plymouth to S Brittany

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Paddydog`1

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OK so its my first trip across the channel from plymouth aged 65 (me and the wife) in a well found 35 footer. We have rounded Lands End and sailed to Ireland (when younger and braver) Should I go Dartmouth and Guernsey and then on to N Brittany or direct to say L.aberwrach and through the Chanel and Raz. Our aim is to cruise S Brittany. No time restraints. I'm retired. Would like to hear from those who have done it. All tips gratefully received
 
Only done that trip once and we sailed from Penzance to l'Aber Ildut ( or however you spell it :) It was an easy landfall and that much nearer the Four for passage planning.
 
The advantage of Guernsey is that you can do the passage in daylight and it is generally an straightforward day sail, with a good landfall and sheltered run in to St Peter Port. You can then go to SW and along the coast of France, in a number of similar day sails. The breeze will rarely defeat you as the strong tides give you such a good shove for the best part of 6 hours every day. Although 4 days could see you in L'aberwrach what normally happens is you get side tracked on this delightful coast and take much longer.
If you go direct, I don't see any clear advantage in leaving from Falmouth so would set off from Plymouth. You might consider going to Morlaix Bay being a little bit shorter than L'aberwrach and a more settled approach, you will also have a bit better slant on the shipping you meet. Morlaix - L'aberwrach is a day sail, with an exciting passage behind Ile Batz, should you choose to take it. I think Plymouth - Morlaix is about 110miles so you will be in the dark part of the time, I usually prefer to leave late evening, you then have the Eddystone light with you for much of the night and guarantee a daylight approach. The new marina at Roscoff may even be open next spring.
 
When I tried to do the trip in 2008 from Poole I went down to Dartmouth then tried to cross to L'aberwrach but the best course I could lay took me to Guernsey. So in 2009 I did Poole - Cher - St PP then across to Lezardrieux and coast hopped around.
So the bottom line is it depends on the wind direction on the day, if you are starting from Plymouth you have a better chance of making L'aberwrach than from anywhere further East.
 
Paddydog`1 said:
OK so its my first trip across the channel from plymouth aged 65 (me and the wife) in a well found 35 footer. We have rounded Lands End and sailed to Ireland (when younger and braver) Should I go Dartmouth and Guernsey and then on to N Brittany or direct to say L.aberwrach and through the Chanel and Raz. Our aim is to cruise S Brittany. No time restraints. I'm retired. Would like to hear from those who have done it. All tips gratefully received
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Many of us have done that trip, many times. And t'other way.

Given you have 'no time constraints', you can choose your weather to give gentle seas and winds aft of the beam. You don't say when but, right now, the sea temperature is still relatively high, so the likelihood of sea fog is low - and that matters along the North Brittany coast.

Your intention is to head down to South Brittany, so I see no merit in going east of a line between Plymouth and Roscoff. That's the route I take, for preference. The nav is easy, with the big lighthouses of Eddystone and Ile de Batz at each end, and the knowledge that one can tuck into the anchorage/visitors' moorings area at the east end of the Ile de Batz, come what may, and get some zzzz'ds and zupper in. Should you feel that having a third pair of hands just for the cross-channel bit ( reduces the watch/workload on you two by 50% ) then your temp can catch the ferry back to Plymouth, from Roscoff/Bloscon, with ease.

After that, it's day hops - using the tide - around to e.g. L'Abervrac'h, then without fuss or drama down the Chenal du Four - with L'Aberildut as a bolthole with a couple of quite good restaurants - and either left at Pointe St Matthieu and up to the Marina Du Chateau at Brest ( bus stop up to town/shops/banks just outside ) or carry straight on across the Iroise - if time/tide/weather suits - to Camaret ( which is an attractive stop ).

Should the weather look a bit 'iffy', one can spend quite some time exploring the many pleasures of the Rade de Brest and its contributory rivers, before moving on. Lots of choices.....

Many press on too hard to get past the Raz de Sein and get both frazzled in the rush, and stressed when the tide turns against them. I'd consider using either Morgat or preferably Douarnenez as a jumping-off point, to help ensure arriving at the north end of the Raz in good time. Heed the various pilot books for critical timing.

