All thoughts were on the dreaded Chenal du Four

 

St Quay Portrieux to Lezardrieux

It would seem that yesterday’s dismal weather was the last day of winter because today’s May Day festivities in bright sunshine certainly herald the first day of summer. Whilst we spent the morning wandering around the market and drinking good strong French coffee in a harbour side café our Yachtmaster fastrack students worked on their passage plans to get us safely to our next port of call, Lezardrieux. A blissfull day’s sailing ensued, just the sort to encourage even the least hardy yachtsman to think about chartering a yacht and getting the family out on the water. This time it was a gallant Henry who navigated us safely through the scary and as the Shell Channel Pilot describes them  ‘yacht munching’ rocks into Lezardrieux. A warm and very pleasant evening was spent on a buoy after a run ashore to replenish Emerald Star’s magic wine locker which naturally had to be tasted.

Henry scanning the horizon for yacht munchers

 

Lezardrieux to Trebuerdon via Treguier

When it comes to fishing Fastrack yacht master student Ed has all the gear and no idea! With the sea literally boiling over with fish and the terns diving into the waves, emerging with beaks full our hapless fisherman has an empty lure. Is the stress of being a navigator being transmitted to the fish? Tomorrow will be the day as he will be able to apply himself fully to the job in hand but for today it is back to the chart table as he plots a course through the rocks and white horses into Trebuerden. Meanwhile the intrepid and competent crew watch out carefully for the yacht munchers, the scary black rocks awaiting our navigator’s every error whilst looking forward to yet another curry rather than the longed for fish supper.

 

Trebuerdon to L’Aber Wrac’h

Today the gallant Henry was in charge again leaving Ed to concentrate on Fishing. The excited anticipation of tonight’s fish provencal is rippling through the crew like the night before Christmas. Yachtmaster student and budding navigator extraordinaire, Henry took his time examining the huge French charts folding them manfully whilst pondering whether the world was in fact flat like a dinner plate or round as some modern navigators are now suggesting. Round or flat, the main task in hand was to navigate the brave Emerald Star crew through the rocks and ensuing white surf and big Atlantic swell into the safe and calm harbour of L’Abor Wrac’h. Meanwhile our hapless fisherman was free to lavish time and energy on his lure while cook heated the frying pan down below in the galley. Only disappointment could possibly follow relieved somewhat by the skipper rallying forth with a Commodore Yachting spag bol special and a bottle of good ordinary French wine.

L’Aber Wrac’h to Cameret via the dreaded Chenal du Four

The Emerald Star crew were awoken with a start this morning to the silence in the riviere de L’ Aber Wrac’h. After the previous night spent on a buoy in the rolly outer harbour at Trebuerdon where every 30 seconds the boat heaved sideways from gunnel to gunnel sending all the crockery crashing inside the cupboards it was a blissful night’s sleep.

This morning all thoughts were on the dreaded Chenal du Four, the more nervous of the crew preparing sea anchors and drogues while wondering whether it would be 3 reefs or bare poles as we hurtle between the rocks at 30 knots. With Yachtmaster Fast track student Ed navigating but still preoccupied with fishing it was up to the gallant Henry to cast a watchful eye over proceedings at the chart table and reassure the brave but nervous Competent Crew that all would be well given the forecast of a force 2.

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