Beach Day

Tuesday 29th September

A bright and windy day  - cooler - off to the local supermarket for bits and bobs then on to Tregastel - to the new beach.

Another spring tide day - so ultra low tide while we were there

Jackie made a packed lunch and as soon as we unwrapped it  - two baby seagulls pineing for tit bits.

It was quite cold in the wind while we were sat there but it didnt stop one lady donning her bikini and swimming / walking the sea - her daily exercise.

After an hour or so we packed up and set off on the cliff top walk that seamed popular.

We followed the path uphill and around the headland to find our favourite spot right there - Tregestral beach with the swimming pool and restaurants !!
The new beach was not as isolated as we thought.

Low tide brought out the locals in force with shrimping nets.
They poked about in the seaweed at the edge of the bay for ages - they must be catching something !

On the drive back to the marina we decided to take a side trip to Landrellec - I felt sure we had been before but no - A new place - on our doorstep !

A launching ramp - lots of  moored local boats plus oyster and mussel beds commercially farmed.

I admire the skill of the local skippers negotiating the channel into this mooring - there are millions of jagged rocks - like the surface of the moon - not for the feint hearted !!

Jackie sunbathing in her sun trap on board - me pottering with odd jobs - G & T plus a great fish pie to use up two more tins from the mountain onboard. - lovely.

There was a viewing of the house in Sheffield on Friday - the family from Wisconsin loved it - but tried to negotiate £100 per month off the rent - we agreed to £50 - then it has all gone quiet - they were looking at loads of properties over the weekend !
No viewings booked at the moment - I will keep the preasure on Saxton Mee.

Mike and Jackie.

Brittany At It's Best

Monday 28th September

A lovely warm sunny morning so off to Tregastel weekly market.

We spotted our favourite veg stall with tomatoes of all shapes and colours at reasonable prices.
They also had sacks of onions - 3 kgs for 5 euros - ideal size for pickling - we will pick some up before we leave for home.

We bought Oysters, Hard cured sausage and fresh brioche bread.
Coffee at the Boulangerie.
After the market we explored a side street that had a sign for a view point and found a great beach.

We found this beach being used by locals for exercise - wading in deep water back and forth across the bay - lots of them ! - all in wet suits.
No pebbles ( Trebeurden beach is covered in pebbles) and great views.
We must have a half day there soon.

Back on board - Oysters for me and Pate + Camembert cheese for Jackie - with a glass of Sauvingnon blanc - PERFECT !!

It was very low tide again - so off to the local beach near the marina to dig up clams.

There were scores of locals digging - with better tools than we had - big buckets full.
We managed to work out a reasonable technique and came away with about a kilo of mixed size cockles and clams.

Washed and cooked - a perfect starter for dinner.

We entertained a neighbour ( Bernard ) in the marina before dinner - his English was very good.

The TV proved to be no good tonight - a very slow Internet connection - no problem.

A Great Day.

Mike and Jackie

A Lazy Day In the Sunshine.

Sunday - 27th September.

A Heavy Duty Breakfast in the cockpit set us up for the day - Too big really, but we love bacon grill.

Jackie tested the on board shower and new toilet set up - success !!!

Jackie started off a big pot in the oven with an ALDI  beef Brisket joint surrounded by veg - slow cooked.

Two lines of hand washing out and then off to the beach - WOW what a low tide !! ( the equinox )

This area is hosting an art weekend and the locals turned out in force to participate - very good.

The exhibits for Trebeurden were on the prom and beach and were set up to float when the tide came in.

I fell asleep in the beach chair - it was so warm and sunny.

Back on board I tidied up the cockpit locker a bit and found room for the spare engine oil I brought out.

Then I removed all the heavy duty mooring lines that had been on all winter and looked battered and scruffy.
I fitted our posh black lines that we keep for best to dress Blazer up a bit. - NICE.

G&T's before a big Sunday dinner complete with dumplings all in hot sunshine. - WONDERFUL.

A long walk along the prom to the far end - it was packed with locals !!

The internet TV worked again for the antiques road show and country file - just the job.

All for now - Mike and Jackie.

Getting Sorted

Saturday 26th September

We are settling in well now - the weather is still warm - no heating needed so far - cloudy mornings and warm or hot afternoons.

we are lucky that our cockpit faces west and it catches the best of the sunshine in the afternoon.

Jackie actually had enough sun today and retreated below before dinner - TOO HOT !!

A busy day today.

My main job is to get BBC TV for Jackie to see Strictly Come dancing and various other programmes because I promised that they would be available here - THEY ARE NOT !!

Yesterday I tried -

Both ipads - little or no reception on Blazer - disconnecting constantly.

