Winding down and packing up (otherwise known as cleaning)

Where did all the water go?

Sue Peters now Blue Peter

The Beach at Cap Coz

A very sunny beach at Port La Foret

Hazards at the lowest tide of the year at Port La Foret
It was completely dry about an hour before this. But boats were not coming in. I wonder why?

Not quite La Sable d'Olonne but pretty damn good.

Claude. The lovely proud new owner of Blue Peter

Well it was a fine day Thursday so we took off all the sails and all the ropes and moused them. Fell in to bed exhausted. It was a lovely day Friday so we washed all the ropes and rearranged all the lockers topside. Fell into bed exhausted. Saturday we decided was R & R and we went to the beach and got very hot and bothered but we enjoyed it immensely. We treated ourselves to a meal out and had a delicious homard roti. the big mistake was having the starter as we couldn't move afterwards or was that because of the bottle of wine. The weather was set to change so we put up the conservatory. Phil started making lists and organising himself to get to Dieppe for the ferry home on Tuesday. All went to plan apart from the force 9 gale in the channel. All Brittany ferries were cancelled but the Newhaven sailing went ahead. The Captain warned them that the crossing would be very rough. So Phil took his trusty stugeron. He was met by an extremely kind Ewen and went back for a good natter with both Ewen and Pauline before being safely delivered home. I meanwhile had a lovely windy day. i worked very hard at cleaning out cupboards but do not seem to have got much further. Where does all this stuff come from. I went for a sunny walk and was nearly blown away. Then the deluge started and the wind howled. It has been blowing 4s today but it seems positively peaceful apart from the man next door using his Karcher and I had my windows open!!!! So I am in charge of the boat or may be TiGrA is in charge of me until Phil returns with the car and then we can really pack up. We spoke today on Skype. He has brought a very reluctant cat home as she has had a wonderful time on holiday with my friend Nannette and has obviously been very loved and spoilt. Thank you for everything Nannette.

As an aside. Phil Brown has not stopped eating (or drinking) this summer and he has lost 7 lbs!!!! I bet I haven't. Some people.!!! I think I had better avoid the scales for months when I get home.

After our really lovely sail, despite having to do a 360 to avoid a fleet of small racing boats we realised we had a lot to do. But first some pictures.

Our last trip this season-August 31st

We had a week in Locmiquelic a) because we like it there and b) they offered us a deal for the week. The natives are really friendly and the showers and loos some of the best we have seen. The weather was good. Le Cargo had food as good as we remembered and we bumped in to a boat we new. A Seastream from Andy's collection. When we met her the first time she was on the Hamble and called SuePeters. Phil spotted her and trotted round to the pontoon behind to read the name. She is now called BluePeter and her new French owner Claude obviously wasn't keen to waste money on painting a whole new name. He is a really nice chap and had just got back from sailing round the Pacific on his friends boat. Through the Panama canal for the second time and visiting the Marqueses and the Galapagos Islands. Whilst we were in Locmiquelic he took Blue Peter out single handed to Groix. He just loves his boat. He also kindly offered to take us to the supermarket which is a short bus ride away.
We took a trip to the Vauban fortifications in Port Louis \nd visited the Museum which is very interesting and had a drink at a lovely beach front cafe.
Some of the highest tides of the year were happening and everyone was Peche a Pied. Our neighbour brought back belon oysters from Riantec and gave me one to try after he had scrubbed the mud off the shells. It was so fresh and tasted deliciously of the sea.Riantec is some way away where they consider the rocks and beaches clean.
We had a trip in to Lorient on the ferry one day and prepared for our final trip.
The 31st of August dawned. The forecast was for some rain and storms later. We woke to a rain shower with  a blood red sky. Red sky in the morning and all that weather lore. Phil asked if I wanted to go or stay. I chose to leave as we were not going to have Lorient weather but Port La Foret weather so there.
 By the time we set off the rain had stopped. We had been sitting on the bottom for two days but fortunately we had enough tide to get away.
We had a glorious sail. Blue skies and wind behind from the south. It was a bit fickle and Phil fiddled and moaned  when it dropped. But we managed to sail for all but the last hour of our 6 hour trip so not too bad at all.
We entered Port La Foret in some trepidation as there is a bar. Phil asked me to sit still and not jump about. But we had our calculations right and the lowest point was briefly half a meter but over sand but it is a bit scarey when people are paddling at the end of the training wall as you come in to the harbour!!!!!
I was very pleasedwith myself a sI have doen the navigation for the last three trips and so far so good but I still forget some of the actions on the plotter. The paper bit is OK and no doubt I shall have forgotten the whole lot by next year.
There were very few visitors berths and we are jammed in next to a 34 foot Bavaria. I am not sure Monsieur was very happy and we are using our flat fenders. But today it is blowing 9 but we are not moving as we have nowhere to go!!!!
The holidays finish here on the 4th September and Port La Foret is filling up with people leaving their boats for the winter.

