Letter from the Med-Les Sables D'Olonne to Bayonne
by Andrea Treleaven on 18 Aug 2007
St.Martin, Ile de Re from the air 058 Ian & Andrea Treleaven
The morning of the 9th August we wake to high winds whistling through the rigging and not what I wanted to hear on our first sail down the coast. I tell myself it sounds worse than it is but there is no holding Ian back, as we have to be in La Rochelle the next day.
40nm and a good shake down with no problems, only a little exciting when we reached the dock in a strong cross wind but the bow thruster is proving its worth. For our first time ever we are told the yacht is too big for a berth and once again we are along side a catamaran.
The nautical shops are like ‘bees to the honey’ and I ask myself how he can look at the same things time and time again?
La Rochelle with its majestic Roman towers to the entrance of the port is impressive and behind lays a beautiful old stone town. Every night during summer is carnival time with buskers, artists and ice cream parlors entertaining 100s of people. To sit with a huge bowl of small sweet black mussels and baguettes watching people watch people is a delight. But where is summer?
A day trip with the Oser family and we have many flags to fly along with our Australian flag, New Zealand, Austrian, Slavonia and French. A sail under the Re Bridge to the island of Ile de Re and one of the most beautiful ports in France, Saint Martin. At high tide you can enter the lock and lie afloat in the heart of it all but we are only here for a few hours to enjoy the village and lunch on board while the tide is high enough. The flat island is famous for its potatoes and oyster harvesting. Also a very trendy island being the favoured place for holiday makers from Paris, all riding around on bikes.
Back at Marina Minimes in La Rochelle, we are spotted by Ian’s CYCA belt, youth academy members Tom Barker, Ed Christian and Ben Feeney. They had seen our burgee flying from the spreader and had been looking out for us. It certainly is a small world.
We have decided to follow the coast all the way, where as most yachts head directly to the NW corner of Spain and La Corona after taking delivery of their new yacht, believing that the weather in the Bay of Biscay is notoriously rough.
The forecast for the next 5 days is from the north and with favourable tides we set off to sail the 240 nms to San Sebastian taking 5 days. Our next port is Royan, 45nms. No wind and Ian spends the day splicing, odd jobs and I watch the washing dry. The tide is something we have had to get used to again, around 4 metres. Entering Royan is only at the ½ to full tide but once in its ok, thanks to a floating dock.
We are not disappointed at our decision to follow the coast, as Royan is a delightful trendy beach town and we enjoy our time ashore. The tide range is amazing and one could be confused to wake in the morning and find you are in a very different looking place when the tide is out. Leaving of course is the same and it’s a 6am start with Heinz Oser and Christopher, his 10 year old grandson on board for the 77nm sail south to Arcachon.
Crossing the muddy waters at the mouth of the La Gironde to Bordeaux we follow the baron 78 miles of beach coast line to Arcachon. Behind are the most famous vine yards in France, to name a few Medoc, Pauillac, St Estephen, St.Julien and Margaux.
Basin d’Arcachon is a huge inlet of water at high tide and sand dunes at low tide. It makes for a very interesting entrance in the narrow channel , with breaking water on one side and the other the highest sand hill in Europe, especially good for hang gliding. Interesting to see them return to the top by them walking as their kite pulls them back up.
Arriving on Saturday we find everyone is out in their boats, but not the most successful stopover. Fees are very high for one night but you can have the next night free. We find it hard to see the logic in this especially as there was no service and we had to raft up.
Up early and another 75 nms, straight line down to Bayonne/Biarritz with a very nice westerly pushing us along at 9 knots. Nice to have a little more speed with our new boat, both sail and power wise, she has an 110HP engine. We will easily be able to sail 100nm in daylight hours in the right conditions.
'Finisterre' is proving to be everything we could have hoped for and everyday we become excited about another new feature discovered.
Basque country and we are really looking forward to this undeveloped green coast with many historical sights.
Just as we are about to leave France I have developed a taste for Ricard Pastis, the aniseed aperitif and of course champagne.
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