CK/Mer Landéda, Brittany 14-21 Aug 2009 Part 1

The view from the main lighthouse looking back towards Landéda.

9am morning Breifing to discuss the days activities.

Some of the organisers from CK-MER

Odile, Eau d'ile (lady of the Sea).

At the end of the week, there was a big party for everyone. All we had to do was bring a dish from our native country. Easier said than done for the Brits !! but we made do.

The star attraction was from Catalan, Spain José with the leg of wild Boar.

The samon sarnies went down well.

The legendary poet Rainer with his chocolate sauce

Serge (Monsieur Pot Noodle) serving Oysters and Crabs caught fresh from the local bay.

One of the evenings entertainment. This guy Rocked !!!

Ilé Guenioc,

No one had stayed here for the last 200 years.
Access only by Kayak not Boat !.
This was a magical place and was so privileged to stay here.

Ile Guenioc island Burial Tombs

Dated back to 10,000 BC

Below are 10 of the best shots from the area.

Reminder 9 August Charity Paddle

Look to this post, and sponsor the club charity paddle or come along. Ingrid has official RNLI sponsorship forms if you want them.

St Vincent's Creek, Gosport

Recognise this spot? Thought not! An unfrequented but delightful inlet off Portsmouth Harbour, St Vincent's Creek which the OS call Forton Lake on maps.

Last night, after a day of strong winds, the group nearly voted for a quick trip to the pub without taking the boats off the roof. However, we launched from the Sally Port in Old Portsmouth, paddled out to cross the channel at No.4 buoy and then back into the harbour by the small boat channel, choppy! But St Vincent's with its picturesque hulks was calm and sheltered.

The African Queen?

Back out in the harbour beyond Rat Island (once again the OS beg to differ, calling it Burrow Island), a 2 person jet ski which had entered the harbour on the wrong side, then exceeded the speed limits and entered the exclusion zone around the warships was being chased by the harbour police. It looked as if it was caught, but our glee was short lived, it escaped in the shallows towards Portchester. Maybe they got it on the way back.

All that remained was to paddle back out of the harbour.

Once out of the entrance with the tide ebbing at speed, we had to wait at No.4 buoy for the 'Commodore' cross channel ferry and then an IOW ferry in absurdly rough water. Breaking waves from all directions, wind against tide, wakes against wind, shallow water and the  buoy's magnetic attraction with the tide swirling past. Sorry, no pictures, but eventually we could cross the channel, back to the start.

Sunday 12 July, Lee on Solent to Warsash and back

Setting off in W force 4 gave a lively sea for Southampton Water.

Passing Calshot it had increased to F5, but it was some sort of fun punching into the wind on the bow quarter, at least the sun was shining.

Ready to leave Warsash after lunch, it was now F5 gusting 6

The return leg, across and down wind, was too choppy and too much spray about for photography. By now, Bramblemet was recording a steady 6 gusting 7. However, the sun was still shining as we reached the beach.