Vannes, Morbihan, La Trinite & La Roche Bernard

    Kisti Two headed through the islands and strong tides of Morbihan on 17 June. The area is a complicated tidal challenge and as there was not much wind, it was the iron Genoa that took us up all the way inland to Vannes where we met up again with Dalhanna. We moored right at the top of the canal just outside the walled city below the St Vincent town gate to the ancient entrance gate to Vannes.

Guy Navigating With Great Caution Through Morbihan Waters

Tied Up In Vannes In Time For A Beer!

Kisti Two Tied Up In Vannes

    After a quick lunch on board, we dashed off for a most enjoyable visit of the buildings of Vannes. The Cathedral was most impressive as well as the old buildings in the walled town. It was a damp day but great to walk around and take in some culture and avoid the shops!

Vannes Cathedral St Pierre

A few Of The Many Wonderful Old Buildings Of Vannes

The Lingerie Shop Sign!

Lovely Old Narrow Streets And Buildings

Joe In The Museum!

The Castle De L'Hermine 

The Washouse

The Prefecture Building

      After being woken up with intruders on our yachts (neighbours and others) we decided to leave Vannes on the 18th June. As a precaution, Guy now keeps a Lewmar winch handle close to hand and any future unwelcome visitor's will receive the 'Lewmare Star'! The shape that goes into the winch. It was a most enjoyable motor through Morbihan again and on to La Trinite Marina.

Departing Vannes Down The Canal

Sunset At La Trinite Marina

     The whole of the Morbihan area is an archaeologist dream location. The richness and significance of the concentration of megaliths of all kinds, particularly menhirs and dolmens, are a source of constant wonder. Secrets are still being revealed of the Neolithic civilisations who lived here between 5000 and 2000 BC. We sailed past several islands with tumuli and standing stones visible from the water.

An Ancient Neolithic Cairn On Isle De Gavrinis, Morbihan

Guy With Archaeological Map Admiring The Alignments Of Stones Near Carnac
The Alignments Of Stones, Over 4000 Menhirs Erected Between 5000 & 2000 BC
In Rows Over 4 km In Lines

Guy (The Hobbit) Coming Out Of A Tumulus, An Ancient Burial Mound

Part Of The Alignment Of Stones

     The visit on bike to the stones and Carnac was great fun and very interesting. The silicon breast implant now covering Guys bicycle seat worked a treat and the 'castrator' is no more. We returned to La Trinite which is famous for its high speed trimarans, Sodebo being a perfect example.

Trimaran At la Trinite

     Kisti Two departed La Trinite early on 20 June and decided to set sail for the River Vilane due to inclement weather spreading in and that it was described in all the pilot books as being stunning, relaxed, cheaper and not to be missed. It was a wonderful days sail of 40 nm which included going through a lock before settling for the night well inland at La Roche-Bernard were we are now located for another night. There are strong winds predicted for the next 3 days so will venture further up river tomorrow to Redon. The scenery is stunning and pace of life wonderfully slow. 

Early Departure From La Trinite

Guy Enjoying The Confusion In The Lock On La Vilaine

A Lovely Yacht Called 'Zoe' At La Roche-Bernard

Sailing On The La Vilaine River

Ile De Groix, Belle Ile & Port Crouesty

      Kisti Two left Concarneau on 9 June after a lovely time in this fishing port and walled town. Over the next few days we were to sail to Ile De Groix, then on to Belle Ile before a sail round a few islands finishing up at the entrance to the Gulfe Du Morbihan at Port Cruouesty. The chart below shows our route from Concarneau top left to Morbihan, the red blur in the centre. All the other boats shown are those using AIS at the time of the screen shot. 

   The cruising chute was made ready in Concarneau and was soon unfurled in light winds so the fishing lines were once again deployed and we caught our first mackerel of summer! The winds later increased, the cruising chute was easily furled away and we were soon romping along with main & Genoa. The wind disappeared so out came the cruising chute again! So much easier with a top down furling system, well done Karver, and Kemps an excellent system. Thank you to John for all his hard work getting it all together. We entered Port Tudy and tied up alongside Dalhanna of Lymington. Tony and Andrea were there to welcome us in! It was a lovely days sail and the fresh mackerel starter tasted superb. Need to catch a few more. Kisti Two enjoyed a couple of nights in Port Tudy which allowed us time for a long walk on 10th June complete with french picnic again. The Ile De Groix was very quiet , but the scenery lovely. If only we could paint these lovely scenes. Must get the watercolours out!!

Guy On Walk With Picnic Sticking Out Of Pack.

Port Tudy, Ile De Groix
Kisti Two Tied Up To Dalhanna Beside The Ferry

Ginny On Walk
What A Stunning Beach.

Picnic Time At Locmaria
Like Father, Like Son!!!
Can You Spot The Difference?
'Um, um, um, yes darling'

The Picnic View At Locmaria

    It was with some reluctance that we departed on 11 June but the promise of a good wind tempted us out. We soon had 2 reefs in the main (this helps reduce the size of the sail, lowers the centre of gravity and eases the rudder work and sails more upright) It was only a F4/5 but the large swell encouraged us to reef and we still went just as fast but more comfortably and upright. It was an exhilarating sail and 4 hours later we in Port Le Palais on the Belle Ile. We were moored up between two buoys near the harbour wall which turned out to be a little bumpy and their mooring chains occasionally caught the rudder. We were to spend three nights at this fascinating Port. 

Ginny Enjoying Being At The Helm With 2 Reefs!

