.

(Note to self: Remember the 30 minute tidal error error for next time)

Last leg

It took two hours to cross the Baie de Morgat before we arrived in Camaret where we took the last parking slot. We were both somewhat weary.

Two trip highlights

During the last four hours, four separate pods of dolphins came to play with Play d’eau. A wonder to behold and a thankful distraction.

A sunfish with its fin flopping side to side in the air, passed just a few feet away from us. It rolled slightly on its side so we could see eye to eye almost as though it wanted to say something.

Dinner out

The final highlight was dinner. Being so tired, we walked to the nearby Restaurant of the small Hotel Vauban where we ordered large pressions whilst looking at the short menu. Piers chose Melon Soup followed by Mackerel whilst Lin chose baked camembert with honey followed by moules.

Every moment spent waiting to be served was worth it. Each of the dishes was inspired, unexpected and obviously cooked fresh. This chef loves cooking!

A great way to end an ‘interesting’ day’s cruising.

Met data

Sainte Marine: Calm, cloudy, good.
Forecast sea state: Calm, with a slight swell.
Reality: An horendous swell.
Camaret: Calm, clear, good

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 6 August 2015
Departed Sainte Marina: 1005
Arrived Camaret: 1720
Pinchpoint: Raz de Sein
Longest leg: 22.3nm
Time en route: 7hr 15min
Planned distance: 57.1nm

Tech issues: None.

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

Cruising

Leg 17 (2015) – Lorient to Sainte Marine

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An aerial pic showing the entrance to Lorient is guarded by the Citadel
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The forecast knew it, we knew it, and it was – lumpy.

But well worth it to reach Sainte Marine from which we can judge the attack on the Finistère Peninsula. Camaret, L’Aber Wrac’h and Roscoff, here we come.

Time off

We’ve always liked Port Louis. It’s a small, ancient town built to defend the entrance to Lorient’s inland sea. The marina is really well protected and has had a complete make-over during the last few years.

More of this when I publish a separate report on Port Louis marina.

Our neighbour was a lovely 1976 Nicolson 39 ketch, a twin masted, beautifully built yacht, called Galloper. We had a great evening with its owners, Dave and Lorna, before we each went our own way to eat out, only to find we were booked into the same Crèperie!

Au revoir Port Louis

The forecast was a SE4 with a southerly 1½m swell thrown up by a depression swirling around in the Atlantic. Well, the wind would be behind us and the swell shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

With Piers on warps, Lin took Play ‘deau off her berth soon after sunrise. Exiting the narrow entrance Play d’eau came face to face with two commercial ships, one large trawler, a high speed Pilot boat, a yacht and a tug. Pah! Nothing to Skipper Lin.

En route

We had a great evening with Dave and Lorna of yacht Galloper
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The forecast was spot on although the swell was more from the SW than the S, and at times was parallel to us, making the stabilisers work overtime although the ride wasn’t the comfiest we’d ever had.

The wind stayed pretty constant, hovering between a SE4 and SE5. The swell was as forecast with the added attraction (is that the right word?) of some wave slop on top.

Coast Guard

‘Play d’eau, Play d’eau, ici Cross Étel, à vous.’

Was that for us or was there another Play d’eau around? I waited, ready to growl if ‘another Play d’eau’ dared respond. None did. ‘Cross Étel,’ I answered trying to sound authoritative. ‘Ici Play d’eau.’

A stream of French followed. The only part I understood was, ‘…à vous.’ ‘Pardon,’ I said, ‘Je suis Anglais. Je ne comprend pas.’ ‘Play d’eau, this is Cross Étel. Mr Duhait wants you to know he will greet you in Sainte Marine this afternoon.’

That’s the second time Alain’s managed to persuade the Coast Guard to call me! How does he do it? Maybe it’s a member of his Jazz Band?

Sainte Marine

Casting off at 0700, we exited the marina and passed the Lorient waterbus as the sun was rising
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Entering the channel into the River Odet, Sainte Marine is on the east side with Benodet on the west.

The tide was in a full 4kt ebb creating significant standing waves in the narrow ½nm long channel. Dodging between tacking yachts, capsized windsurfers, small capsized catamarans, large catamarans seemingly taking up the rest of the channel, the lifeboat (no-one wearing lifejackets) that squeezed between us and small yacht, not to mention the exposed rocks in the middle of the channel, Play d’eau motored sedately, elegantly and gloriously between them all to be met by the Harbour Master and escorted to her berth.

When next?

When is the question, not where. We will either make for Camaret tomorrow (Thursday) or the next day, depending on how muich the swell dies down and the wind become favourable for the passage through the Ra de Sein.

Watch this space….

Met data

Trawlers take no prisoners – speed and wake come second to selling their catch
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Lorient: SE4, clear, good.
Sea state: 1½m south westerly swell, at times SE5
Sainte Marine: SE4, cloudy, good

Nav data

Times are FST.

Date: 5 August 2015
Departed Lorient: 0700
Arrived Sainte Marine: 1155
Pinchpoint: The tidal flow when entering Sainte Marine
Longest leg: 17nm
Time en route: 4hr 55min
Planned distance: 61.6nm

Tech issues: None.

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

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

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Cruising

Leg 19 – Sainte Marine to Camaret – 28 August 2013

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Sunrise over Sainte Marine
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The Brest peninsula is the gateway twixt Brittany’s west and north coasts around which the Atlantic rushes in its desperate attempt to reach the North Sea before time is called for it to turn around and dash back some six hours later.

Pinch points

The peninsula has two pinch points through which it’s sensible, if not vital, to pass at just the right time to avoid meeting unpleasant seas – the Raz de Sein and Chenal du Four.

Get it right and both are as placid as can be. Get it wrong and there’s many a heart stirring video on You Tube to demonstrate just how nasty they can be.