The on board computer - poor Internet connection and trouble using BBC i Player.

After dinner we went to Le Benjis for a drink and found the connection to the Internet was great but no BBC could be found apart from You Tube with some out of date short recordings.

I considered buying a satellite dish, but on a boat that bobs about - no good.

Then the penny dropped !!

BBC make it so that their programmes can't be seen overseas without them making some money out of it - 

even on the Internet.

First - I set up the big booster Ariel - bolted to the handrails pointing directly at the wifi transmitter.

For the first time since I bought it a few years ago it worked really well - The signal went from very poor to excellent !!!

Then I found a website that gets around the problem but you have to pay them - £10 per month - Not bad when you were as desperate as I was.

IT WORKS !!!

With an hour to spare we tested it out with Catchphrase - A bit disjointed - the sound is out of sinc with the film but overall - use able. - Jackie was happy with it.

Other jobs today.

We cleaned Blazer up today - washed the deck and all the topsides + scrubbing + cream cleaner.

I wire brushed and washed at the same time  the teak toe rail around the edge of the deck and cleaned off algae and flaking varnish - like new now !!

I made up some hot oxalic acid solution and sprayed it on the deck woodwork and various areas that had algae - it should get rid of it gradually then I will rinse it off.

Jackie cooked up Ham Carbonara with pasta for tea - lovely with fresh baguette.

We are determined to reduce our mountain of tinned food this trip - we have enough to open a shop - and lots of it is approaching the use by date.

Traditional Sunday roast tomorrow.

I Did check out the engine yesterday - Dry - no prop shaft seal leaks ! - Not much oil had leaked - I now put absorbent pads under the engine to soak up leaks - much better.

It fired up straight away - no churning - after 7 months stood idle - WOW !! - not bad for 35 years old.

I ran the prop and loads of green stuff came off the hull and prop - masses of it !!

I must lift out this winter and clean the hull  - plus anti foul paint.

The rudder and waterline are clean - the local mullet fish eat the weed that grows there !!

A busy but productive day.

Re-Start the BLOG.

The Story So Far.

Friday 25th September 2015

Since June 2014 lots of water has passed under the bridge -

Blazer is still in Trebeurden !!

I have a new left hip joint - ( March 18th 2015 ) - great success - no pain now !!

My house in Sheffield has been renovated ( virtually rebuilt inside - all my own work ) and has been handed over to the letting agent - ( four days before we left !! ) - Saxton Mee - to manage tenants ongoing. - ( non yet - viewing today )
You can look - www.saxtonmee.co.uk
Look for rentals in area S7
The house is at - 23 Adelaide Road.

I have visited Blazer on two or three trips with the car via Caen and completed a lot of work. -

All the floor boards have been stripped and re-varnished.
Hot and cold taps installed at the sink near the toilet.
A shower installed in the toilet - with pumped drain to overboard.
A 7 gallon holding tank fitted in the toilet cupboard with a bi-pass pipe and two valves so that pee goes directly into the sea and poo goes into the tank for offshore disposal.
The brass fire surround was corroding badly with sea water drips so was replaced with ceramic tiles.
Lighting improved in the forward bedroom with two lighthouse table lamps mounted on corner shelves.
A small twin tub washing machine has been shoe horned into the far end of the pilot berth ready to be piped up and an access hatch installed in the cockpit coaming.

This Trip

We arrived in Trebeurden  on Wednesday morning after travelling via the Plymouth / Roscoff  ferry in Jackies car. A great run down to Plymouth in light traffic with the Renault Modus giving 74 miles to the gallon WOW.
A sunny evening - fish and chips in a marina cafe while waiting for the 10pm sailing.
A nice clean two berth cabin allowed some sleep and we docked at 08.00 French time.
90 minutes drive saw us in Trebeurden and Blazer checked out not too bad after 7 months of neglect !!!
She is a bit scruffy with mildew - the computer is taking a bit of getting going but overall she is in great shape.
I last visited a few days before my hip operation - to repair storm damage - a bow fair lead had torn off - I was alerted by my neighbour Jean Piere via email. I also fitted a centre pontoon cleat and roped Blazer much better. It really must get rough here in an Easterly gale at high water springs.
Jackie managed to catch some sun bathing in the cockpit sun trap with compulsary G&T's
Shopping and a huge home made lamb Rogan Josh curry on Wednesday evening.

Thursday24th

We drove to Ploumanach beach and walked around the headland with coffee in the restaurant overlooking the beach  - Great.

We drove to Perrous Gorec and walked around the marina to check on Solana - a friends boat - no problems - I will report via email.

