47:15.47N 02:20.92W

Spellbinder
Fri 15 Jun 2007 20:54
Left Ile Houat at 0930 on Monday 11th, to catch a favourable tide into the gulf of Morbihan. Up the Auray River to Le Bono where we picked up a visitors mooring shortly after 1200. Ashore after lunch to explore, and a lovely ramble throught the countryside for a few miles, taking in an old chapel and a tidal mill.Then to the cemetry on the outskirts of the village to visit the grave of the iconic French yachtsman Bernard Moitessier. A suitably romantic memorial in an otherwise very formal cemetry.Fell in to talking with the crew of another British yacht over a beer in the village. Back on board for dinner, and then joined by Crispin and Ann for after dinner drinks.
Off at seven the next morning, to catch the tide out of the Morbihan, and then a gentle sail round to anchor in a lovely bay for lunch, and to wait for a favourable tide to take us into our next stop in the Penerf river, where we secured to a visitors buoy at 1500.Ashore for a walk, before settling in to fruits de mer at the cafe pecheur.The river is given over to oyster production, and there are no shops in the village, only two restaurants.Bliss.
Up at six the next morning, to make sure of enough water to get out of the river. Sailed on in very dull weather, rain and occasional thunder, around the Pointe du Castelli and in to the bay of La Baule.Across the bay to secure in the marina at Pornichet.Lunch and siesta before a trip ashore to explore.
Remained at Pornichet on Thursday for a domestic catch up of laundry and internet. Martin managed a tour of La Baule on the Bickerton bike.After seeing the forecast for Friday, gales and rain for Biscay, decided to stay put. Set off on the bus on Friday morning to Le Croisic, a very attractive little port which is too shallow for Spellbinder to visit. Splendid seafood lunch and a walk round the village before returning to Pornichet by train. Dinner onboard, listening to the wind and the rain, so maybe another day here before we head across the mouth of the Loire to Pornic where Charles leaves us on Monday morning.