It should have been the end of summer and the beginning of the autumn depressions, it ended being a week under the Morbihan/Finistère tropics. Daytime temperatures in the 30°C and calm winds not exceeding 2B, varied direction with an easterly trend.
The boat is new, an RM 1180 from 2023; the crew of 6 brave souls.
Saturday September 2: Shopping and then a small outing to get started, from Trinité-sur-Mer to anchor in Houat / Tréach Salus. Sail and engine testing. The anchorage is crowded, the crew is exhausted from their previous trip and will not go ashore. First shooting stars. A nice night sky will keep us well in line with the beach.
Sunday September 3: departure before sunrise (how beautiful it is) for a long upwind stretch to the outer harbor of Port-Tudy before the calm sets in. Great walk to the Pointe du Grognon, Pen Men being too far for our thirsty throats. Aperitif, fanfare mini-concert, very nice restaurant, then meetings at Ti Beudeff, the real thing: Manu, the music teacher; and Pascal his baritone teammate.
Monday September 4: departure at dawn upset, it will be our sticky morning. First, our dinghy decided to visit the outer harbor on its own: our own lifeguard first, then the dinghy Marie and her handsome boyfriend saved the day. Then one of our large chests on board, on strike for mistreatment, refuses to open. Finally, it is a furler, whose halyard is groaning at having been dropped, which refuses to comply. The rest will be more pleasant with a long beam leg under gennaker up to Glénan and our highest speeds of the week, i.e. ~8nd which will attract our first dolphins. A little kite demo from the most adventurous on board. Finally, La Boucane will maintain its reputation: Ludovic and his troupe, the blue Bavaria and his trainees, then Joséphine and her English aristocrats will become our best ephemeral friends.
Tuesday September 5: water is starting to run out. After hesitating to visit Concarneau, we’ll head towards Lorient-Kernevel. First a long upwind leg, then square tacks in front of Ile Verte side; a route that attracts many dolphins, some of which will stay with us for a while and forever on the GoPro. A first conclusive drone test and our first real showers will whet our appetite for a tartiflette at 27° before Maelys, life coach, takes us on the Route du Rhum.
Wednesday September 6. Go out with the sunrise to enjoy the wind. Gennaker and aerial ballet of combat planes between Groix and Belle-Ile which make noise and take us away from the straight line towards the beautiful and peaceful Sauzon. The drone decides that underwater is cool too: rest in peace, young brother! Still calm and therefore another walk to Les Poulains and the home of Sarah Bernhard. The crew dons equipment worthy of the name. Tip-top lighthouse restaurant and Patoche, its chef, will challenge us to song games. Nocturnal cravings and omelette under the stars.Magic.
Thursday September 7. Lazy wake up. The time to get closer has arrived: direction Port-Haliguen (still not sure of the exact pronunciation). The Teignouse is bathed in oil and we chase away the slightest whisper of wind. Shower, start of tidying up, Bara Gwinn, Pourlette creperie and stroll in Quiberon: it’s chic!
Friday September 8. It’s time to go home. Total calm used to brick everything. A week without the skittles touching anything and a deposit fully recovered despite some cold sweats.
More than positive results: a top crew, an unstoppable chef, stories stories stories, and one more chapter in our long friendship.
We’ll come back, with a little more wind!