Planned timed passages have been difficult to organise with the fleet so spread out, so prizes were awarded for the most dramatic incident, the longest passages, the most ports visited, and Crunchie bars for various mishaps.

 


The cruise dinner at the Grain de Sel restaurant in Vannes went well, and prizes were awarded as follows:

Greatest drama - Mary Lunn - Champagne (to help to drown sorrows)


Longest passage:

  • 1st prize - Willow - 149 miles
  • 2nd prize - Silver Tide - 115 miles


Most ports visited:

  • 1st prize - Lazy Life - 10 ports
  • 2nd prize - Aeolus - 5 ports


Various unrepeatable minor mishaps - several Crunchie bars were distributed.

Strong winds followed, curtailing the planned leg the next day to Belle Ile, taking in Port Haliguen instead. Then a timed passage going north from Port Louis to Concarneau in winds up to Force 7 was won by that well known, stripped down, lean and mean racing machine - Lazy Life. Nothing wrong with a bit of weight in a Force 7! Willow diverted to Ile de Groix, and came on the next day to Concarneau in time for the second pre-planned drinks party of the cruise.

After a lay day in Concarneau, today's (Sunday) forecast is for strong northerlies coming on Tuesday and Wednesday, so the plan now is to go direct to Camaret, cutting out Audierne to try to get there ahead of the weather. This means an early start (02.30 !!) to catch the tide in the Raz - whatever happened to the leisurely holiday, gentle sailing and balmy weather? They're going to need a holiday to recover when they get home!