24th August. Haliguen to St. Catherine, Locmiquelic

We had to hang around most of the day as we had to time the Teignouse channel. This is the short cut through to Quiberon Bay which we missed out on the way down because of fog. Slack water was predicted for 14.00 hrs so we could safely leave Haliguen at 13.30. The boat inside us was going to the Morbihan and was leaving at 11.00 so we handed the boat in to a space so they could escape. It was a bright sunny day but the wind forecast had changed early morning for higher winds after lunch but we decided to leave any way because the forecast for the rest of the week was worse!!!
The Teignouse was in a good mood. A bit lumpy but nothing like the bay the day before. The wind was only blowing 8knts which surely helped. And I had been promised a sail. But through the channel it was on the nose!!!!But as we turned to go up hill to Lorient we were able to sail. We just stuck out the genoa and had  a really good turn of speed although the wind blew from 9knts which was a bit slow up to 14 knts which was better. We sailed all the way under blue skies. We passed a number of boats that had everything up but you can't beat an enormous genoa.
And we were able to see the whole of the coastline we had missed seeing on the way down.
It was about 18.00hrs as we entered the outer channel and the weather was changing. Phil pointed out Le Trois Pierres that we almost hit on the way out in fog last time we were here. It is about 400 yards from the fairway!!!!!
We were met by the dory and escorted to a berth. We moored up,had supper and then decided to put up the conservatory. It seems to go up better after two glasses of wine!! We were really glad we did because not long after settling down for the night the wind got up and it started lashing it down.

The lighthouse at the entrance to the Teignouse

There is a pot in the water. No its yellow.
We think this measures the height of the houle for CROSS ETEL

An old friend. Last time we passed it I could have touched it.
We were at least 400 yards away this time.
Much safer.

We shall be here for a while as on Monday there will be the highest coefficient of the year. Which will be a very high springs and we are sure we have enough depth here to cover the low.

Arzal to Haliguen 23rd August.

After a quiet night at Arzal when it finally rained overnight having threatened all day and not much to keep us occupied we left Arzal on 9.00 lock. nothing coming out and not many going in. Needed rising tide and above half tide so that decided the time.Ended up against a wall again with a French couple rafted but they knew what they were doing or had been bullied by the lock keeper before as they not only had fenders but ropes!!! Lock keeper in great hurry to get rid of us so I found myself scurrying from one side of the boat to the other. Tying off ropes round chains starboard side and raising fenders on port and taking lines. In the end Phil took over the chain and rope attachment as they have to be moved down the chains as the water runs out of the lock and they needed standing on at times as they were very tight.
It was then a steady slow procession down river as nobody wanted to get to the bar too soon. One French chap did decide to sail(there is always one) which was an absolute pain with little spare water. They day seemed fine and the forecast had been for light winds and we knew we would have a motor across Quiberon Bay because of the direction of the wind. What we hadn't expected was a rising sea and a rising wind. It was very grim. But fortunately the showers forecast didn't happen so at least we were dry!!! By the time we got to Haliguen we were both pretty fed up more an endurance feat than a days sailing. We were late getting in so ended up rafted to a French Feeling and the couple were very kind and took our lines.

