Benodet/ Saint Marine

 

Again, because we had dilly dallied for a while, we only stayed in Audierne for the one night, in fact, as we were on a swinging mooring we didn’t even bother to go ashore, we were also getting up at five am in the morning to catch the tide so it was a good idea to get an early night.

On your way to Benodet you pass the Point de Penmarche which is considered to be the place where you enter French summertime cruising proper. True to form, the weather has been gorgeous. This is more like it.

We had a good sail leaving Audierne then the wind died completely on us and we had to motor sail the rest of the way to our next port of call which is where we are now. The main town is called Benodet but we are actually on the other side of the river in a place called Saint Marine. They are on the Odet, which is reputed to be one of the most beautiful rivers in France. It certainly is that, but I can tell you, the flow that runs through it is one of the strongest we have encountered which I suppose isn’t helped by the fact that it is a spring tide as well.

We successfully moored up on the visitors’ pontoon and went to the office to be told to move into one of the berths set aside for visitors in the small marina. By this time it was about an hour and a half later into a very strong flowing current. We found the berth and I merrily jumped off onto the shortest, narrowest, wobbliest pontoon I have ever seen. Honestly it was like something out of a Laurel and Hardy movie, me trying to keep my balance squatting down to desperately hoop this line round the cleat which I kept missing. We have been here a couple of days, now I don’t feel so bad, I have seen the same thing happen to a few people so it’s not my big fat bum that was unbalancing me.(Editor’s note – I don’t know? From recollection of my physics lessons low slung weight / centre of gravity etc.!!)

 

 

 

We walked into Combrit on Saturday through the forest which was nice and cool

  

 

 

 

 

and on Sunday we decided to have a day on the beach, where we had our first dip in the Atlantic……..cold? Yes, just a tad, but once you were in it was lovely. The beach here is gorgeous; it’s about six miles long and very quiet. It takes you all the way on to Ile Tudy which is another beautiful wee village with a nice marina.

   

 

 

On Sunday night we decided to eat out ……………. we had walked about ten miles and we had run out of wine. Can you believe it? We are in France a country that’s all about wine and we run out of it.

We are not quite into the French way of things yet, as you can see from the earlier Brest instalment. If you want to go anywhere or buy anything here, don’t do it on a Sunday or a Monday, the supermarket closed at 12.45 which we thought was 7pm, the restaurant we wanted to go to was also closed.

 

“All dressed up & Naewhere to go”

We did find a pizzeria where they did a nice “Pichet” for 6 euros.

At that point we had a call from our friends Billy & Jayne who are currently in Portugal- also out for a meal, I bet they are not having 6 euro pichets de vin rouge ………… is that right you two?     LOL

As explained Benodet is the main town literally swimming distance across the river from where we are in St. Marine and usually there is a wee ferry that runs every half hour. Yesterday we were getting ready to go for it and just having a cup of tea when there was an almighty crunch – a French yacht had lost engine power in the river and crashed into us! No major damage done just a wee chip out the gel coat. I think Camira will have a few battle scars by the time she sees the Clyde again!

So after getting him off us and into a berth we go up for the ferry, which you will all have guessed by now disnae appear at the allotted time of midi et demi. Gordon phoned the number on the timetable to be told that it wasn’t running this week. So rucksacks on again for 8 mile return walk over the bridge to the Super Marché.

“Waiting for the ferry”

 

“Views from the bridge”

   

“Pics in Benodet during hike to supermarket”

“St Marine in background – where we came from”

“Walk back”

“The result – king prawn & crab linguine”

Incidentally we have clocked up about 50 miles walking in June to date and the same for May. We are just chilling around the boat today, planning our next move and catching up on the blog while we have good wifi.

Hope you are all well