After experiencing a crisis episode like we’ve never experienced before, normal (or almost normal) is back.
Normal? We might ask ourselves what normal is. At least in tourism. Is the normal of before still desirable? Others than me are in charge of broadcasting their opinion on the networks.
Normal for me is above all the free movement of people allowing them to come to me!
I’m starting as a trainer in a cruise school. My objectives are to introduce as many people as possible to the marine environment. Because the more people know, the more they protect. To make people aware of what we eat, how we travel, the hygiene products we use – often too many, whereas a simple soap is enough for everything -, the sun protection products that are harmful to the marine environment…
Sharing and discovering the ocean and its riches, that’s what I’m going to do during the whole season which will last until the end of October …
19 June – arrival by train of the 1st passengers
Hansjörg and his niece, Sophie, arrived by train from Basel, Switzerland. I picked them up at Vannes station to take them to the Bono, Toani’s anchorage. Once there, everyone boarded my dinghy. The atmosphere is already there!
Everyone takes possession of their cabins, puts away their belongings. I explain the work I’ve been doing this year, as Hansjörg has already been on the boat last year. The ultrasounds to overcome the biocidal antifouling paints (under test), the change of mast and companionway cover, the textile runners for lighter weight…
But that’s not the whole… Hansjörg only wants to sail! The goal of his stay: to sail 300 miles. That’s a lot for one week. We then leave in the evening, as the tide goes out, so that the current accompanies us towards the exit of the Gulf of Morbihan. Direction Quiberon.
This time we arrive at anchor around 10:30 pm, it is high time to eat (pasta!) and then rest.
A week of intensive sailing ...
1st day of sailing : On this Saturday morning, no sleeping in. We get up at 5 am. It stings!
Departure from the anchorage at 6 am, we take the road to Audierne. 12h30 of navigation and 80 miles covered. The wind was from South West. Mainsail and genoa out, Toani was making good progress.
We arrive at the anchorage at 6:30 pm. The sea is not the element of Sophie who stays in her cabin to rest. Tomorrow, the sailing day will be shorter so that we can walk a little on land.
For the evening meal: zucchini with feta cheese the Jean-Jacques way. The courgettes are half pan-fried, to remain slightly crunchy. They are served warm, seasoned with a marinade, lemon, olive oil, garlic, ginger, mint. It’s a success!
Day 2: After a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast (spelt bread with organic seeds made on the boat and “homemade” jams, fruit, sheep’s milk cheese, seeds of all kinds…), we leave. Direction Camaret this time. The weather is sunny and the wind is blowing. At the passage of the raz de Sein, it is eventful but nothing bad. The vest and harness are however strong. We pass quietly.
Arrival at 3:55 pm at the port of Camaret. We go ashore. A good ice cream is necessary! Back to the boat, Sophie wants to learn sculling. Great, let’s go!
After the initiation, I continue to let off steam before going to prepare the evening meal.
It was a good, busy and varied day.
Day 3: Sophie’s getting her color back after that shore leave yesterday. We have breakfast on Toani, with friends who live in Camaret and whom I met at the grape harvest at Olivier COUSIN, a “natural” winegrower based in Martigné-Briand in the Maine-et-Loire (49).
The start is a bit tense. The wind is blowing us against the quay. The situation makes it necessary to make a departure on the front guard to take off. We put a guard from the front of the boat to the dock, at the rear. We start the engine forward, turning the helm towards the dock. Little by little the stern moves away from the dock and frees space to go in reverse, as the wind dies down (softening wind). A successful manoeuvre! 11am, on the way to Ushant.
We pass outside the island of Molène. For the connoisseurs, we took out the spinnaker between the Green Stones (rocky plateau under Molène) and the Mare’s lighthouse. The arrival in the bay of Lampaul, south-west of Ushant, was a bit impressive. A very untidy sea and a strong ferry current made us a little tense.
16h43 at anchor. We went ashore to see the façade of Yann Tiersen’s studio and had a drink in front of the bay. Tonight, it’s dalh of coral lentils on board… not a crumb left!
Day 4: Time to ring the bell if we want to be at Bono’s on Thursday night.
We leave early this morning to take a break in the early afternoon sheltered in the bay of Douarnenez to wait for the reversal (the ebbing tide).
We start sailing again at 7pm. The wind is not at the rendezvous. We are obliged to start the engine until 11pm. An easterly wind rises then to take us to Belle-Ile. The sky is beautiful. It is a very beautiful night navigation. A couple of dolphins even accompanied us for a while.
Day 5: … Arrival at 9:30 at the Palace after a night of sailing. Too many people, too hot. We set sail again at the anchorage at the tip of the Big Rock.
We stay all day long. On the program, siesta, swimming, crafts on board …
Day 6: Thursday, last day of sailing. Before leaving, we will do some shopping at the Palace: minced meat for steak tartare and fruits. We then head for the Golfe du Morbihan.
The weather is sunny but the wind is capricious. We start the engine. Then the wind picks up again to offer us a beautiful crossing of the bay of Quiberon under spinnaker.
We arrive in the early evening at the Bono anchorage. It’s time to celebrate Sophie’s birthday with dignity…What timing! It was a beautiful evening.
Day 7: Here we are, it’s time to go home. Hansörg and Sophie take the train back to Vannes at 8.30 am. Lungs filled with iodized air!
I say to Hansjörg that I’ll see you again 15 days from the end of September for a new navigation with Niko, an Austrian. He is definitely passionate about sailing and Toani, and I’m delighted 😉
On my side, happy of this week spent sailing, I go back on the boat, clean and tidy up before the arrival of the next travellers. For new goals. For a new program!
See you soon for new trips!
Take care of you
Pierre
