18th June L’Aberwrac’h – Camaret Sur Mer
Depart 1300 – Arrive 2000. Distance 35nm
I was feeling excited about today – the round of the corner of N Brittany and down through the Chenal Du Four – the first big tidal gate. The weather for once had turned in my favour with an Easterly around 15-16kts and a blue sky. The main sail was hoisted whilst on the buoy with the boat naturally pointing into wind. The a sail down the channel at a leisurely 5kts towards the entrance. The timing for the Chenal du Four was to leave L’Aberwrac’h HW Brest -0130, with HW Brest at 1440 there was little point departing before 1300. There were around 5-6 boats all leaving around the same time and there ended up being a line of us heading towards Camaret.
The wind was just off the starboard stern of the boat – so not quite a dead run and I was able to fly the jib as well as the main. It was back out to Libenter and then a course of around 260deg towards Grande Basse de Portsall which I jibed just inside of to put the wind port side before sailing passed Le Four Lighthouse managing to keep up a 5kt pace. There seemed to be two tactics for taking the route south with some boats going further West and turning down the channel and others, like myself keeping relatively close in to cut down the distance. We both ended up a the bototm of the channel at the same time. I was a little early but the sea was calm and with the breeze we kept up a good speed.
From Le Four Lighthouse it was a course of 190deg until you picked up the buoys in the lower part of the channel. Just off L’Aber Ildut the wind started to die and in order get through the lower part where the tide turned earlier than in the North, I motor sailed. The weather was still good but the skies began to close in and visibility started to get poorer. By the time we reached Saint Mathieu there was a persistent and heavy fine rain. The sort of rain that gets through every single seam of your clothing. Visibility was now very poor and there was no wind of any value. From rounding Saint Mathieu it was still a couple of hours to cross the bay to Camaret which was hidden behind a headland. Another flog but a wet one!
There was a row of boats line astern by now – all looking forward to getting in. I had rigged the baot for starboard side to and hoped to get on the inside of the long wave breaker. I had a quick look and the only space available was between two boats, one of which was a large French classic wooden motor boat. With the weather there was no-one leaping ashore looking to take my lines – so I reversed out and picked up a buoy.
Early the following morning the harbour master came across and offered to lend a hand to get me in as many of the boats had left early to go south – so eventually was I able to set foot on land.
Purrfect Tale 