12 to 14 JULY BREST AND CAMARET
A mostly wet and windy week. At times very windy and we had to stay put Tuesday and Thursday as gales went through. However gave us a chance to catch up with emails/admin and have a relaxing couple of days.
On Monday we'd left Brest for the short trip out of the Rade de Brest and round the headland to Camaret. Another former fishing port but now converted to tourism. But having a tough time this year - headline in the local paper was Ou sont les Anglais?! The poor Euro:Sterling exchange rate and the gloomy economic situation are obviously having an effect on the area as more English (the biggest group of foreign visitors to the region) choose to holiday at home.
We had several interesting surprises in Camaret. Firstly, a famous old (1898) classic wooden yacht called Pen Duick moored alongside us.Quite a contrast between the boats and I'd have loved to go out for a sail on Pen Duick but for cruising I prefer the comforts of ALMA. Pen Duick belonged previously to one of the most famous sailors of all times, a Breton Eric Tabarly. He was lost overboard tragically in 1998 in the Irish Sea.
Second surprise was the arrival of the British navy - well 4 patrol boats. They were on their way back to UK from Spain but came into Camaret to shelter from the storm. I was surprised we still had even 4 boats.
Third surprise was a dolphin arriving just outside the port - literally across the pontoon from where we were berthed. Seems everyone was keen to shelter from the storm.