A Gale in Trebeurden !!

Tuesday 6th of October

A grey - overcast and rainy day with a forecast of the wind building up to gale force in the afternoon and strongest in the night - dropping in the morning.

We have saved a trip to the heated sea water swimming bath at Tregestrel for a rainy day - this was it.
I suggested we swim then have a nice lunch in one of the restaurants near the pool.
GOOD IDEA.

Problem - 1

We arrived at the pool and were told that it was closed until 3 pm ! - this time of year.
Never mind - early lunch then.

Problem - 2

All the restaurants in the area had lights on but when we asked - closed !!
We tried them all in a bigger and bigger area until we went to Plumanache - BINGO.
The nice restaurant called Le Coste mor - right on the tiny beach was open and busy.
I checked it out because I was impressed with it when we had coffee there a week ago and thought eating there would be great.

YES IT WAS !

We ate in the outside patio area - tented with very posh plastic roller blinds and vertical plastic windows.
They had several gas heaters - very smart - a great atmosphere.

We ordered mussels and Frites - two recipes - Marinere for me Curry for Jackie.
A bottle of dry white Muscadet - perfect.

The rain lashed down - the wind blew hard but we were fine in the tent.

Lots of couples dinning and many of them ordering Mussels - a good sign.
They were really good - fresh bread with them - it took ages to eat them all.
The Frites (chips) were served in an individual tiny deep frying basket lined with what looked like newspaper - very effective.

Desert - Far Bretton with cream for Jackie - ( a pie of egg custard and Prunes ) and a Banana Split for me. - Fantastic.
Coffee after - perfect.

Despite the restaurants name - the bill was quite reasonable - A great solution to a rainy day.

Back on board ( No swimming after such a big meal ) - I fitted extra mooring lines and checked my neighbours boats - all OK.

In the evening we watched a Julia Roberts film - Notting Hill - great - as the gale built up outside.
We were snug and warm but it was alarming to hear the shrieking of the wind in the marina and the masts were swaying around violently.

I have a wind speed device at the top of the mast which gives speed and direction in the cockpit plus an instrument at the chart table that records the average wind speed over time. - sorry about the flash reflection but the photo shows an average of 25 knots (Force 6) and periods of over 40 knots (top end of a force 8)

We were fine all night apart from the tugging of the mooring lines every few seconds - I slept OK - Jackie struggled.
This morning - much better - 10 to 15 knots and no bouncing around.

That's Boating.

Mike and Jackie.

Big Clean Up Day

Monday 5th of October

A cooler day - Overcast with rain due in the afternoon and night.

Having invited our visitors for drinks and nibbles at 5 pm - we had better have the place clean and tidy.

First a de-clutter - binning stuff we won't use again.
Then a good sort out - putting stuff away.
Then finish off little jobs - like fitting a cupboard door - tidy.

Then being Monday - its ---

                                                            WASHDAY !!

I dug out the small plastic washing machine from the pilot berth so that Jackie could test it in the cockpit for the first time and see if it is worth keeping.

Its a twin tub and can take bedding no problem.
We filled it with hot water and in went the whites - a few minutes of agitation on the timer - then across into the spin drier - pumping the soapy water back into the washer.
Rinsing in the spin drier was by hose pipe and spray gun - easy.
Next - the towels  - then my fleece track suit.
All done in half an hour !! - like old times !

Jackie took all the washing up to the little Launderette and tumble dried them today - but on a fine day we can just hang them out on Blazer.

The conclusion - keep it - stow it better in the pilot berth and use it in the cockpit once per week and save a lot of money - the launderette is quite expensive - plus everything has to go in together.

We went shopping for nibbles and bread - plus a plastic table cloth decorated with chickens - we couldn't resist it.

I put the cockpit tent up - just as the rain started - perfect.

We watched cookery programmes on TV until our guests arrived and we enjoyed chatting about our sailing experiences for an hour or so - lovely.

A very productive day.

Mike and Jackie.

A Bit Of Fresh AIR

Sunday 4th of October

Sorry - No photos - (forgot the camera)

A cooked breakfast and off out - overcast but dry and warm.