A calm sea the day after our travel

TiGrA early morning

A fountain.
The French are good at frivolities (Art?)

The vieux port.
Small boats only

The pilot is right about the distance to the Capitainerie. It took half an hour to walk there and it was even further for bread the following morning. We had intended to be there a couple of days. The beaches looked superb but the forecast was good for 24th and atrocious for the rest of the week and so we decided to move on.

22nd August -Arzal

We were meant to leave for La Trinite sur Mer today but the forecast was pretty grim. Orages and pluie all day.It has looks like rain all day but only a very brief shower at 08.00 hrs. However wind forecast for force 6 beaufort seems to be correct. Decided after weather forecast at 09.00 hrs to motor down to Arzal and spend a night in the marina there next to the lock so we can escape easily when the time is right tomorrow. I steered all the way down here but just as we arrived the wind got up so handed the wheel to Phil to put the boat on the pontoon. Chicken !! But he had to reverse down the aisle and then welly towards our goal to get in. A wide pontoon and as I jumped down I expected it to be stable. Hope over experience and I boinged up and almost over the lines. Phil's face was a picture. I had to then get down on very wobbley knees to tie the rope round the hoopy thing at the end breathing in a very shallow fashion so as not to create any movement. The joys of French pontoons!!!!!
So with a good forecast ,hopefully, tomorrow we will go straight to Haliguen. Being here as allowed Phil to study the lock more closely and we were in stitches at 12 noon. The bridge went up and the two boats in the lock prepared to leave, waiting for turbulence to stop. When a first 21 with 3 people on board barrelled in. Much shouting by the lock keeper as the skipper seemed to have no control at all. He was told to get out in no uncertain terms. Tried to turn. Got totally flummoxed hit the opposite wall went straight down the centre of the lock just missing the two boats in there coming out. Lock keeper raced across lock waving big boat hook grabbed the boat by the shrouds, hauled it to the side and shouted 'did you have a green light ?, red light yes!!!! And then a lot of very rapid French. Madam was a very strange colour of pink and it was nothing to do with her red hair. The young lad with them just tried to look not there. Every one on the side was hooting with laughter and Phil said he had missed Sundays at the lock. At Arzal they even have a row of bleachers so that the crowd at the back get as good a seat as the crowd at the front.
Hopefully tomorrow will be less windy but more storms later in the week. Well it is an English Bank Holiday so high winds are a definite possibility.

20th August La Roche Bernard

We have been in La Roche Bernard 6 days. It is very pretty here and I can see why people arrive on their way somewhere and then forget that they were not staying and wake up years later still here. Anchorages abound but we were offered  a deal and as we wanted to explore we accepted. The town is steeped in history and the locals make sure you have all the information you need to wander around town to pick out the ancient buildings. Bernard was King Bernard the second. The town was protestant at one time like many in the area and suffered as a consequence. It was also held by the Vikings at one time and the Normans. The river is really picturesque and navigable to Redon by yachts after which canal boats can enter the French canal system and go to lots of places including St. Malo.
We have had adventures in the dinghy and been up to the next little harbour called Foleux but Redon is too far to go on a dinghy trip. It took an hour to Foleux but only half an hour back as we came back fast!!! There are several really nice swimming spots and every one seems to spend time on the water in anything that floats.
Phil had great fun one morning laughing fit to burst at a group of 5 year olds learning to sail they were all very good except for Alain. The instructor spent the whole hour shouting 'Alain this' and 'Alain that' and his antics were so funny.Just not interested or paying attention. 'Attention Alain'!!!

Tinies learning to sail. Where is Alain?
Somewhere else! 

Fabulous cloud formations

Scenery up the river.

A Nauticat at anchor with a rope attached to a flimsy pontoon.

