Left St Malo Sunday 5th July and arrived in Brest Fri 10th – distance of 225M approx so a busy week sailing with some long days, quite windy, great scenery and terrific experience. Doug and his son Edward were on board with us. Sadly Lesley and Simon had to call off as Lesley’s Mum was very ill. Hope her Mum gets better soon and hope they’ll be able to join us later. Difficult time as parents get elderly.

We arrived in St Malo on overnight ferry from Portsmouth – great way to cross the channel! Had dinner on board, Doug and Edward watched a movie (Angels and Demons) and had a good nights sleep. Got boat ready on Sunday – including having yet another attempt to solve a problem I have with the main halyard chafing (rope that hauls up the mainsail – extremely expensive rope so not one I want to get damaged!) and set out around 1730. Fairly breezy and a strong cross tide as we left St Malo and threaded our way thru the maze of rocks offshore so lots of concentration to make sure we dodged the rocks! Once we were out of the channel we had a lively sail in beautiful evening conditions until wind died off Pointe de La Latte on which there is the most magnificent castle – used in the Kirk Douglas/Tony Curtis film The Vikings – the first film I ever saw!! From there (about half way) we motored to St Quay Portrieux. Fortunately we’d been there a few weeks ago, as we arrived from St Malo in the dark (about 2330) and again (as in most places in N Brittany) the approaches are littered with rocks. Difficult to see the unlit mark to keep us off the N end off the reef but moon was bright enough for us to make it out as we got closer and then we followed the marked channel into the port.