Another rogue wave

[Sybarite]

Last week-end a ferry going between Audierne and the Ile de Sein was hit by a breaking wave in otherwise good sea conditions. 19 people were injured and two were washed overboard but recovered afterwards.

You can never let your vigilance slip.

John

 

[Robin]

Hi John. That is just the area to find them too I guess, the Raz De Sein has a well deserved reputation to maintain!

We went through there once many years back, motoring north with absolutely no wind but as is often the case around this corner a hefty ocean swell. I had just stopped taking pics of the swell breaking over the lighthouse and passed the camera to SWMBO to put safely away below, we were north of the race and headed for Morgat. The wave appeared from nowhere, I yelled at SWMBO to hang on as it broke over the foredeck and really solid water rushed back, not even broken by the half inflated Avon on the coachroof and it hit the sprayhood full on, neatly ripping it all along the stitchline of the bottom edge. Water cascaded below, drenching SWMBO, who had at least put the camera away, ( /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif) and creating some fairly colourful language. Just one wave which came from nowhere but I think the swell was the culprit and piled on top of a wave from the Raz, it was springs and the tide was running north fast.

Robin

 

[davidfox]

Mind you they go like hell those ferrys

 

[KRG]

Yes, I've also had a very 'interesting' sailing moment whilst passing through the Raz.

Morgat's a great place to visit, discovered it by chance as a first stop from Dartmouth whilst heading south one year.

 

[Robin]

A lot of people miss Morgat whilst hurrying south or home, we use Camaret southbound and often use Morgat on the way home as it is still an easy sail up to L'Aberwrac'h and avoids a double visit to Camaret.

The cliff walks out to Cap De La Chevre are spectacular and it is great fun to take the dinghy and visit the sea caves (les Grottes) under the cliffs both by the lighthouse and the other side of the bay. There are tripper launches going into the caves but it's much better to do your own thing. Wear a swimming costume, something on your so you can get out and paddle on the rocky bottom and take a torch and your camera well wrapped up. You can get well inside the caves with a dinghy and kids go even deeper in with canoes sometimes, half tide with no swell is best.

 

[rwoofer]

There are some great caves even further South that I have scuba dived in. Have also harvested mussels there and off the peninsula (Cap de le Chevre?) is prime mackerel territory, which means you can get a full dinner on the way to Morgat.

Agree about Raz, sometimes you can be half a mile away and think it looks calm and smooth and then suddenly you're bucking around taking actual waves across the deck.