Camaret-sur-Mer

Low water in Camaret

The wind was really howling during the night. Strong wind in a marina makes an incredible shrieking noise as it whips through the masts and rigging of all the tightly-packed sailboats. Add to that the rocking, knocking and bumping of boats and the splashing of waves and sleep becomes rather difficult. At least it would have been difficult if I wasn't so tired. 

An especially loud halyard clattering against our mast wakes me up in the middle of the night, and I think about getting out and doing something about it. It's really loud and I won't be able to sleep with that continuous clank, clank, clank, clank, clank. Maybe Richard will get up and fix it? Surly he must have heard it by now... It continues going clank, clank, clank, clank. If I get out I'll need my waterproofs, which are in the forward cabin. I don't want to wake Eileen and Laura by rustling around in there for clothes. I lay there thinking about what to do and, clank, fall back, clank, asleep. 

"Morning Robin, kettle's boiled. Breakfast at eight". Richard is first up and puts on the kettle before going ashore, and then returns for breakfast. That gives us a half-hour or so to get ourselves up and dressed, with a cup of tea to get the brain working. 

Laura slept like a baby. She loves the rocking motion of the boat, the more the better!

Lazy breakfast. Richard says he heard a halyard clanking during the night. He waited for a while hoping I would get out and do something, but finally gave up and got out himself.  Laura earns brownie points by washing up. How many points do you need for a brownie? 

The forecast is for 80 km/h winds and a très très forte mer. We'll be staying in Camaret today. Richard wants to do a half-day of theory and leaves us to decide if we prefer the morning or afternoon. We look at the sky, trying to decide if we are more likely to get better weather in the morning or the afternoon. But the weather has been changing so quickly that it's impossible to predict anything. The wind is supposed to strengthen this evening so we choose to go sight-seeing in the morning.

We put on our foul-weather gear and walk up the road that starts at the marina and climbs the hill, heading out towards the point of the peninsula. We are hoping to be able to find the standing stones that are there facing the ocean. 

Shortly after setting out the rain starts. Laura wants to turn back, but we try to keep going for a bit hoping that it will let up in a few minutes. We shelter under a garage entrance for a while and the rain lets up a bit. Eileen and I really want to see those standing stones. Laura really wants to head back. We continue walking up the hill and soon the rain starts pelting down. And then the wind picks up and starts blowing the rain horizontally into our faces. Time to give up and retreat back into town.

It's more sheltered in the town so we walk around some of the old narrow streets. There are lots of art and craft type shops but it's too early in the season and they aren't open yet, so we can only peek in the windows. The rain and wind are letting up a bit so we walk over to the Tour Vauban to see if it is open, but it isn't. We take pictures of the famous decaying fishing boats hauled up on the shore. 

Back to the boat for lunch on board, followed by competent crew theory. This time Richard covers cardinal markers, more knots, 12 things to do in fog, and day shapes.  Once again Laura picks things up very quickly and Eileen struggles to keep up! 

Richard and Laura take some stale bread out onto the pontoon. Richard wants to show Laura the best seagulls in Brittany. He shows Laura what to do. You have to throw the bits of bread up into the air, and the seagulls catch them in mid-flight! Pretty soon there is a whole flock of seagulls hovering around over Laura's head, picking the bread out of the air. Wow, the seagulls in Brest don't do that! 

Dinghy practice has been cancelled due to too much wind. We go to the capitainerie for showers. Most unusually, instead of a lack of hot water, the showers are scalding hot. It's quite a challenge to actually get the soap and shampoo off without getting burnt. We write a note and leave it in the "suggestion box".

We return to the boat for a quick beer with Richard, and then head off for dinner. We walk along the waterfront looking at the restaurant menus and decide on a crêperie called Dundee's. We have an enjoyable dinner and turn in early to bed. Did we have a game of "fish"? Sleeping bags!

12 Things To Do When Approaching Fog:

1. Reduce speed
2. Turn on navigation lights
3. Make sound signals
4. Turn on the radar
5. Rest one of the crew
6. Have white handheld flares ready
7. Hoist the radar reflector
8. Add extra lookout
9. Start the engine
10. Fix your position
11. Put on lifejackets
12. Head for shallow water if possible