We headed for the nature trail just outside Trebeurden - well maintained - a lot of decking boardwalk over the boggy bits - about a mile around.
Jackie picked the last of the blackberries - (not many)
There were loads of acorns on the ground and a few chestnuts but still green.

After the walk we drove to Perross  and had a nice coffee in the town centre.
Quite a few people about and even a fish shop open on Sunday !!

We drove down to the big tourist beach in Perross and walked the full length of the sea front and back.

When we got back to the marina I spotted an English visiting boat and went to say helllo.
It was a very - very posh 40 foot yacht, owned by Sue and Collin on thier way back to the UK from the Med.

I invited them to join us for a G & T on Monday at 5pm for a chat. - Great !

Back on board it started to rain so batten down the hatches and telly on - IT WORKED !!

Jackie excelled herself on our little gas cooker - a full chicken roast dinner with Stuffing - Yorkshire Pudding - roast and mashed potatoes - two veg and a blackberry and raspberry crumble for afters.

WONDERFUL !!

We watched The Great British Bake Off and the Strictly results show - lovely

A great Day.

Jackie and Mike.

A Recovery Day

Saturday 3rd October

A slow start after the night before - then not much to report - Jackie sunbathing / resting / reading in the hot sunshine.
Me pottering  -

I did attend to one job -

The night before we had a carbon monoxide alarm - low level - but a concern - I checked the cooker and turned off the battery charger + ventilated the boat.

I was unsure if the batteries had survived the 7 months - no charge - they seamed to come up to charge OK but kept charging at around 2.5 amps - not much for 4 big batteries 0.8 amps each  ( I thought ).
They normally taper off to 0.5 amps  or less.

I checked the pair under the pilot berth - THEY WERE HOT AND GASSING A LOT !!!
Batteries should never be hot - so switched to the small starter battery and checked electrolyte levels - OK.
Then checked each cell with the hydrometer and found two flat cells in each battery.
THEY ARE SHOT !! - but at least 5 years old - so not too bad.
I isolated that pair and ventilated all the hydrogen away while they cooled and stopped gassing.

Good job I checked - Hydrogen in quantity can be very explosive !!

I will check the other - newer pair in the cockpit locker tomorrow - a lot of stuff to move !!

I did another little job - I repaired my little lamp shade for the light house lamp at my side of the bedroom.
Poorly made - Held together by sticky tape.
I dug out my hot melt glue gun and tacked it together with shots of glue - then re fitted the tape - better than new !

Comfort food dinner tonight - Steak - mash & green beans.
Hot crepes with cherry jam / honey - lovely.

Our Internet connection was poor through the day and I realised it was Strictly day - I'm in trouble again !
I tried the TV app - It worked !!
Then I realised that in all the re shuffling of USB plugs the other day, I ended up with the Internet  dongle in the faster USB2 hub.

We managed 2 sessions of catch up and the full live broadcast - overdose !!
Still a poor picture and sound out of sinc - but Jackie managed.
I escaped to the bedroom reading - so not too bad.

Mike and Jackie.

Computer Trouble !

Friday 2nd October

We decided to have a trial run out to sea today - while the weather forecast was still fair.
I have had a week to check things out and get ready - so was Blazer all set - NO !!

I have done a few jobs on the computer which involved taking it out from behind the instrument panel.
When it goes back in - some of the USB plugs go back in different slots.
Most things are OK with this but not the navigation software - it has to learn what is in which slot.
I forgot to do that.
When I tried to do it - the GPS didn't give a good position.
Meanwhile Jackie was patiently waiting - all togged up in a life jacket - ready to cast off.

To cut a long story short - we didn't go after all !!
It took hours of messing about including a trip to Lannion to buy a long USB extension lead so that the USB dongle could be outside the cabin.

Now its good - in fact a big improvement !! - a great contact with 11 satellites and a strong position for the NAV software. ( it knows where we are now).

While we were in Lannion - we shopped at the big Geant supermarket and bought some lovely food.
We finally found a small fresh chicken at a reasonable price for Sunday lunch !

Back in Sheffield - the letting agents have pulled out all the stops and the new tenants have paid up and moved in !! - A BIG DAY FOR ME.

