Into the Morbihan

Monday 4th June… Well it was a miserable wet morning but we stuck to the plan and departed Lorient. Although it was raining it was very calm, and once out into the deeper water with no more than 13 knots of wind we had a brilliant sail for about 4 hours doing a constant 6 knots speed. At one point a racing yacht doing 12 knots came by going the opposite way and called us up in French on the VHF radio… “Thesee, Thesee, blady blah” Dean replied… “Station calling Thesee… Parlez vous Anglaise?” Yes was the answer, of course… they can all speak Anglaise. Anyway, it turns out he was a solo sailor and all he wanted was to find out if his AIS signal was being received on our Chartplotter. 

 Les Trois Pierres beacon - Departing Lorient 

We were heading for Port Haliguen in Quiberon (Dean calls it Port Hooligan). To get there you have to follow a series of leading lines through the rocky areas. Well would you believe it as we were approaching a crucial turning point a whole flotilla of yachts appeared coming towards us all flying cruising chutes and heading for the same spot. Why does that always seem to happen? Dean navigated his way through about the last 15 or so tail-enders and we put the engine on and motored the last few miles into port.

We're in the top left corner heading for the red cross

All the other arrows are the racing yachts we have to negotiate

...and here are some of them

...and more

On arrival at Port Haliguen, it was quickly apparent that the visitors pontoon was full of local boats and almost immediately the harbour dory appeared and directed us to berth on a different pontoon. There is a load of work going on here and it seems they are dredging and renovating the whole marina over the next two years. We took a short walk about in the local area and stopped off for a cider. It was a really warm day, no sign of the predicted bad weather then. Dean’s completed a couple more jobs, changing his genoa furling line (our recent rigging check recommended this), and pumping up the fenders. Saffy’s been a good sailor today, in fact I think she’s starting to enjoy it. 

Tuesday 5th June… On the move again, this time into the Gulf of Morbihan. It was only a mere 90 minute sail across the Baie de Quiberon to get to the entrance. Once again, we had to time it correctly because the tide rushes in and out of the entrance at a rate of up to 8 knots at Springs! Today it was 3 days before neaps. We seemed to have got it almost spot on as we entered just towards the end of the flood tide and at the ‘important bit’ we had one knot of tide with us. Perfect. Our destination in the gulf was Ile aux Moines. It seems to be where it’s all happening, in fact it’s the only place where anything is happening. There are lots of islands and Dean commented how much it reminded him of Lake Windermere. The stream that runs along the main channels is very deep but not that wide and the rest is quite shallow, so it took a fair amount of navigational skills to keep on course. There are two pontoons for visitors and there was plenty of space for us. 

Nearing the entrance to the Gulf of Morbihan

Nice places to live

On the Visiteurs pontoon at Ile aux Moines

The harbour provides a free taxi service from pontoon to shore, apparently they don’t allow you to land in your own dinghy. Trouble is the last taxi service is 7pm, so that’s no pee for Saffy tonight then. Maybe she will go on the boat?? We did all go ashore this afternoon though and had a good walkabout into the little village here… the only one on the island. It’s a real nice place, lots of greenery and higgledy piggledy homes. There are four colour coded walks and the colours are painted on the road surfaces here and there. Dean says he is speaking fluent French now as he went into the Tourist Office and asked for a map without speaking a word of English. Tres Bien Dean.

Yes, i'll have this one please

Archery statue.... this one for you Amy

In the village, fabulous thatched cafe

More quaintness

Rose walkways

More flowers outside the Church

About 5pm we got our ‘taxi’ back to the boat and noticed across the main channel was another ‘Thesee’. Well ok, another blue Beneteau Oceanis 50. You could easily think it was our Thesee at first glance. It made us wonder whether our Thesee has ever been here before, as you know he was previously owned by a French family in La Rochelle. 

This is Thesee's double! Almost

For dinner we had Pizza and Salad, plus Dean made some garlic butter (with garlic and butter!) and we spread it on a French stick to make garlic bread. It was yummy. Whilst I’ve been writing the blog Dean has been outside with the binoculars and he just spotted a boat going by called ‘Fiddler’s Green’ – our house name.

Trying the homemade garlic bread

Healthy salad for dinner, with unhealthy pizza

Wednesday 6th June… The harbour taxi was busy this morning with crews wanting to go ashore, including us. The showers were pretty good, albeit for having to keep pressing the button every 15 seconds to get water. But that seems to be the case at all the marinas we’ve visited. At least the water is hot so that’s a plus. 

We were decidedly undecided about where to move to today. We were both eager for a freebie night and that means anchoring or ‘borrowing’ a buoy. There are numerous islands here in the gulf but we understand that most of them are private, so there are quite a few anchorages about but you can’t land ashore in the dinghy. That’s no good for us with Saffy dog. We can’t seem to find out any information about which islands you can/can’t land on, so it’s very frustrating. Eventually we decided to head to the south of Ile aux Moines (the island where we already are) to check out the anchorage at Anse de Penhap.

On arrival it looked quite promising and there were some vacant buoys, so we decided to pick up a buoy. It’s a secluded bay and would be lovely if only the sun was shining. Anyway, we’re quite happy with our pitch for the night even if it is raining. We’ve read somewhere that if there are a lot of white buoys then you are welcome to use them, so fingers crossed no-one will come back tonight and claim this one.

The landing slip to get ashore, very handy

Solitary thatched cottage on the shoreline

Just to the right of where we are is a very large expanse of water and our chart shows that it’s where planes come and scoop up water to fight forest fires during the summer. Don’t think they’ll need to be doing any of that tonight. 

