Happy birthday La MaLouine!

 La MaLouine, a Brise de Mer 31 from 1974, is being celebrated in the 50th anniversary issue of the magazine "Voiles et voiliers".

Double page picture in the magazine (Picture by Jean-Marie Liot)

I am feeling very proud of this celebration, as I resurrected La MaLouine in 2008 when I found her in a field near Norrköping in Sweden! Let me tell you a bit her story...

Back to "Les Sables", right in time! 15-16 May

Once in Port-Haliguen, a new gale warning, with gusts up to 20m/s (Beaufort 8), prevented us from departing the following morning for Sables d'Olonne. 

Forecasted wind gust for 15 May, 6:00. Scary!

We waited until late afternoon for decreasing winds and made it by 18:00 for a new night cruise with 10 to 14m/s winds...

Crossing the Iroise Sea in one shot, 13-14 May 2021

13 of May was "the window"! After consulting with my "master" Fañch (Cybèle 17), we decided to choose for a departure at 16:00 from Aber-Wrac'h, in order to arrive at the entrance of the "Four channel" by 20:00, at the reverse of tides, and take the rolling carpet at night through the "Four Channel" and the  "Raz-de-Sein", a 30 nautical miles through the "Iroise Sea", one of the most challenging sea in the world. 

Early morning in the Audierne bay. See the porpoise accompanying us?

No way Wednesday 12 May, next is Thursday 13 May

Yesterday, the forecast was indicating a good window for passing through the Four and Raz-de-Sein on Wednesday morning. But today, the Arome model, which is probably the best close range forecast model is indicating up to 20 m/s (40 knots/Beaufort 9) South of the Raz-de-Sein around tomorrow noon, which is clearly prohibitive of any attempt to go through. 

Windy wind gust forecast for Wednesday 12, 14:00. No way to get through even with back winds...

So we had another day waiting in Aber-Wrac'h...

9 & 10 May 2021, who is sailing in these Covid times?

So, who are the people sailing along the Channel in these Covid times with such bad weather in the past 10 days? They are interesting people. Let me tell you...

Trifon, a "Lévrier de Mer" from "Le Guen et Hemidy", from 1990 (picture by Jean Cadin)

Our first neighbours is Trifon, a "Lévrier de mer" from the boat constructor "Le Guen et Hémidy", the same that constructed La Malouine, my previous Brise de Mer. They are six crews on board. They came from La Rochelle, and heading North to Iceland with a funny small carbon rowing boat on board, and a project...

Start of the 2021 season, Cherbourg to Aber-Wrac'h, 6 & 7 May 2021

After ending the 2020 season in Cherbourg late august last year, I came twice to visit Belisama there to ensure everything was Ok. Finally, late April, I came again from Sweden to welcome the crew that would accompany me from Cherbourg to Sables-d'Olonne where Belisama is expected on 17 May to get her skeg fixed... Here is the crew on the way from Cherbourg to Aber-Wrac'h, the first step on this difficult route. 

Discovering the Bora along the Croatian coast... 13-15 February 2021

In Croatia for two months by now, with renovation of the new house almost completed. Weather was cold in past weeks and we took advantage of a nice sunny forecast over Croatia to explore the coast between Rijeka and Zadar during last weekend. It was sunny, windy and cold when we left Pula. The picture below is the view towards south-east as we start the journey along the coast. 

Typical Bura configuration along the coast

The weather was fantastic when leaving Pula (by car, not by boat). Just a few questions regarding the heavy cloud load over the mountains on the horizon and the whitish haze over the sea in the distance. Any serious resident in Croatia would have warned us about Bora in this configuration. In fact, the cap on top of the mountains is the sign announcing the Bora, but not much time in advance. In the absence of warning, we discovered what it means by ourselves!