Category: Cruising

Rounding Ushant we raised the cruising chute in the steady waters of La Manche, the English Channel, as we ran downwind toward Guernsey. Making up to 9.5 knots we decided not to fly the kite at night so as dusk fell we drew down the sock and packed it away all relatively easily. Now what did we learn on the ocean? Ah, yes, to reef down at night. But this is just the simple little old Channel, right? Home waters, only 65m deep, just coastal stuff. So we went into the night with a slight sea and full sail. The

Camaret provides opportunity for a great set of walks around the harbour and up on the cliffs    

Everyone is happy to have crossed Biscay. We caught up with Sacha who single handed the Atlantic circuit and he is with Monica and his mum, Siggy. We met in Grenada and again in the Azores. As a family we are re-united again with just the UK shore team missing. Will has joined us for a week’s holiday and has settled in very well.

Filmed in the calmer seas approaching Brest  

One lucky starfish about to get minced through the bow roller but spotted whilst checking the angle on the chain. Would it let go? Not on your life. The first attempt to remove it was to douse it with a litre of fresh water. At first nothing happened so we were pondering step 2, maybe a bit of salt and vinegar? Alas it found fresh water so disgusting that it pealed itself away and fell to the depths.

It doesn’t matter what the wind is doing this patch of sea is totally unpredictable and quite mad. The waves have no pattern or shape to them and it can be relatively calm for 30 minutes and then turn wild again within a few hundred yards. All in 15 to 25kn of wind. It is almost spring tide so the currents are running. Now I know how it feels to be a battered cod. What am I talking about? I have no idea but after being Biscay Battered for 48 hours with almost no sleep because conditions are changing that

This has to be the most cultured city in the world as of this minute……eventually I will get the videos out. Most surprising song was the Highway to Hell cover of AC/DC; now that went down well in Spain, they loved it!