After that, and weather still being co-operative, the leg down past Pointe de Pen'march is better taken in one hit, leaving Audierne for the way back.....

There will be plenty of other permutations offered, but I suspect keeping the workload and the fatigue down will influence your thinking.

I'd encourage you to be wary about the complications brought by sea fog, for in the spring and early summer that can prove quite a problem. Most of the 'hard sticky-up' bits are no problem, provided you can see. Do your prior planning, with 'Plan B' ready for use should changing weather or viz require, and it's quite easy down there.

Enjoi! :)
 
Plymouth or any point west to L'Aberwrach. L'Aberwrach to Cameret via Chenel du Four. Cameret Through the Raz push on past Pt de Penmarc'h choosing the Glennans Bennodet or several other ports a fairly standard milk run. As the books say once past the Raz (which if timed well and with reasonable wind / tide conditions is absolutly nothing to worry about) it all gets much warmer and life become simple if a tad expensive:D
 
My preferred crossing is Penzance (love the town) to Camaret via Chanel du Four, unless you particularly want to do the north.
 
Easy route to S.Brittany

I do this trip quite often , similar sized boat , and age of crew. We sail to Helford river. Then leave very early morning (its usually mid June with the long days) We can make L'Abervrach before dark . Its quite easy from there to do the chenal de four , then the raz du seine. We usually stop in Camaret for a day or two. The only real hazard is the fairly big number of ships but if you have AIS etc its not too difficult.
 
It's a hard slog along the north brittany coast from the channel islands....

I much prefer the crossing from falmouth area to l'aber, it's possibly to do it in day light in the summer... making 6 knots / about 16 hours at sea.
 
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jordanbasset said:
When we did it, decided to go straight from Plymouth to Camaret and like us, you have the time to wait for a good weather window
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Forget going east and best is straight to Camaret from Plymouth, just wait for the right weather and get your timing right for Chenal Du Four (it goes south at HW Brest for 6hrs and takes only about 2hrs to go through, if that with the tides, so that gives you 4hrs grace after crossing. If you go into L'Aberwrac'h you will take time to go up the river from the Libenter buoy entrance, then you have to go all that way back out again and go west, and the Channel tide goes east off there for two more hours after it has already gone south in the Four. We crossed every year for over 20 years from Dartmouth to Camaret, two bus pass holders, no problem. The cross tides this end of the Channel are much easier, you can lay the Four in one tack in a SW wind from Plymouth probably, so go for it. Going along the north Brittany coast gives you 7hrs foul and 5hrs fair (it favours going west to east, as does the prevailing wind) so why get into that area when IMO there is no need. L'Aberwrac'h is better visited on the way back, so skip it on the way down and avoid the double dose, it isn't that good and much better awaits south of the Raz.

Sorry I typed that in a rush, but I hope you get what I'm trying to say.
 
plymouth to s brittany

Thanks folks for all ur advice Will try to summon up courage for crossing next season. Thnx again
 
Paddydog`1 said:
OK so its my first trip across the channel from plymouth aged 65 (me and the wife) in a well found 35 footer. We have rounded Lands End and sailed to Ireland (when younger and braver) Should I go Dartmouth and Guernsey and then on to N Brittany or direct to say L.aberwrach and through the Chanel and Raz. Our aim is to cruise S Brittany. No time restraints. I'm retired. Would like to hear from those who have done it. All tips gratefully received
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I used to regularly go from St Agnes, through the Chenal du Four and to le Conquet - on occasions I've even made it through The Chenal du Four and the Raz on one trip.
Aim to get to the entrance 1 hr after local HW, do it in the daylight to start, though I regularly did the trip in the dark, using radar and plotter, it's got a few dog-legs and interesting rocks but all very well marked.

PS I once did Ste Evette to Aberstwyth in one hop, but single-handed and without the handicap of a crew - it took 40hrs 23'. Only mishap a split gas hose at the stove and no tea for the last 24 hrs.
 
At the southern end of Chenal du Four (between Grande Vinotière and Vieux Moines), be careful that the south-going ebb doesn't flow against a swell coming from the SW. This could be really unpleasant.
 
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