Phil in Foleux on my 63rd birthdayAdd caption

Me

One of the road bridges across the Villaine above La Roche

I became a whole year older this week and was allowed an adventure in the dinghy for my present and dinner out on an evening and venue of my choice. The little bar where we have a coffee or a drink also decided to celebrate with me by having a performance by a rock band. They were called Atomique de Luxe. We went along for  a laugh but they were very good. When we asked this morning where they were from we were told Liege in Belgium. Well they did seem very professional and had a following and on reflection apart from the drummer they were huge and didn't look French at all. All the songs were sung in English and the bits in between in French.

More sky

Beautiful flower displays in town.

The Roche Bernard and our bar.

The old harbour.

One evening we had the most wonderful sky. It looked like fireworks.
We are meant to go to La Trinite sur Mer on Monday but orages are forecast so may just go to Arzal and wait by the lock till Tuesday.
Phil is already planing his next boat when we are too old and past it to sail.Its called a small dutch barge up and down the canals and the river here.

15th August Off to Roche Bernard or up the Villaine

Left Piriac at 3.30 as soon as the depth gage showed 2.4 meters. Leaving the berth the Brise de Terre  got up and instead of reversing to starboard we reversed to port driven by the wind  so that we were reversing all the way down the alley. As we were being watched by the French many of whom can't reverse we just looked smug and pretended we had intended to do it all along and in fact it gave us exactly the right position to exit the marina gate.
No wind had been forecast so we were really pleased to have 12 to 14 knots in the right direction to take us to Arzal to lock into the Villaine. A cracking sail and fast enough across the bay because were on a tight time schedule  to reach Arzal for the 18.00 lock. This was against all advice in the pilot which says do not go for a late lock on a bank holiday. Yet another French bank holiday. It was a bright sunny day and one of the best sails we have had.
The river is very beautiful. The barrage at Arzal keeps the water at a permanent level with very little current. A yachting paradise. The pilot says 3 meters but we saw 11 and 13.

Oyster dredger in the river Villaine

The barrage at Arzal

Entering the lock. This boat turned around by lock keeper and had to come in after us.
The fat one.

The lock. The road bridge over the top.

Peace perfect peace

We arrived at the lock just before 18.00. to see the yacht in front of us turned around although I could see space in the lock. We were called forward. We soon saw why. The pilot says boats go in two by two with the outer boat attached to chains on the wall but we were fat and were to be on our own as the third boat across. Phil didn't fancy the wall although we were very well fendered so steered next to the second boat across. Wrong!!!!! Only two allowed 'a coupe' and ordered to go to the wall by the lock packer who is a real character,knows his job and gives a brilliant performance. However yachts don't move sideways under power and chains far two far for me to reach with boat hook. The lock keeper appeared from the other side of the lock and I threw him our mid-line and he hauled us across to the wall amid cheers from the crowd. He then tied our rope to the top of the fence and left us to get on with tying up. Of course the top of the fence was much higher than me so to unfasten the rope I had to scale the wall risking life and limb. At this point I got an apology from the skipper who was a bit sheepish that his ploy to avoid the wall had not worked and I was cross because I had had everything under control. You need to fender well and fender high and low as there is a stone shelf that sticks out at a very low point at the side of the boat.
When the lock was finally full and ordered as he wanted it the lock keeper gave the signal to raise the road bridge. The lock side was ten deep with the local citizenry who shouted and stamped and cheered as we all moved forward to leave the lock. Would we be guillotine for a poor performance? All went well. Ropes released from chains.And we were off. A bit like Le Mans I should imagine. I waved at the locals and gave them a bow amid loud cheers. It was a beautiful evening and we immediately changed our plans. We had been intending to stay in Arzal for the night but continued up the river to La Roche Bernard. It was quiet and peaceful. I left ropes out and fenders down as all the French seemed to do and only 7 K to go. But in unchartered territory as the chart actually runs out about here. The pilot suggests using a road map. We resisted and just kept to the centre of the river where we had between 11 and 13 metres of water.
We called the Capitainerie who gave us the number of a berth. It was a hammer head with a boat already on half of it. We had to come in at a narrow angle to avoid his anchor so I ended up jumping for the pontoon and being a bit over enthusiastic nearly went straight over the other side! At which point a man appeared and said 'I am too late'. Too right sunshine. Any way he switched on our water and electricity and we said we would visit him at the Capitainerie as soon as we had tied up properly.  

