As expected the day started sunny and hot, with just enough wind to make manoeuvring in the marina interesting. Picked up fuel then set off, around 10.00am to Tréguier, a trip of about 33miles. Motored on a flat sea for the first 3 hours, then the wind started to increase and we ended up having our first real sail since leaving Falmouth. We even ended up putting one reef in the sails. Not because of safety, but because when the wind reaches about 13/14knots and we are close hauled, reducing sail reduces heel and weather helm ( less rudder drag) and the boat is much quicker.
We had been warned by several people, also in sailing guides, of very strong tidal streams that can run through the marina pontoons at Tréguier, making mooring up tricky. We had expected to arrive at around 3.00pm and to have to stay on the waiting pontoon for the tidal stream to slacken before entering the marina, but, because we sailed we travelled further than expected and arrived just at low water, so went straight into a berth.
Tréguier lies about 6 miles upriver from the sea, the channel is well marked and we managed to sail, apart from the last mile. It is very similar to rivers in Cornwall or Devon even down to the riverside houses and boathouses scattered along the banks and part hidden in the trees. It’s just like being back in the River Fal.
Went for a walk around Tréguier, some distance from the marina and an uphill climb to the medieval town centre It has an interesting Cathedral, with what looks like a modern spire, and houses some bones of St Tugdual and the scull of St Ives. A pleasant, sleepy small city with few shops and a number of restaurants.
Mustard M**t ( see Jersey Jaunt) arrived in Tréguier. Jill unknowingly tried to have a conversation with the woman onboard, but was “blanked”. I pointedly passed the time of day with the skipper and received a slight nod for my trouble.
Very windy today and with the swift tide it has made it a challenge for incoming boats. A good spectator sport but most people lend a hand, apart from certain burgee owners in classic yachts. Three “Glenans” sailing school boats came in with mostly teenagers on board. I thing the “Calais moor” must be an accepted technique, taught in French sailing schools.
There was one bar in the town centre, housed in an old building, a dark entrance and interior with what looked like flashing neon lights at the back. Every so often a drunk would stagger out weave his way home swaying. We passed it again on our way back to “Sarah Jane” after a moules et frites supper at a very nice Moulerie, in the Place Coatcolzezou?? near the Cathedral, well worth a visit for the atmosphere. Jill grabbed me and pulled me past the bar, so I still don,t know the attraction.
All this walking, to Binic, up and down the hill to Treguier has made me lose weight. In fact Jill says I am looking too thin in the face, gaunt.
Our plan is to return to St Quay for a stopover night then go on to St Malo. We left early next morning just before low water to get the last of the ebb tide down river.
An inshore shortcut “Passe de la Gainne” saved us 3-4 miles on the return. This takes a channel between rocks at one point less than 50metres, wide but seems more like 20. We hadn’t even considered this passage on the way in because of the moderate seas and sailing would have made it difficult to follow the leading marks. No problems on the return because again we were motoring with no wind and flat seas. Having done it I still wouldn’t consider it in high winds.
Altogether the return trip was about 11 miles shorter than out; we motored in straight lines between marks, no tacking. This, with a favourable tide, meant we were back in St. Quay by lunchtime.
On the way across we saw this “flock” of several hundred Cormorant, or similar, on the sea, obviously over a shoal of fish.
"Don't panic everybody" the seagull is saying.
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