After a couple of days r and r in Camaret we left on Tues evening for a short sail in light airs, through the Tas de Pois to a beautiful anchorage, L'anse du Pen hir. Spent the night here and in the morning Chris took Dave and myself rock climbing. Our equipment consisted of Lyonesse's old main sheet and a heavy duty anchor shackle !
We sailed on in the afternoon into the bay of Douarnenez. Here we revisited one of our all time favourite anchorages. The water was warm and we all swam through a cave. After a good meal washed down with a drop of rouge the skipper thrashed the crew at cards.
At midnight we were on deck and noticed the best phosphorescence any of us had ever seen. Chris dived in and gave us a spectacular light show.
In the morning after some unkind remarks from the crew about the skippers hair the first mate took out the scissors and cut it all (or most of it) off. Chris was jealous and asked for a trim himself. So now the whole crew are looking more presentable.
After more swimming and a leisurely lunch we set sail again to go 'round the Raz de Sein to Audierne. Spring tides meant we could not go around until after 6pm. As it worked out, adverse winds kept us away until 7pm. then sailing at 6 knots and with a tide of 5 k we sped over the ground at 11 k !
Arrived at Audierne on a falling tide at dusk just before 10pm. and tied up alongside the fishermans quay.
On the channel crossing there had been plenty of water over the deck and the crew member sleeping in the forepeak had been unimpressed with wet bedding that resulted, so yesterday Dave removed the forehatch complete with coaming and rebedded it ! To accomplish this we'd had to borrow a socket set from our friend Olivier. We spent the day doing various other small jobs in general preparation for Biscay for which the weather forecast is suspiciously almost perfect.
Last night whilst checking the weather in an internet cafe we bumped into Tim, an exile who now lives in Audierne, and we ended up going to a Fest Noz together in a beautiful old Abbey garden.
So today we're in final preparations. Can't get down the river until the tide comes up (around 4pm) and then it's off. Next stop northern Spain.
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