Around the top corner!

Reuben proudly holding a live crab 

The weather changed after Roscoff, and we motored in short hops through grey skies and head winds. The coastline here is very rocky, and the entrance to our first port of call, Correjou, was pretty nerve-racking. The channel was lined with rocks either side (just showing as it was close to low tide), and the final entry led us between a red marker post (built on rocks) and an enormous pile of rocks only 60 feet away. You have to aim for the middle and have faith that they don’t extend far underwater. It was so wet and windy at Correjou that we didn’t even bother to launch the dinghy.

Grey days off rocky shores

Next morning, we motored through similar grey conditions to l’Aber Wrach, which brought back memories of the end of our last trip, when we ate ice cream in the sunshine with the Whitton family and had a lovely meal ashore. This time, the weather cleared enough after lunch for a wander ashore and a quick play on the beach, taking in the sight of French children learning to sail little dinghies. Then, lulled into a false sense of good weather, Dave took us up river to Paluden in the dinghy, only to find not a lot there and oncoming rain. Katie enjoyed her go at steering, but we returned very cold and damp and ready for a hot chocolate!

damp dinghy ride!

Thankfully, neither of the children have been seasick on this leg, they have happily amused themselves below with colouring, lego –making or watching DVD’s. The grey days have been considerably cheered by the consumption of various French foods – salted caramel spread, designed for pancakes and ice cream, but also eaten by our crew on bread. And a bizarre discovery of Dave’s -  some kind of spread based on the popular cafe biscuits (!?!). Biscuit sandwich anybody?

Our next step took us ‘around the top corner’ – past numerous rocks and lighthouses, inside of the island of Ushant (just visible in the mist) and through the Chenal du Four to Camaret. By the time we arrived, the sun had magically appeared and we had a lovely afternoon playing on the white sandy beach. Dave gave Katie her first snorkelling lessons and she was soon doing it confidently on her own. Not many fish to see admittedly, but all good practise!

 

 

Reuben thought it was too cold for a swim and he put his efforts into creating yet another mammoth sandcastle and revelled in watching the sea wash it all away bit by bit.




A wander round the fishing village brought back more memories of our last voyage. Here we said goodbye to John Waldon, our crew from the Azores, and had a lovely meal of mussels with his wife Fiona in a waterfront restaurant. A lot has changed in ten years and I failed to identify the same place!

Camaret

We saw what we thought were carnival floats throughout the town  – a pig farm, a mushroom house, a wigwam - along with lots of people dressed as Smurfs, Red Indians, Superheroes… It turns out they were literally floats – they all got launched in the harbour, whereupon many of the ‘riders’ got tipped in! We didn’t find out what the occasion was but it looked like a good time was had by all.

Fake (floating) Harleys!

not sure of the theme here!

The next day, Katie took the plunge and got me to chop her hair to shoulder length. She was really pleased with it at first before a wave of doubt hit… I think it looks fantastic. We have sent off her 13” long ponytail to the Little Princess Hair Trust (who make wigs for children who have lost their hair through illness or treatment).

Here are the before and after photos:

AFTER

BEFORE