Sante-Marine / Benodet
After four days at Port Le Floret we were starting to take root and whilst it was extremely comfortable there we needed to move in if there was a gap in the weather, Tuesday was that day. A very short 12 miles sail was involved and we were lucky to get out as the tide was running out in the entrance. Ayaya left before us and they were way ahead and pointing higher so they were tied up by the time we reached the entrance to the river. I called Matthew to ask about space and he said that there was a long pontoon I might be allowed or down river of him there was a spot. I called the harbour master on C9, I was told to wait. After a few minutes I called again as there was no sign of the berthing master; again wait "we are looking for somewhere to out you". Soon the BM was seen speeding to the spot down river from Ayaya, it would have been perfect but another boat jumped into the space a few minutes before we arrived. Soon he was on the pontoon pacing it out. He jumped back in his dinghy zoomed over and said it's OK there are 20m; we physically measure 18.8m with our dinghy but the boat is officially 16.5m… As we approached the boats either side watched in absolute horror as our boat made and entry for a space that had 60cm either side to fit in. A mass dive for roving fenders ensued. Matthew and Kerry stood by on the pontoon to grab any lines available as Linda repeatedly asked me which line to hand over. I said plan A, you get off with the stern, let the others grab any line they can. I kept my way of using Newtons law of motion (Items will continue in a straight line unless a force is exerted on them). I drove into the spot turned the helm at the last minute so that the dinghy would not hit the boat behind and then we hard in reverse and a the stern tucked itself in the boat stopped and we never touched either boat. Everyone was agog, I just felt relief not really know if it was luck or skill but please to be in.
The next day Linda and I went for a circular walk to the beach over on the west side of the peninsula. It was a blustery day, no boats came into or left the harbour and even the ferry and tourist boats had a day off. In with the wind was a mixture of rain and mist. As we walked through the village it was clear that Sainte-Marine was an upmarket area and is surrounded with a mixture of substantial Victorian and Edwardian houses and a huge number of subdivisions where housing has been built since the 1990's and continues today. The beach we saw was lovely and whilst it was empty on a good day I am sure it would be packed. Later that evening we had a pizza part on Sea Crusader, I have made the dough the day before.
On Thursday Ayaya decided to go up the river to take a buoy, we decided to stay as we wanted to explore Benodet as we had not been before so we stayed another day and then we would join them on Friday and either anchor or take a buoy. We took the ferry to the to the other side and walked along the front towards the mouth of the river and then it bore left. We were amazed to find the beach full of people, it was oriented in such a way that it was sheltered from the winds. We could not see any cafe's or restaurant's, there must have been but the beach was about 2 miles long. We turned around to walk back tot he town. We didn't find any town, there was a couple of hotels and restaurant's and an ice-cream parlour, if there was more to the town we missed it. We then walked up-river to the next marina, they were bound to have a marina cafe… well it was rather sad and we didn't stay. Time to go back to our side it was much nicer and there are six restaurants around our marina and a lovely village and with that the heavens opened. What all the people on the beach did I don't know.
When I returned to the boat there was a message from Matthew, the weather forecast had changed and Camaret was on for tomorrow. We had wanted to go up river but there is a very bad storm forecast for Saturday so we need to make progress and get part the Raz or we will be stuck until the middle of next week, so the decision is to go. Luckily the boats behind us are planing to go on Friday as well which will simplify our departure.
The next day Linda and I went for a circular walk to the beach over on the west side of the peninsula. It was a blustery day, no boats came into or left the harbour and even the ferry and tourist boats had a day off. In with the wind was a mixture of rain and mist. As we walked through the village it was clear that Sainte-Marine was an upmarket area and is surrounded with a mixture of substantial Victorian and Edwardian houses and a huge number of subdivisions where housing has been built since the 1990's and continues today. The beach we saw was lovely and whilst it was empty on a good day I am sure it would be packed. Later that evening we had a pizza part on Sea Crusader, I have made the dough the day before.
On Thursday Ayaya decided to go up the river to take a buoy, we decided to stay as we wanted to explore Benodet as we had not been before so we stayed another day and then we would join them on Friday and either anchor or take a buoy. We took the ferry to the to the other side and walked along the front towards the mouth of the river and then it bore left. We were amazed to find the beach full of people, it was oriented in such a way that it was sheltered from the winds. We could not see any cafe's or restaurant's, there must have been but the beach was about 2 miles long. We turned around to walk back tot he town. We didn't find any town, there was a couple of hotels and restaurant's and an ice-cream parlour, if there was more to the town we missed it. We then walked up-river to the next marina, they were bound to have a marina cafe… well it was rather sad and we didn't stay. Time to go back to our side it was much nicer and there are six restaurants around our marina and a lovely village and with that the heavens opened. What all the people on the beach did I don't know.
When I returned to the boat there was a message from Matthew, the weather forecast had changed and Camaret was on for tomorrow. We had wanted to go up river but there is a very bad storm forecast for Saturday so we need to make progress and get part the Raz or we will be stuck until the middle of next week, so the decision is to go. Luckily the boats behind us are planing to go on Friday as well which will simplify our departure.