Guys Now Knows Why He Dislikes Fish!!
The French have A Good name For Fish.

Not All Sunshine. Our Duck Was Happy.
Plenty Of Rain While Safe In Port Le Palais.

Port Le Palais.
Kisti Two Against The Wall And The Citadel Vauban Top Left

    Belle Ile is a fascinating island with a most magnificent citadel. Amazingly the British captured the island at the close of the Seven Years War with France in 1761. After a contested landing, the final siege was almost gentlemanly. British gunners knocked two breaches in the citadel and the French defenders capitulated. The island was then used by the British as bargaining power to gain Minorca from the French in return for Belle Ile. Well done the Brits!! We enjoyed a visit to the citadel and Guy was amazed that the Brits managed to capture this very imposing castle, quite some feat.

Ginny at The Bottom Of One Of The Citadel Ramparts.

Ginny In The Round Room ( the Powder Magazine) Which Has An Amazing Echo
Right In The Centre.

Hotel & Museum In The Citadel Vauban

Officers Quarters.
Splendid!

A Supply Boat reversing Out Of The Inner Harbour.
Fascinating To Watch

    We departed on the 14 June in good weather with the idea of anchoring off Port Marie where the British landed troops. We tied up on a buoy but the weather appeared to be changing, the swell increased so we decided to go for a sail around a couple of islands, Hoedic & Houat before turning north to Port du Crouesty. We had a lovely 40nm sail before settling next to a lovely old 15m British wooden motorboat called Tudora from Falmouth. She even has a bath on her! We enjoyed drinks with them the next day along with some other Cruising Association members

Departing Port Maria

A Lighthouse Off Ile Heodic
Mind Those Rocks Ginny.

     Kisti Two has now spent three nights in Port Du Crouesty. This has given us a chance to do some admin, clean the boat and off course for Ginny, armed with various maps (most upside down!) to take us on a bike ride. The new seat cover for Guys bike works a treat, so big smiles all round.

British Monks Church At The Port Entrance
Ginny Armed With a Map!!

Port Navlo, A Very Beautiful Village.

    Our plan is to motor up through the Golfe Du Morbihan tomorrow and head on up the river to Vannes for a night or two, who knows. Bon Nuit.

Benodet To Concarneau

      We left St Marine & Benodet early on 3 Jun 13 as Guy decided that the weather was too good to miss going out ( or was it a fear of the castrator! )  and we headed out with little wind to the Iles De Glenans described as a tropical paradise. We had visited them twice before only in strong winds and wet conditions. We found a wonderful spot off Iles de Penfret which proved to be a superb anchorage in the most magnificent clear water with white beaches to dream about. We met up with Tony & Andrea again who gave us a lift ashore for a walk and a thrashing at a game of beach boules. We walked round the whole island in 30 minutes! We rounded the day off with a BBQ on K2 with our neighbours, Tony & Andrea from Dalhanna Of Lymington.

Leaving St Marine.

Tony's Taxi To The Beach

 We discovered several wooden thunder boxes scattered on the island all of which had a most useful viewing box to admire the stunning views while sat on the throne. This is the second best view I have ever had second to a throne that once looked out towards Everest.  

Guy On Thunder box With Viewing Window

The View From The Thunderbox! Stunning.

The Beach At Iles De Penfret.

The Iles De Penfret Anchorage

The BBQ.

 We awoke on the 4 Jun 13 to a stunning morning and decided to stay for the day. We pumped up the dingy and then set off on a magical trip around all the islands, a sort of mini Scilly Isles without the population and so much warmer. It was a most enjoyable day enjoying this tropical paradise off the Brittany coast ending with another gourmet meal this time on Dalhanna Of Lymington.

Kisti Two At AnchorageOff Iles De Penfret

A Hard Day In The Office

Ginny On Her Private Island

Guy In Heaven, No Worries, Be Happy!

An Old Fort On One Of The Islands.
Captured By Capt Sharpe!

Not Another Stunning Beach!

    We forced ourselves away on Thu 6 Jun 13 due to imminent thunderstorms and gently motored to Concarneau. We have been here before and have always enjoyed ourselves, especially in the walled town of Ville Close which is alongside the marina. It is a miniature St Malo and we were soon enjoying Moulles again this time with Tony & Andrea. We also indulged in our first ice creams as the temperature was about 25C and very humid.

Enjoying Moulles (Left On Photo)

Just had To Have Some Ice Cream

Such Smug Faces!!

      We awoke to thunderstorms on Friday 7 Jun 13 which cleared on time for Ginny to enjoy her passion of going to the French market. Concarneau had been deserted the day before but it suddenly came to life and the market was a hive of activity. Ginny was soon laden with French specialities, strange sausages, spices and loads of vegetables for the next week while Guy followed as the dutiful porter watching all the girls passing bye. 

The Spice Man

      After a good French lunch, baguette and rillettes, we went for a walk around the walled town. The town provides everything that Zoe loves, archaeology, shopping and gourmet food! She will have missed this visit. AAAhhhhgggg.

The Walled Town Overlooking The Marina With K2.

A restaurant In The Walled Town.

Guy In The Chocolate Shop. Heaven
We Purchased Some Spiced Chocolate. Delicious.
That Waiste Needs Some Attention!

The Walled Town With Ginny Sat Resting

Not Another Sunset
Bon Nuit.

             Not sure if its a cycle ride or passage to Iles De Groix tomorrow. Who cares.............

           That's tomorrows problem.