During our research to find our future anchorage, we came across Tea on the beach in Lussa bay. The concept is simple, a van converted into a self-service tea room is parked near the beach. Inside, delicious cakes so british sorry, so scottish and hot drinks are available. A honesty box allows you to pay your share, the prices are left to the consumer. The place is managed by six young people from Jura between 12 and 18 years old.
The idea of a hot tea and a slice of decadent cake in a splendid and wild spot calls us. We have to go! And we don't know yet how much we will need a comforting drink after a disappointing navigationâeuros¦ A dash of the excellent island whisky would not have been too much.
A thwarted sailing start
Let's go back to the starting point, our anchorage in Gigha. The favorable current lasts until mid-morning, but tired we do not get up early enough to take advantage of it. It is only around 8 o'clock that we start to raise the anchorage. The wind is strong, but in the shelter of the anchorage, it is still OK. So we decided to start sailing.
Unfortunately, the gusts intensify making the task complicated. We have to wait between each gust until the sailboat comes back on its chain to pull it up little by little. It is slow. When it rolls up on the windlass and gets stuck, we are already quite annoyed. It takes two of us to loosen it enough to get it loose. And so it goes on and on.
Arthur starts to slip and the anchor is still not on the davit. Exhausted by all these hazards, we end up turning on the engine and finish the maneuver with difficulty. The day starts badly.
Upwind sailing in the swell
Outside, the wind is around 20 to 25 knots with gusts. At the beginning, protected by the island, we made good progress next to the fish farms. But as soon as we passed the point of Gigha, we were exposed to a tight swell that was not very pleasant and we went upwind.
It's not looking good at all. The kids have woken up and are feeling bad. In as little time as it takes to tell, Tristan hiccups and throws up on his comforter and blanket. The smell is atrocious. The day couldn't get any worse.
Moreover, the pilot has frankly difficulties to manage the gusts with the waves, so we steer until Arthur is sufficiently protected by the island of Jura and that the sea calms down a little. Of course, the current let us go and reversed, it was expected. We are not moving very fast and our so much hoped for haven is not yet reached.
An uninviting bay on arrival
Fortunately, the distances are not so long and we end up having in sight our little cove. It is really not very bigâeuros¦ With the wind which is not ready to calm down, it is not so engaging that that. The water is dark brown, rocks on all sides, we do not see the shadow of a beach.
But the call of the Tea on the beach and the not very engaging sea, push us to find a way to anchor there in spite of everything. The maneuver goes well and we are soon at the stop. The weather is still too bad to think about disembarking, but it should improve in the afternoon.
Discovering our anchorage
Later, the sun makes a few timid appearances between the clouds. We decided to go ashore to discover our anchorage. As we put the dinghy in the water, two white swans come to greet us.
The tide went out and discovered a large sandy beach. Behind it, a soft meadow lined with trees with a black and white van parked there. Inside the van, carrot cake, chocolate cake and brownies make our mouths water. We help ourselves to tea, coffee and pastries that we enjoy in the sun, with our feet in the soft grass.
We then discover in the meadow at the edge of the trees, some of the famous elaphe deer of Jura! There are 5,000 of them living in complete freedom on the island even though there are only 200 inhabitantsâeuros¦
A happy conclusion...
Finally, we do not regret having made the trip! The captain will strike a mooring line ashore to counter the swell which is entering the anchorage at the moment. The children run around on the beach and the washing machine takes care of the damage caused by seasickness. Everything ends well.
It remains to diagnose the problem of our windlass...
