Departure of the Bono
I was scheduled to rendezvous with my crew around 9:00 a.m. at the Bono docks. Pierre and Jean-Dominique, met 2 days earlier at their stopover in Port-Blanc, were kind enough to welcome me aboard their Loup to live from the inside this Saturday parade, closing Gulf Week 2017. Even if the wind, which was very strong at the beginning of the week, seems to be getting worse, the crews are gradually arriving to board the shuttles, piloted by the volunteers of the organization, which will take them to the edge of their sailboats, on chests in the river.
Flotilla 7, entitled "small classic regattas" is not necessarily the most disciplined according to the Bono's guests, who are more attracted by regattas than parades. Nevertheless, it ends up setting off in scattered order to join the rest of the boats, converging from the various ports of the Gulf of Morbihan for the final parade. It is a specificity of this nautical gathering which allows the participants to discover each evening a different port of the small sea.
Descent of the Auray river
The descent of the Auray river, from the Bono to the exit of the gulf, is the opportunity to appreciate the performance of the Wolf, in a wind that remains moderate. This one-design, created in 1931 in the Arcachon basin on the plans of the naval architect Salmoraghi, was quite popular in the inter-war period. Relaunched with a polyester hull by the Franck Roy shipyard, the elegantly styled yacht has since met with real success, with more than 30 units built. Its 20 m² of sail area, for 5.5 m long, allows the sailor to glide and tack into the river which is gradually widening.
We appreciate the neighbourhood of the Howth 17, beautiful Irish sailing ships more than a hundred years old, like small oar sails. After a cap rescue at sea, we finally reach the port of call of Port Navalo for a lunch in the sun.
Waiting for the parade
Port Navalo welcomes the great flotilla of rowing sails and skiffs. Ashore, the craze for the parade is measured, the crowd massing on the banks. It is also an opportunity to appreciate the musical atmosphere on board the boats in port and to contemplate Lupo, another Wolf who comes to join the couple. This one, entirely made of wood, is the work of a shipyard that has unfortunately disappeared. I appreciate the marquetry and the worked benches.
Bottom of the pack...
As the SNSM opened the ball rolling to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the first boats passed through the entrance to the gulf, quickly swept away by a rising tide coefficient 107. After admiring the start of the show, we prepare to join the conveyor belt created by the current, which reaches almost 9 knots, when we realize that our rudder has come out of one of its femelots. It is impossible to put it back in place in the swirl created by the current and the many motorboats that have come to see the parade. We are left to take a buoy in the shelter to put the rudder back in place. Once the operation was completed, we set course for the gulf again, relegated to the back of the parade. The spectacle of the boats and the islands of the gulf remains no less magnificent.
Arriving in Arradon, we reach the hold where transportable sailing boats from the 4 corners of France and Europe line up to be loaded onto their trailers. Our wolf will return to his favourite sailing basins which are Bréhat and the lake of Javelines. Already faithful to the gulf for several editions, there is no doubt that Pierre and his boat will be back on the small sea in 2 years time. Thanks again to them for this nice escapade.
