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.
5 replies on “It is getting windy out there”
OMG, I thought Dr. Brand was playing Spiderman!
Who is piloting the boat on the video, is it you Silvia ? Good girl!
The Bretagne is the best place to be to learn piloting a boat in bad weather conditions 😂 I hope you’re having fun (even if Yan seem to be thinker…. Maybe it’s because a woman is « driving » !)
Anyways, I appreciate following you… from my livingroom, even if it’s raining, and raining again since the morning; it feels like we’re in Bretagne here too! Let me know once you are in Greek’s Islands, with sunny days, deep blue water and a delicious margarita! Cheers to you both, my dear friends! 🍹
Dans la vidéo, nous étions ancrés. Donc le bateau était immobile mais il y avait des vagues. Silvia était à la barre pour le voyage de Saint Quay Portrieux et Paimpol, sauf pour les parties de manoeuvres car cela nécessait de l’adresse pour garder le bateau stable dans l’espace restreint malgré le fort vent. Les îles grecs sont sur notre liste mais pour l’instant, on laisse passer la tempête qui a même déclenché des alertes en Grande Bretagne.
Avec la tempête annoncée j’espère que vous ne serez pas trop secoués en restant au port. J’ai de jolis souvenirs de Paimpol quand nous y avions passé avec les enfants.
Bon courage pour affronter ces conditions climatiques tempetueuses. Vivement le printemps et le soleil!
Gros becs
Paimpol est très sympa avec de nombreux commerces, bars et restaurants proches du port. Nous avons eu pas mal de vent et des précipitations mais rien de trop grave comparé à ce qui s’est passé en Grande Bretagne. Demain, nous pensons mettre les voiles pour Lézardrieux.
Vraiment cool d’avoir de vos nouvelles et de participer à ce début d’aventure. Merci et have fun !!