Tuesday 9th August. Piriac Sur Mer

Piriac sur Mer is a newish harbour and a holiday town as the fishing fleet is largely gone and based around the corner in La Turballe. There is a flap gate which drops as the tide comes up and we are therefore  in alocked Marina which is very comfortable and quiet once the flap is up and the Marina closed. We slept really well our first night here as we had had such noisy nights in Pornic.
The town is lovely and half of Paris seems to be on holiday here and it is another French
 Bank holiday so we will stay a while as we have a berth and good facilities.

Harbour entrance

The tower on the left gives depth and  a green or red light.

Boats with deep keels like ours need to wait a good two hours after the flap drops to get out of the entrance. There is a big 'clock' with the depth over the sill writ large but we have still seen a few incidents. The chap across from us avidly read his annuaire des marees and overture de la Porte and he was French and then untied and set off for the entrance only to realise he was two hours 'twirly' and the flap was still up. A quick reverse to sit red faced on his berth.
Next up was a boat which proceeded to get stuck over the gate and this morning we were woken by a lot of bouncing about as the port staff in their dory went to tow another one off.
The entrance is very narrow and the best water is heart stoppingly near the wall. Much worse than Brighton. When the tide is out a vast rocky plateau is revealed. The pilot says 'there is no inside passage' and there is DEFINITELY NO inside passage.
Emile Zola holidayed here in a room above what is now the bakery with his wife. So it was a holiday place as early as 1886?
The harbour staff are very efficient and boats are met by a dory and shown to a place. Unfortunately there are two on duty as a rule and we were 3rd boat in so had to wait and had to sashay round the corner and turn back on ourselves. There is very little room in the entrance but plenty of berths even for larger boats.

Stuck yacht. A large Feeling had just left. Never follow a Feeling. They  have lifting keels.

Pretty Church.

10th August Now in Piriac sur Mer

Left L'Herbaudiere for Pornic on the 4th August. Short motor as no wind to Pornic across the bay. Pornic as a town is very pretty and POSH. The houses and the town were great. The harbour is a bit run down apart from the loos and showers which were brilliant. I think there is some lobbying to renew the port itself. It is high season now and we were expecting some problems but when we arrived at the reception pontoon followed closely by Nick and Rona we were met by a stupid boy who didn't know where to put us. In fact he went to take my lines and then walked away leaving me dangling and Phil reversing to comein againto give me a chance to get off. Nick had the sense to go on to the first hammer head. Phil was marched to the Capitainerie to be met by a shoulder shrugging young lady who obviously wanted lunch and didn't speak English or Phil's style of French. This took ages. When Phil came back we decided to raft next to Nick. We knew bad weather was coming so put out lots of lines. However at this point it was a wonderful afternoon. Hot and sunny but....the town was having a carnival on the Saturday. They plan it from November onwards. They burn the king  in the river and have a huge fire work display at 11pm. In the afternoon are floats etc for the children. We woke up to rain. Torrential rain which continued all day until 8.00 pm. When it stopped. We all went in to town and enjoyed the king burning and the fireworks which were on the walkway under the castle and magnificent . We felt really sorry for the towns people as the rest of the day had been a wash out.
Sunday we went to market. Had a coffee and walked back and it began to rain again and didn't stop.Then the wind blew and blew. Waves came over the back wall of the marina and the noise was horrendous. Phil and Nick doubled their lines during a brief pause and we filled up with water as we were very low and I felt we wouldn't get another chance for two days. I was right.Two nights and two days. it was so loud I slept with a pillow over my head as well as under!!! Phil thought I looked hilarious but it worked.

The Castle and the drying harbour

Fireworks. Wrong camera.

