Biscay 23.9 - 27.9.2014

28.9.2014 La Coruna

25 - 27.9.2014 Biscay , Wo ,oops my  daugter has not left the boat in Brest and is stil sailing with me.
My new crewmember is also sailing with me to at least to Lisboa. Maybe to Lagos around Cabo de Saint Vincent.
We had a beautiful sail across the Bay of Biscay. Downwind all the way, E to NE . One day motoring. In the evening we got the sails up at last. Next day beautiful and fast sailing to Cabo de Finisterre. After the sunset the wind started to blow more than 30 knots and the swell around Cabo de Finisterre made the sailing a bit too sporty. So, we shortened the sails to minimum and sailed 10 more nautical miles.We made a sad decision to find a way to La Coruna, because the night was on hand and still 100 miles to go to Bayona.
The last bit was a tough sailngl to La Coruna. We were pointing as high up the wind as possible. and had a wery wet 10 miles ride to La Coruna. Sailing to the big harbour of La Coruna in the morgning 08.00.
3 days and 2 hours, the Biscay.

This was the highlight of the trip a mall 7 m whale (globyc phale)

   

Here filling our grocery garderobe, free of charge vegetables from the city of Brest.

We are still in Brest

Brest, 20.9.2014

We are still on the same pier.  Next week new winds are blowing. I´m getting a french crew members and we are heading for La Coruna or direct to Bayona. My daughter is going back to Finland to find about  the artist life in the archipelago.
Interesting boats are gathering here to sail with various sailing contests. Here is one of the newest constroctions.

We meet Flyer

Beauties in habor of Brest

Here some specialities from the past time, a totally refurbished Flyer. Yes it is true. She is sailing to Alicante to take part in Volvo Ocean race. Starting the 6.th of the next month.

 Kati met someone from Ushuaia a big boat called Explorer and an aussi skipper from downunder.

Ground House

On the hills of Cote D Armor 

You´ll find also a Groundhouse, though its unused and empty but some of the techniques seems to work fine.

Low tide

Saint Brieuc Harbour at low tide

Some boats on dry land.

Pics From Holland and Belgium

Belgium, Zeebrugge

Rain is pouring every day. Sun shines only occasionally. Boat is like a dryer "alkkarit mantookissa ja muut myös".
The day before yesterday we got again wind with the force 50 knots+ in ghusts.

Brugge

Spiritual moment

Newest new coalfibre construction.

Here a old Swan 36, where it all begun

Our new yankee cut genoa

Waiting for the rain to stop in Brygge yesterday. The navigating was challenging because of the amount of scrap (sea marks) on the sea. 

Cote D Armoir

Cote D ´Armor - The North Coast in Breton

Beautiful but extremely difficult to approach from the sea because of the vast amount of off lying rocks and the tidal water that empties totally the fairways. Calculating is essential and local knowledge is highly evaluated.

The beauty is hard to describe in words and shows better on photographs. Our 5-day journey consisted of beaches and long walking tours on the sand as well as cultural events on the coast. Ark Angel Michael was also present in many churches we visited. The farmhouses were prosperous and even a groundhouse ( earth ship ) was found on the hills of Montagnes Noires. St Malo stays still number one of the cities in Breton and of course Mont St. Michael is great.

Some stones to look after.

Here the most beautifol harbour of Plouguerneau.  There is one fairway but some knowledge is better to be in hand.

Some photographers I met on the sand of St. Malo beach on a misty morgning. The group were photographing the lighthouses of the coast.

The water disappears totally here. Like Perros Quirec almost every harbour is not possible to enter with the low water.

Brest is lively town and even a new tram line is opened here recently. Only Quay Eric tabarly is no more like it used to be with Tour de monde mussel restaurant. A new complex Chateau  Marina is here to serve several hundred boats.