Yacht Pipit

      

Perros-Guirec, 30th July 2010

So the pilot guide says attempt the Passe de la Gaine passage only in good visibility - well, it was good at the start, and at the end but, as you can see, not during the critical bit in the middle! In fact we had a nice sail down the river from Lezardrieux, and again the 6 miles upstream to Treguier, the wind for once obligingly changing direction with every twist and turn of the river. But the middle bit was somewhat different - 20 knots of wind, a building sea and very poor visibility, which meant the transits were invisible, as were other marks and buoys until we were almost upon them. Without the plotter on the helm, we would have had to turn back - it really is an invaluable piece of kit, even though we do everything on paper and make copious notes first.

Treguier is perhaps the most typically Breton town we have been to so far, with lovely medieval timbered bulidings and the open-work spire of St Tugdual cathedral dominating the skyline. Apparently St Tugdual originally came to Brittany from Cornwall. There was an impressive market on Wednesday morning (not much smaller than the one in Cherbourg), and in the evening there was a traditional Breton pipe & drum band playing in the square followed by other music played on the temporary stage in front of the cathedral - all very French...

On Thursday morning, after extracating a piece of rope that Ann spotted caught around our rudder (the rope must have floated down river in the very strong current running through the marina and jammed itself around the rudder stock), we set off for Perros-Guirec. Hurrah! We sailed almost door to door, possibly the most perfect sail we have had in the last 3 years - beating in F3/F4 wind, sunshine, calm sea, stunning scenery. In fact it was tempting to keep on going to our next planned destination, but we stuck to plan A and picked up a buoy outside Perros-Guirec, as it was low water when we arrived. It was so idyllic here, with Ile Tome and Les Sept Iles as a backdrop that it was preferable to going into the marina when the tide rose. In fact, we are typing this from the same buoy, and even have a free internet connection from over a mile offshore!


The beautiful stone and timber buildings of Treguier.





St Tugdual cathedral.



Perfect.



And when I get the crayons, I'll colour it in....


Actually Murray Walker's autobiography - an interesting read, and I haven't even reached the chapters about his commentating career yet.


Trois of Les Sept Iles - not a bad view to have whilst enjoying a sundowner or two...


Ile Tome - not one of Les Sept Iles, but part of our evening vista.