Hanging out in Brittany.

Having spent the previous night at sea with just the two of us sharing watches, we were keen to moor up for a decent sleep and a walk ashore.

We had managed to arrive at the northern end of the Chenal du Four inside Ushant as planned, just before the tide turned in our favour and carried the advantage through this and the subsequent Raz de Sein so it was mission accomplished through the two sensitive tidal ‘gates’. Loctudy appeared to be the right choice for our overnight mooring with easy access not far off our course, walk ashore pontoons, adjacent ‘Ville’ and the prospect of a ‘dirty beer’ in the marina. This expression is another gem from Dave who, following a career in the Merchant Navy, has a wealth of expressions and anecdotes. It refers to the first beer taken ashore immediately on docking after a long passage, dressed in sea going kit and before a shower or any ‘sprucing up’ – very appropriate and very welcome. We were met by a helpful employee in a dory who showed us to a berth which was so disproportionately short, the finger of the pontoon didn’t even reach our spring cleat so it was a relief that it was a very settled night with little wind.

The ‘dirty beer’ was taken in a quiet bar in the marina and I exercised my limited French which must have been reasonably convincing as the proprietor held a lengthy, if one-sided, conversation covering a range of subjects from the EU to the effects of holiday homes on the local community. I could have been in the UK except I would probably have understood a little more. Loctudy is known for its seafood and we enjoyed our meal in the small town before a tired walk back to Hejira to fall into bed for a very sound sleep.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that I have been planning for this ‘adventure’ for over two years with a substantial investment in repairs, re-fitting and upgrading to make every effort to minimise the chances of ‘things going wrong’. I guess it is typical therefore that two hours before our departure from Port Solent, my glasses should break into two as I was cleaning them. I am now reduced to walking around in my 1995 vintage spare pair looking like JOE 90. It is some consolation that I am not alone in looking strange as Dave, under instruction from his wife Linda, has been smearing his face with so much sun cream that he looks like a white faced French clown. Couple this with reflective sun glasses and the floppy Australian hat, I feel I am looking almost normal in my spare glasses.

With big winds forecast for the early part of next week, and being only two handed, we are content with ‘hopping’ along the coast, all be it in pretty lengthy passages as we will be doing two sides of a triangle as opposed to the direct hypotenuse route across Biscay.

Our destination for tonight is currently undecided as we are expecting the wind to fill in this afternoon and this should result in better progress.