Ile d'Yeu and Roche Bernard

PROGRESS
Andrew and Hilary Clark
Thu 26 Jun 2008 08:43
47:30.4N 02:28.7W

We extracted ourselves from the packed St Martin de Re early on Sunday
morning, and plodded north to Ile d'Yeu. For this visit we got the bikes out
and explored the coast and the interior of the island. And what a pleasant
surprise! Beyond the rather drab frontage of Port Joinville lies a really
nice island, and another that would repay a wider exploration. We are just
storing up reasons to come back down this coast in the near future.

We are now crossing tracks with a number of boats that are heading south for
where we have come from, all beginning to brace themselves for the Biscay
crossing and the Iberian coast. We find that this stretch of coast north
from La Rochelle to be very gentle and inviting after Portugal and Spain.

After Ile d'Yeu we headed on again for the Vilaine River and Roche Bernard.
Half way there we actually got a good sailing breeze, and were soon cracking
along at 8 knots. It was so good that we had to slow down to wait for the
tide at the Vilaine entrance. Creeping across the bar at half tide we had
just over 1 metre under the keel, which did not seem a lot, especially as we
were over half a mile from the nearest land at the time! We were slightly
unnerved when we realised that whilst we were using the track over the bar
recommended in the pilot, the French yachts were all using the alternative
route. So which way out?

Easing up the river with the tide, we squeezed into the lock at Arzal, and
were transported into the river basin in the calm of evening. This is our
first visit to Roche Bernard, and we understand why it is so highly regarded
by those who know it. The scenery is delightful and very peaceful, the
facilities are good, and the town is pretty and neat. We have already met
several Brits who base their boats here, and are totally sold on the virtues
of the place as a cruising base.

This afternoon we are heading further up river, under two bridges and through a third that opens, into the heart of the Brittany countryside. We may never come out again.........




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