La Trinité-sur-Mer, South Brittany.13-22 June 2023  .

Yacht Chamarel  – Sun Odyssey 349. Skippre Gordon Ogden  , with Sue Fowle  , David Ekinsmyth  and Ewart Hutton 

The first things that struck us about Chamarel were the rather high freeboard, the wide cockpit, with no suitable points for ‘bracing’ and the genoa sheets, which were led through fixed ‘eyes’ on the coach roof! The high freeboard provided generous headroom in the cabin – appreciated by Ewart and me! However, getting aboard from the low, springboard-type French pontoons would have been something of a stretch without the auxiliary, plastic, boarding ladder lashed to the shrouds! It also made getting a line onto mooring buoys a bit of a stretch! The absence of traditional sheet track and cars prevented satisfactory genoa sheet adjustment, especially under full genoa! Chamarel has a lifting keel, giving 1.5 to 2.5 metres draft.

The trip was characterized by light winds, flat seas and hot sunny weather! By design, it was also in the nature of a ‘whistle-stop’ tour of as many ports and moorings as we could fit in! The Baie de Quiberon is a large area protected on the north and northwest by mainland France and to the south and southwest by a string of islands and reefs.

Our first sail, on Wednesday, 14 June, was directly to windward in W3/4 winds and an easy sea, as we made our way to Bell Ile, tacking through the Passage de la Teignouse. Our most recent experience (2019) suggested the ‘facilities’ at Le Palais were possibly the worst in France, so we decided on a night outside the port on a mooring buoy. Tugging at the buoy with the boathook and stretching down with a long arm just about enabled a line to be looped through the ring, even when we tried it further back along the yacht, towards the cockpit!

We confirmed our plan with the marina, who said they’d send someone out with a card reader for payment. After a rather ‘rolly’ night, we were off and away early, with no sign of anyone asking for payment! With virtually no wind, we motored to the delightful port of Piriac-sur-Mer, accessed over a sill, with a suitable rise of tide. Depths of water over the sill are indicated by an illuminated display. The harbour launch directed us to a very convenient berth, adjacent to the excellent facilities. We decided to spend a day there, enjoying a walk around the town and beaches, with frequent stops for ‘refreshments’.

The next day, at 0830, we were off again, over the sill, with the last of the depth on the ebb tide. In light winds, we motored and sailed to the island of Houat, arriving around 1 pm. The pilotage notes show there are 15 visitor buoys outside the harbour on the north coast and all were occupied. At anchor just west of the harbour, we heard thunder in the distance and had torrential rain for about 30 mins. Chugging back to the harbour after lunch, we saw there was, then, a spare buoy, so we set off towards it. Two French yachts were also seen to be hot on the trail of the buoy. One of them quickly gave up the chase, leaving Monsieur and us to battle it out. Well, we ‘chickened out’ in good time! Monsieur, meanwhile, charged downwind onto the buoy, with his crew hanging grimly onto their mooring hook as the momentum of the yacht dragged the buoy several metres. The skipper of an adjacent yacht saw what was happening and kindly said he was leaving in 5 minutes, so we waited calmly and took that buoy! 18 euros for the night included free water taxi, driven by a very friendly and efficient capitaine de port. Drinks were taken in the garden of the bar overlooking the small harbour.

Sunday, 18 June dawned to light S/SE wind and a slow but very satisfying sail brought us to Port Haliguen, on the Quiberon peninsula. We were berthed in an inner, visitor’s basin, behind a sill giving around 2.5 metres in the basin. Again, a digital display showed the depth on the sill. Waiting pontoons are located inside the main entrance to the port.

Next day we sailed and motored to the Morbihan, timing our entrance for the start of the flood tide, just after low water. We took a buoy at the large island of Ile Aux Moines, ate aboard and enjoyed a quiet night. Taking the early ebb next morning, we sailed for the island of Hoëdic, but abandoned the idea around mid-day, as the going was very slow. We changed course for Sauzon, at the north end of Belle Ile, as the wind increased to W3-5 for a while. We used the Passage du Beniguet, west of Houat, having to motor against a strong tide and wind. The passage onwards to Sauzon was slow, but we were in a determined mood. Two mooring buoys were available when we arrived at 1830 and, with the keel ‘up’ we tucked in snugly inside the majority of the larger yachts. Fun then ensued with the dinghy!! We inflated it and rigged the outboard engine. David and I got into the dinghy, to find it not quite as hard-inflated as we thought – or was there a leak!?? Then, the engine was found to be troublesome! On closing the throttle, it cut out, flatly refusing to tickover!! Plans for the, by now, hazardous expedition ashore were abandoned! We ate aboard, had a very pleasant evening and enjoyed a ‘quiet’ night on the mooring.

On Wednesday, 21 June, it was back to Port Haliguen in zero wind, through the Passage de la Teignouse. Thursday, 22 June was hand-back day. We had a slow, but enjoyable sail during the morning. In the early afternoon, the wind sprang up to around NW/W 4 and a grand sail was enjoyed for a couple of hours, before Sue had a great time sailing us into the river and up towards home base.

A most enjoyable trip, with an agreeable crew, a yacht which ‘grew’ on us during the trip and fine summer weather in South Brittany.