The best plan is to take them during a period of neaps (least water volume flowing between high and low tide), slack tide (movement of the sea changing direction and is virtually stationary for a short time), and calm wind (so the sea isn’t whipped up).

The chart showing Play d’eau and the start of the route to Camaret
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The Raz de Sein (pronounced Ra de Senn) would be the pinch point in today’s planning.

The nav plan

It was only two days before neaps which ticked one box. Slack tide in the Raz would be at 0946 or 1601 and since it would take some seven hours to reach the Raz, we chose 1601. That ticked the second box.

Aided by the Admiralty Tidal Steam Atlas for the west coast of France (NP265), we worked backwards arriving at a departure time from Sainte Marine of 0902.

The weather

Sainte Marine was calm with clear skies and good visibility. The forecast wind for the Raz de Sein was N’ly F3 thereby ticking the third and last box.

We followed two small fishing boats as we left the estuary and motored into the bay
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‘Perfick,’ as Pop Larkin would say in the Darling Buds of May.

The journey

It started as one of those rare sunny days. Nil wind had encouraged the sea to look like silken glass. Not a ripple nor even a ‘riplet’, and with a distant haze it was hard to distinguish the horizon between sea and sky. Surreal.

We left the marina following some small fishing boats out of the estuary and into the bay.

After hours of glorious cruising the journey through the Raz presented Play d’eau with only a slight chop created from a N’ly F3 blowing over the slack tide.

However, as soon as we through, the wind obviously wanted to annoy us and increased to F5 and joined forces with the Atlantic swell on our port beam to create an uncomfy but not horrid, corkscrewing motion for the next hour. Hmmm.

A silken flat calm sea with the horizon barely distinguishable
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Engine overheat

As if to compound this movement, soon after we rounded the Raz de Sein, the port engine water temperature rose from its normal 160F to 210F.

Leaving the engine idling in neutral, Lin took control as I disappeared into the engine room armed with our ‘point and shoot’ thermometer to compare the main cooling elements of both engines. I could find no significant difference. The most likely cause was a faulty instrument, yet that might prove to be too easy an answer.

Playing it safe, we shut the engine down, only starting it as we entered Camaret to aid manoeuvring. It showed no signs of overheating.

Arriving

As we turned east around Pointe du Toulinguet on the final leg to Camaret, the sea quietened to its original flat calm and we arrived in Camaret in hot sunshine.

Entering the Raz de Sein keeping both La Plate (left) and La Vieille to starboard
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A hour later, Brian of yacht Morning Spirit, with whom we’d previously had such a great evening in Pornic, pulled into Camaret as well.

The tecky details

Departed Sainte Marine – 0902
Arrived Camaret – 1746
Time on passage – 8hr 44min
Total planned distance – 57.4nm
Tides: 2 days before Neaps
Longest leg – 22.4nm from Cap Caval WCM to Pointe La Plate WCM

Tech issues – port engine cooling overheat, cause unknown.

Navigational info: Take the Raz de Sein at neaps, slack water and a wind below F3.

Piers and Lin
From the Nav Table of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

The coast guard’s HQ on the Pointe-de-Toulinguet
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Question: Which Boulangerie will win the great Croissant Competition this cruise? Watch this space….

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Cruising

Leg 18 – Port Louis to Sainte Marine – 26 August 2013

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Play d’eau catches the early morning sun at Port Louis
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This was a perfect journey. So gentle, so beautiful.

Why Sainte Marine when we had planned for one our favourite marinas, Port La Fôret? Vendée Globe racing yachts had filled the marina leaving no room to spare for Play d’eau, but Sainte Marine opened their arms to us.

The nav plan

Todays’ cruise had no pinch points. The wind would be from the N and NE and we’d be fully protected from it by the land.

The weather

A good forecast became reality. No complaints.

The journey

So we left Port Louis in warm, full sunshine with clear skies above and the N’ly wind behind us. We reversed from our mooring between the pontoon and the trawlers, turned to starboard and headed into the calm water of Lorient harbour.

Dawn was still breaking as we reversed between the pontoon and the trawlers
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The journey was uneventful apart from one trawler returning to its home port and one small fishing boat. We suspect neither had seen us, being too intent on counting their catches. Being once bitten twice shy, both had five blasts and altered course immediately – Kahlenbergs work really well!

Arriving

Arrival was simplicity itself. A call on Canal Neuf giving a five minute warning and one of the Capitainerie’s dory’s was by our side to show us to our mooring. So helpful.

Looking around, we’d forgotten the area is so pretty and delightful. Sainte Marine is on the west side of the river Odet, Benodet on the east side.

Motor Cruiser Tranquil Light

Would you believe, a boat we’d first met at Sainte Marina three years ago, and which had seen us seen in Port Haliguen was moored in front of us.

Martin and Joyce and their Prestige 46 Tranquil Light
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Martin and Joyce of Tranquil Light, a Jenneau Prestige 46, had been cruising the west coast of France since May and are only now on their way home.

Martin brewed a luscious Cappuccino and Joyce presented some great mini-macaroons. We know who to visit for elevenses, afternoon tea, after dinner, hmmm – anytime….

The tecky details

Departed Port Louis – 0931
Arrived Sainte Marine – 1511
Time on passage – 5hr 40min
Total planned distance – 35.0nm
Longest leg – 17.0nm from Les Trois Pierres to Corn-Vas WCM
Tides: Midway twixt Springs to Neaps
Tech issues – nil
Incidents – nil
Navigational info: The river Odet flows at 4kts at springs which catches so many boaters unaware when mooring.

Piers and Lin
From the Nav Table of
Play d’eau

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

The trawler that altered course 70 degrees to avoid us. Kahlenbergs work brilliantly
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Sheer beauty
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