More shopping in a big supermarket in Lannion - Leclerc - not brilliant - we will revert to the big Geant supermarket in future.

Jackie sunbathing again in the cockpit while I pottered around.

Several tries at starting up the on board computer got it going but the internet connection is very poor.
I have got to sort out a way for Jackie to watch Strictly tomorrow.

Home made beef pie with all the veg and home made apple turnover for desert - fantastic.

A great Day !

Our Little bit of Paradise

Monday 9th June

We explored Perros on the bank holiday - we walked up the hill into town in sunshine- shopped at Carefore local - coffee

                                                     Church in the town centre.

                                                        Bollards with Knitted Bonnets!!

Back in the marina we met with members of a Hallberg Rassey rally ( very - very nice boats) and invited Peter and Sue from Safir on board for drinks at tea time - lovely.

Overall Perros is a bit strange - the entrance gate was only open for an hour at the top of the tide - More on spring tides - and the marina had a lot of dead boats!
They had not been used for several seasons - just abandoned!- it spoiled the place.

I spruced Blazer up a bit by replacing the mooring lines with nice new black ones from rope I had in the locker - I put the old ones by the bins and in no time they were gone!

To make the most of the next day I decided to leave - with Safir - at 05.00 next morning for Trebeurden.

Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th June.

We set off on time in the dark - no wind - clear sky - cold - lots of offshore rocks!!

We motored all the way to Trebeurden - fairly slowly - because I knew we would struggle to get there in time to get in to the marina over the sill gate - even though it stays open a long time on neap tides.

The wind picked up a bit at about half way, on the nose, and with the tide pushing us - wind over tide - LUMPY !!

Things calmed down as we did the pilotage around the notorious rocks on the way in to bay.

We did miss the gate - we anchored in 2 metres just outside and went to bed to catch up - hot sunshine bit a bit windy.

The Hallberg Rassey rally were already there and took our lines when we moored up at the second attempt!

My first attempt was spot on, a burst of reverse power stopped Blazer dead on alongside - I jumped off to tie up and Blazer slowly started to reverse out! - I had left her in gear - reverse at tickover!!.

No problem - I jumped on - sorted things out and moored up perfectly the second go!

                                                      The view from the road up to town.

Trebeurden is wonderful !!

The weather turned hot and sunny - we found the lovely beach just a short walk from the marina - we shopped at the Intermarche in town ( a fish counter to die for ) - and ate at the marina restaurant - all great.

The area is known as the Granite Rose - because of the pink granite rocks everywhere - very pretty.

We just love the place - We are considering keeping Blazer here for the rest of this year!!

The cost for staying here up to the end of the year is not much more than the deal for the next two months.

They have space for her  - it is just about affordable - the only snag is that it is a bit remote here.

Getting to and from home might be a long job - so today's job is to ask at the tourist information about busses and trains to Dinnan - Ryanair fly direct from East midlands - It might work.

A Day You Dream Of.

                                                 Early start - going down river from Treguier.

Sunday 8th June.

We decided that the next port of call was Perros- Guirec.
Not too far - about 20 miles - including 5 miles of river from Treguier.
No wind at all - no traffic - an ideal time for -

                                                             Jackie on the helm.

We motored down river and turned left - heading about a mile offshore in flat calm conditions.

Then all of a sudden -  DOLPHIN !!!!

A lone dolphin made straight for Blazer and swam with us for 15 minutes or so.
We did get shots of him - or her - on the ipad but I don't know how to edit clips for the blog.
He kept surfacing along side us - very close - then diving under us between the keels - we were doing a steady 4.5 knots!!

Then he spotted another boat and made for that one - magic - we were so excited - I forgot that I prepared the video camera just in case!

The sun came out - we had a classic fry up breakfast on tin plates - a Blazer tradition - wonderful.

We were in plenty of time so we slowed to motor at 2 knots and Jackie fished - we tried the big hook that gave success last year - Bingo!!!

                                                                Catch of the day.

The only downside to the trip was FLIES !!
We must have sailed through patches of sea weed with lots of flies - they all made for us!!!
Jackie was a dab hand with the swat - a full time job.

We arrived in the bay a bit early - slowed right down and tootled in to arrive just as the marina sill opened.
At that moment the sky turned black - the wind started howling - 27 knots!!

We had a struggle to steer amongst all the boats leaving and entering through the very tight gate into the marina.

As fast as it started - it stopped - the sun came out again and it was very hot again!!

Tea of Baked Mackerel - fried potatoes - peas - with fresh strawberry tart for afters!!

Bank holiday tomorrow - Monday - so there might not be many shops open - we will see.

A fantastic day !!!