Another fine but cool morning. HM collects our money and thinks Ouessant would be suitable in this weather. He suggested asking Eric, at the boatyard, for informtion. He also said we should collect water from the big pontoon before 11:00 as a party of yachts was expected.
We got to the pontoon just in time at about 9:45 and as 12 boats arrived and packed the small pontoon 3 deep we were moved to the end reserved for emergency access by the lifeboat crew. The 12 boats were all part of an organised club cruise - all very jolly and displayed a few smocks and pipes. Eric was not in the boatyard, but another man offered advice. It seems to be the ideal weather to go, the tide is neap (coefficient 58) and the swell is very small. However he suggested we do "le grand tour" ie go all the way round the N of the island instead of the more direct route through the Passage du Fromveur, which is marked on the chart with "courant tres violents" and I think has the fasted tide of the Brittany coast.
Again it seems that the passage is less exciting than reading the pilot books, which generally seem to try quite hard to stop you going anywhere. Motored out of harbour. Still not much wind and it's W. Got the weather forecast from Meteo France by phone, together with their outlook for the week. Seems to be light and variable all week, controlled by the Azores high with a ridge towards the UK.
Eventually we motored all the way there, with a few attempts at sailing, eventually picking up some helpful tide on the far side of the island. This is the edge of the Atlantic, but we did not think of it like that at the time - just a strange coast with a fearsome reputation and some offlying rocks to avoid. Ouessant (Ushant in English) marks the turning point between the Channel and the Bay of Biscay, so on every tide a lot of water rushes past. The area between the island and the mainland is well strewn with rocks and the area can be prone to fog. Anyway, today and the next few days seem to be a good time to visit. Took several photos of the lighthouses on the way past. There are a lot here.
Picked up one of the big visitors buoys at the head of the bay off Lampaul and dinghied ashore. Bought a few essantials in the Spar shop including Seaweed beer (I hope it's just the name) and had a glass of beer outside a bar. How strange to be sitting outside in T shirt at 7 pm drinking cold beer on an island which has a reputation as a wild, wind-swept place .
Will hire bikes and explore tomorrow. Meanwhile we will listen to the loud music and shouting from 2 nearby boats. Great.
