It is getting windy out there

When setting out for our journey from Saint Quay Portrieux to Paimpol, we were expecting 20 knots of wind with gusts of about 28-30 knots. The wind was blowing in the right direction for most of the journey making it very interesting for sailing. The arrival at Paimpol had to be timed carefully because there is a lock insuring that there is enough water in the marina even during low tides. The lock only opens about 2 hours before high tide. The other decisive factor for our timing was the current which would stop being in our favour much earlier. We therefore selected a place to anchor while waiting for the lock to open.

Arriving at the Anse of Paimpol early afternoon, we dropped our anchor in 30 knots of wind. We ate a quick lunch and waited for the opening of the lock. Meanwhile, the wind kept increasing and blowing against tide. The waves started to build up.

When it was time to move toward the lock, the gusts were reaching 40 knots. Many boats were looking for shelter and lining up at the lock. We had to wait until it was our turn. This was quite a challenge. Yan had to keep away from other boats and obstacles within the waiting area while the strong winds kept pushing us.

We passed the lock safely. The next surprise was that the marina was unusually full of boats taking refuge. We were therefore required to dock against another boat with small space to maneuver in this strong wind. At that point, we were definitely happy to have Brad aboard and he took over to moor the boat safely.

Well deserved beer for everyone!

On the following day, with much lighter wind a little sun, everything looked peaceful.

We watched how the landscape changed between low tide and low tide.

We continued our boat work and Brad even climbed up the mast to install the radar reflectors.

But beware: this calm weather is only temporary. Storm Eunice approaches UK tonight and will cause very strong winds and heavy rain. We will stay put in Paimpol for now.