The wall

Small cove

Beach

The fishing fleet

No entry at low tide

Eventually it calmed down and we were able to explore and see what we had missed. Some beautiful coves and beaches. Calling in to the Capitaierie we met the 'A' team who spoke English and knew what they were doing. We also found the end of the marina where the big boats go. And will take ourselves straight there next time. The pilot seems to be totally wrong on this one.
And then we left on Tuesday for Piriac Sur mer.

4th August. Back in L'Herbaudiere after an exciting entry (not)

Left St Gilles at 07.20 hours at high tide. We did very well to get out as we had 3 rafted in front and two behind when we left. These boats only appeared about 9pm the night before up to which point we had been congratulating ourselves on  an easy exit!!! Weather fine and bright as forecast suggested but out of harbour it became dark and the forecast turned into the usual French fairy story. Wind on the nose and not 2 to 3 but blowing 16 knots and a very confused and lumpy sea. Not a peu agitee but definitely agitee, agitee from every direction. Saw another huge jelly fish and more fishing pots than you could shake a stick at. It took 40 minutes to get far enough out of the harbour and away from the pots to get our sails up and we had to take the genoa in soon after as we turned in to the wind.
Lots of pots on the way. Lots of tea and coffee and biscuits later we started to cross the boeufs, a very shallow area on our way round the corner to the harbour. Everything was fine as we had done this at low water on the way to Joinville earlier. The sun came out, the wind dropped, clothes were shed and we were nearly there. I put out ropes and fenders and the skipper crawled in over very shallow water with 0.5 metres under the keel. I had just got in to the cockpit when a small cigar shaped speed boat came out fast and I bounced and then TiGrA bounced twice. Both times she hit the bottom and the bottom was rock. But she bounced forward and we were soon in the harbour. No swear words were spoken . Complete silence. Nick and Rona came here the day before as they were anchored somewhere and it had become untenable because of the wind change so they helped us in. No fuss. No arguments. Phil disappeared below muttering about keel bolts and water but came back up and said he could see nothing but still worried.
Nick said there was a plongeur. Phil went to find plongeur who came immediately and plonged. He came back up with a big grin and one of those finger to thumb signs they do which means OK then gabbled in French. We both chorused 'pardon' and then he wet his finger and drew on the dust in the hull. A picture of our boat.!!!! Phil called him Picasso and he grinned. Here is good he said and here pointing out the hull and the rudder (the steering bit at the back) and said a mark on the very bottom of the bulb of the keel.(Here). he wouldn't accept payment from two very grateful people so we left him two good bottles of wine at the Capitainerie with a note from TiGrA.
Excellent dinner cooked by Rona and two very very relieved people had an early night. Stress makes you tired.
The Skipper has since decided that you are not really a sailor until you have hit a rock. Like most crew I do not find this in the least bit funny. But no doubt other people will.
The moral seems to be do not crawl in to harbours with rocky patches at very low water on a high coefficient at springs if you know speed boats will be about. You only have water without big wash!!!!!!

Tuesday August 2nd

First mate reading kindle with large baguette strapped to waist.

The local gardener

Skipper preparing to fish

Success!!!! Dinner

Beach from the sea

Low Tide

Boat aground on high patch 

The beach

Springs with a high coefficient saw TiGra with absolutely nothing under her keel at 13.11hrs today. Skipper thinks we may go down another 0.25 metres next tide but is hoping the bottom is mud!! We are in a river so hopefully...
A confession. I bought a travelling iron when we bought our first boat in 2003. It has never been used but sat on the boat until now. However after washing a linen blouse I took it out of its box and ... it works beautifully but I think it can go away again for another 8 years as I love ironing so much.
Orages expected tonight. ( Thunder and lightening) but hopefully will leave for L'Herbaudiere tomorrow. Another confession. I have become a chantier or French as I have washed the boat. Admittedly it was only four buckets of water and I used the deck shower to fill them but no more grit for now.Hurrah.

Skipper getting rays on the beach