Braving It

Ramsgate to Levington

Cathy — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:55:33 +0100

51.59.66N 01.16.40E

The final day of the trip was in many ways the easiest of the lot. For one ...

Boulogne to Ramsgate

Cathy — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:12:40 +0100

51.19.72N 01.25.24E

Crossing the Dover Straits, reputedly the most crowded shipping bottleneck in the world, can be a nerve-wracking ...

Dieppe to Boulogne

Cathy — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:11:00 +0100

50.43.48N       01.35.97E

Today has definitely been the sail of the season (so far). The course from Dieppe to ...

Le Havre to Dieppe

Cathy — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:09:41 +0100

49.55.71N       01.05.02E

We were really in two minds whether to leave this morning. It was still grey and ...

A windy day in Le Havre

Cathy — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 22:56:39 +0100

49.29.30N 00.05.63E

The wind screamed all night, and we woke to find waves crashing over the breakwater into the ...

St Vaast to Le Havre

Cathy — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 22:13:42 +0100

49.29.30N 00.05.63E

We set the alarm clock yesterday morning, intending to leave St Vaast at 0700 and cross the ...

Sightseeing in St Vaast

Cathy — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:32:55 +0100

49.35.21N 01.15.82W

After several days of relentless progress, we decided we were due for a day off, and St ...

Cherbourg to St Vaast la Hougue

Cathy — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 22:34:14 +0100

49.35.21N 01.15.82W

It was grey and misty when we woke, and there was a lot of condensation inside the ...

Braye to Cherbourg

Cathy — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:58:56 +0100

49.43.73N 01.37.21W

As forecast, the wind turned north-easterly during the night. We woke to find the boat jumping around, ...

St Peter Port to Braye (Alderney)

Cathy — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 22:00:02 +0100

49.43.69N 02.11.79W

We made an early run ashore in the dinghy to buy Sunday papers and some vital supplies, ...

Trebeurden to St Peter Port

Cathy — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 18:01:20 +0100

49.27.35N 02.31.85W

With a 60-mile trip ahead of us we decided 25 litres was the least we could buy ...

L’Aber Wrac’h to Trebeurden

Cathy — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 22:58:49 +0100

48.46.27N 03.35.18W

What a difference a day makes! Today was as bright and sunny as yesterday was dreary and ...

Camaret to L’Aber Wrac’h

Cathy — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:29:05 +0100

48.35.98N 04.33.66W

We had begun to think that it was always sunny in Camaret, because it always has been, ...

Sightseeing in Camaret

Cathy — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:01:20 +0100

48.16.78N 04.35.37W

Camaret is one of our favourite places and it is also the “last stop” on the Atlantic ...

Audierne to Camaret

Cathy — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:14:54 +0100

48.16.78N 04.35.37W

The pilot books are full of dire warnings about getting to the Raz de Sein – a ...

Beg Meil to Audierne – via Benodet

Cathy — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:12:56 +0100

48.00.44N 04.33.08W

Another sunny and windless day. The plan was to go to Benodet, and explore the river above ...

Locmiquelic to Beg Meil

Cathy — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 22:11:51 +0100

47.51.57N 03.58.53W

Our plan today was to make a short (20 miles) “hop” from Locmiquelic to Port Manec’h, at ...

Festival time in Locmiquelic

Cathy — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:10:29 +0100

47.43.56N 03.21.02W

We woke to grey skies, drizzle, and very poor visibility. We could hardly see the island opposite ...

Ile Houat to Locmiquelic

Cathy — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:04:22 +0100

47.43.56N 03.21.02W

Our original plan was to head to Port Tudy on the Ile de Groix, one of the ...

Piriac to Ile Houat

Cathy — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:03:09 +0100

47.23.16N 02.56.65W

We could not leave until lunchtime, because of waiting for the tide to come in and cover ...

Ile de Noirmoutier to Piriac

Cathy — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:21:53 +0100

47.22.91N 02.32.62W

There was a gentle, rock-you-to-sleep swell when we fell exhausted into bed last night. We woke in ...

Les Sables d’Olonne to Ile de Noirmoutier

Cathy — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:20:35 +0100

47.00.69N 02.12.92W

The strong winds have gone from the forecast. The only snag is that the wind seems likely ...

Weatherbound in Les Sables d’Olonne

Cathy — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:28:33 +0100

46.30.21N 01.47.47W

The strong wind blew all day, just as forecast. We walked out to the pier end to ...

La Rochelle to Les Sables d’Olonne

Cathy — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 22:27:17 +0100

46.30.21N 01.47.47W

Yesterday was wet and windy and we spent the day catching up with the chores and looking ...

Back in La Rochelle

Cathy — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 22:35:06 +0100

46.08.58N 01.10.11W

We’re back in La Rochelle after a flying visit (Ryanair) home to catch up on vital admin ...

Rivedoux Plage, Ile de Re to La Rochelle

Cathy — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:38:24 +0100

46.08.58N 01.10.11W

With outstandingly calm and sunny weather to enjoy, we spent yesterday at anchor off Rivedoux Plage, not ...

Ile d’Oleron to Ile de Re – via Ile d’Aix

Cathy — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:40:41 +0100

46.09.12N 01.15.55W

The idea was to go to the Ile d’Aix – another of the attractions of this coast ...

Cycling on Ile d’Oleron

Cathy — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:39:22 +0100

46.02.19N 01.22.14W

Feeling much better after a good night’s sleep, we got out the bikes and set off ...

Bilbao to Port St Denis, Ile d’Oleron

Cathy — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:07:26 +0100

46.02.19N       01.22.14W

“…and I’m not looking forward to the journey home!” That advertising catchphrase has become a standing ...

Sightseeing in Bilbao

Cathy — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:05:46 +0100

43.19.79N 03.00.97W

Today is the festival of St James (Santiago) – which meant we could not do ...