South Brittany in company

Informal Cruise in Company to South Brittany

Every summer we take Koto for an extended cruise to somewhere, such as the West Country or France. This year we are planning to try and get down to South Brittany. If anyone would like to make it a cruise in company then let me know. We have done a few ECA cruises in company over the last few years with some of us doing the Channel Islands, and the North Brittany and West Normandy coasts.

Koto's Initial plans are as follows:

(As a note, I base my passage planning on a speed through the water of 5kn, not doing overnight passages, nor arriving in the dark wherever possible (although maybe leaving in the dark). Starting in June also means long hours of daylight and the first few weeks are before schools break up so not crowded).

On the ECA Rally to Weymouth, rather than head back to The Solent, Koto plans to carry on over to Guernsey (9th June). Leaving Weymouth at 03:30 would get us into St Peter Port around 17:00 as we would hit the Alderney race at around 14:00 just as the race turns South to sweep down to Guernsey with a 3kn favourable stream.

After a couple of days in St Peter Port to recover/explore, the next port would be Treguier. This is one of the ports it was possible to clear in via form rather than passport stamp last year (though you need to also clear back out via one that also uses forms, and I am assuming the same scheme will operate in France this year as the EES system does not come in until after the Olympics). Treguier is 52nm and easier to get to than Roscoff in one go. This is another very early start departing St Peter Port around 01:00 to make most of the tide and arrive at Treguier around 11:00. (If the forms system is not in place then it will be a slog direct to Roscoff instead, I am waiting a response from Treguier).

Another couple of days to rest and take in the very lovely town (this is the furthest West we have so far got along the Brittany coast), then off to Roscoff at 04:30 on the 17th June

I won't detail much more here as plans very rarely survive the weather after the first few days, suffice to say the planned stops after Roscoff are L'Aber-Wrac'h, Camaret, Audierne, and Loctudy. After that it there are loads of places to go, even heading down to the Gulf of Morbihan. Start times get better as we go along.

We plan to be away for 6 to 7 weeks and you can join us for all/part of the trip. It looks like return windows from around Loctudy are around the 2nd and 17th of July, getting back around 7 to 10 days later, depending how fast and how long a leg you want to do.

Aiming around the 17th gives an opportunity to attend the festival of sail at Douarnanez on the way back, if we stop in Audierne and get a bus.

If the weather is not playing ball then we may just head to the West Country and either stay there of look for a window to head over to France a bit later.

If you are interested in joining us for all or part of the journey then do let me know and I will share my draft passage plan and add you to a WhatsApp group created specifically for this.

Neil Fuller

Rear Commodore (Cruising)

Last updated 7:08pm on 23 April 2024