Back on Blazer - Jackie cooked mussels and Frites in a white wine sauce for dinner.
Ingredients- 1/3rd of a bottle of dry white wine - apparently a rule in France says the chef has to drink the rest of the bottle !
Onions, Garlic, Cream and a teaspoon of mild curry powder - very nice.
I cleaned the mussels - sat out in the sunshine - helping Jackie finish the wine.
Out came our special moulle / frites plates + lots of fresh bread - WONDERFUL.

After dinner we got dressed in our best outfits and off to Le Benjis !!
We arrived about 8 pm - almost empty ! - no band on tonight but there will be one next Friday.

The owner / barman /chef / DJ - Benji - greets us by our first names - knows our drinks order and makes us feel welcome - non of our local pubs in Derby do that and we haven't been here for half a year !!

We also met my friend that owns the high class Deli / wine shop in the village - he was delivering a barrow load of wine.

Just we decided to go back to Blazer at about 10.30 - the locals poured in - the dance floor filled up - we joined them and danced the night away !!
Its mainly English rock music from our era - just the job.
My new hip performed like magic - I haven't danced like that in years - Great.
The downside was - too many drinks !! - A good size hangover in the morning.
Will we ever learn - NO.

A great day all round.

Mike and Jackie.

Lannion Market

Thursday 1st October

Yet another clear sky sunny day - cooler.

 A relatively early start - we drove into Lannion (15 minutes) parked by the river and strolled around this huge sprawling market.

Jackie bought some earrings.

There were lots of people buying to say that all the tourists  have gone now.

A stall of local oysters.

We tried -
Fish and chips - lovely.
A savoury pancake with a cheese and onion filling - nice.

We bought -
A very expensive Butternut Squash 7.50 Euros !! - for soup when it turns colder.
A kilo of local Mussels - live.
A huge crab - live !!

Back on board Jackie chilled out in the cockpit - I fitted hinges to a cupboard door ready for hanging - I need to sort out a good catch to hold it closed - it is a drop down door I made in Derby.

I dug out Blazers Crab / Lobster big boiling pan - (two gallons) and boiled the crab for 20 minutes.
I let it cool in fresh cold water / changed twice - ready for an early dinner.
Jackie dose not like dressing her crab so I did all the preparation - a great - meaty crab.
We have all the sea food tools on board as you can imagine.
A glass of cool Sauvignon Blanc - French bread and butter .
I was in heaven and Jackie said it was the most enjoyable crab she had ever had.

The Internet was fairly fast but not enough for TV - so an early night to catch up after our party the night before.
 Mike and Jackie.

Pottering Locally.

Wednesday 30th September

Another fine / warm but windy day - lovely.

We chose not to go to the Tregeiere market today - I cooked a hearty breakfast then Jackie sunbathed in the cockpit and read while I started a little job.

Zoie kindly gave me a danforth style anchor - of a good size for a stern anchor.
I removed the small fisherman anchor that was strapped to the pushpit rails and stowed it in the locker.
I had brought an article that I had seen in a magazine that showed how to make a simple bracket to mount a danforth anchor. I also brought out a nice piece of meranti board to make the mount.
A quick measure up - mark out - and cut to size ( all the hand saws that I have and I end up using a rusty one !!) then glued and screwed - it fits perfectly.
A first coat of decking oil and the anchor put in place - looks good.
I will try and think of a good way to clip the stem of the anchor to the pushpit rail - tie wraps will do for now.

Low tide today about 3 pm so off to the cockle / clam picking spot.
We were very productive - we worked hard as a team and filled our basket just as the tide started to rush back in.
Walking back - Jackie tried a deep hole where a big jet of water came from - Bingo !! she hit something - I dug out an enormous clam about 5 inches across !!

A little further on Jackie tried again and dug out a razor clam easilly. !!

We picked up bread / wine and some big prawns on offer at our local supermarket then back on board for a feast.

As soon as we got back I checked my phone and got a message from the letting agent -
THE HOUSE IS NOW LET !!!!
The American family signed up earlier in the day after hard negotiation with the agent ( I gave her permission)

We are so pleased - the fizz came out - PARTY NIGHT !!!

A GREAT DAY

Mike and Jackie.