Our chart, we are on the left centre (little anchor sign) 

The big pink cross with the plane is the scoop zone!

Thesee's home for tonight

It’s strange we seemed to meet a lot of Brits when we were sailing across North Brittany. I suppose we were all going the same way and stopping at the same places. But since we came round the corner and down through the two races we haven’t met hardly anyone, especially since Camaret. I suppose there is more choice of marinas down here and people spread out a bit, besides most of the people we met are way ahead of us and a lot further down the coast. 


Thursday 7th June… We’re happy in Hoedic tonight. Yes I know it doesn’t sound very French, but it definitely is. So after two days in the Gulf of Morbihan we moved on. Before we departed Dean tackled the wiring for the faulty gas alarm. He’s now made some adjustments and we will have to wait and see if that sorts it out. 

Ile de Berder.... i think this place might be an OAP care home

Modern statue on Ile Gavrinis

We couldn’t leave the harbour until the tide was with us which was about 1.30pm. That suited us fine as it was only a couple of hours journey south to the isles of Houat and Hoedic. The weather looks settled tonight and so we plumped for an anchorage on the north side of Hoedic. It sounds more Dutch to me than French. It’s a place we’ve never heard of before, but the pictures in the Almanac looked nice. It was a good sail across only having to tack once and there were three warships around on manoevres, one which passed us quite close. 

Here comes Royal Navy HMS Dragon 

It’s turned into a gorgeous warm sunny day, and after having taken Saffy ashore in the dinghy we’re now settling down for the sunny evening. We both think that this island reminds us of the Scilly Isles (not that we’ve ever been to the Scillies). It’s just barren really with a small community at its centre, but there does seem to be some beautiful beaches here. 

Our view this evening at Hoedic

Every island has a Church here

Happy Hoedic-ers 

  

Let's hope it stays this calm all evening

Wild flowers on the beach

There are about another 8 boats anchored in the bay with us tonight, that gives us some reassurance that it was a good idea to come here. The boat next to us has a British couple on, and we saw them go swimming from the boat earlier this evening. I told Dean not to get any ideas.

Friday 8th June… So we just had to have another walk-about on Hoedic this morning. It was so warm and going ashore in the dinghy is such fun (apart from Dean nagging not to stand on the oars), and clambering out barefoot into the clear waters at the beach. It would seem Dean is getting a fetish for French Baguettes and Croissants, Linda for Pain au Chocolate. And so the tiny boulangerie came in very handy. Dean still thinks he can speak fluent French, and is very proud of himself. We had time for a wander about and it was a real treat. This place is a million miles away from civilisation as we know it. Here’s some photos.

Cute cafe

and another with a swing

The high street!

Is this Rose Cottage?

....any ideas what this is?

At 10am we raised the anchor for our journey today to Pornic. The wind was light but we were sailing ok until midday but had to motor the next five hours because we only had 2 knots wind. Originally we were going to L’Herbauderie but changed our minds half way and headed to Pornic. It was a 7 hour journey but really enjoyable nevertheless, warm air and calm sea. 

Dean and dinghy ready to return to Thesee

.... I told you Saffy was enjoying the ride

Tankers at anchor awaiting entry to the Loire

We had just arrived at Pornic marina when the heavens opened and we had a thunder storm come through. There had been some rumblings as we were approaching, but turns out our timing was perfect to miss the downpour. Our berthing went perfect. Dean went to pay the dues at the Capitainerie, wow 110 Euros for 2 nights, OUCH!! Good job we just had two free nights. Here's some photos from tonights local walkies.

Found a Jaguar in a garden in Pornic.... very odd

The old Pornic Port

The houses remind us of something at Disney or Alton Towers

Tonight's nextdoor neighbour

Saturday 9th June… A lovely stroll along the scenic river footpath into the town this morning, where we just so happened to stumble upon the Tour de Loire-Atlantique taking place. It’s a French bicycle race held annually in the region. So we had a walkabout and took a look at the goings on. 

Le Chateau

Warming up for the bicycle race

This one doesn't seem to be in a hurry

 Not quite the Tour de France

View from the bridge in town

Now looking across the other way

Train's in at the station

Pornic seems to be a nice enough town with a gorgeous Chateau. We found out from a postcard that we are on the Cote de Jade! There are lots of cafés and restaurants on the front alongside the old port and we stopped off for a quick coffee. 

Oh no, now its 11 Nov 1918 road signs

So that's where we are

You never know when  a spaceman will pop up in town

Good name for a road

This one's better

It's that Chateau again

We were back on Thesee by 11.30am. Dean washed the boat down and put the dinghy away. It was a really warm day and after lunch we had to walk a mile to the supermarket for supplies. This time it was a Lidl. 

It was 6pm by the time we got back. We had a load of shopping, backpacks full and trolley piled up. Then we had to go for showers, do some laundry, and make dinner. We both feel exhausted with very weary legs and knees. I guess the warm weather takes its toll on the body. No wonder all the shops close for 2 hours at lunchtime. Dean has got a very red sunburnt back, he found out when he went for his shower. 

It looks like there is strong wind coming through on Tuesday so we need to move on and find a suitable marina to sit it out. We're a bit fed up of this marina now, it's such a long walk to the showers, in fact we are as far away as you could possibly be. 

We found out that the Cote de Jade covers the Loire and Vendee areas of France and gets its name from the green waves here. Actually that's quite true because we both commented yesterday about the colour of the sea. Now we know that we know where we are, there will be a new blog post title starting tomorrow..... called Cote de Jade (obviously).