A missed navigation to Ushant
Some time after their departure from La Rochelle, Hanabi, the dashing Mini 6.50 of Océane and Constantin, passed the Raz de Sein in Finistère. The sea is rough, but nothing insurmountable for the little sailboat which sets off to attack the waves, towards Ushant.
Alas, the closer the boat gets to the island, the deeper the troughs and the higher the ridges. Hanabi already has 2 reefs in the mainsail and one reef in the solentâeuros¦ The crew is hesitant, the boat is tossed up and down. The decision was taken to strike out and take refuge in Camaret.
More swell than you need
The next day, Hanabi tried his luck again. Indeed, Ouessant is a stage that allows to shorten the crossing to the Scilly archipelago where they are going. The swell is severe. Constantin, mute, is seasick. As for Océane, she is increasingly apprehensive about the approach to Ouessant. The more the boat advances, the bigger the swell. The crew is beginning to fear that they will run aground and sink.
At the Mare lighthouse, nicknamed "Hell", Constantin has the good idea to come out of his silence to tell the story of the lighthouse keeper and the immense waves that sometimes cover it completely. Images of reefs, wrecks and shipwrecks haunt their minds.
An epic arrival in Lampaul Bay
Finally, Hanabi arrived in sight of Lampaul Bay. A large bay strewn with reefs which it is said everywhere should only be entered in good weather and especially never with a west swellâ?¦ So, with the 3 or 4 meter swells that the sailboat encounters, the bay is anything but a haven of peace!
When Oceane and Constantine manage to catch a buoy in the bay, they are intensely relieved. This feeling does not last when the tide comes in and reveals the countless sharp rocks around them and the fear of what could have happened grips them.
The longest night since they left
The night is dreadful and white. Facing the wind, maintained across the swell, Hanabi rolls brutally, without discontinuity, from one side to the other. In the morning, pale, Océane wonders what she is doing there�
Getting out of the boat and onto land becomes imperative. To do this, they had to remove the kayak that served as a tender from its storage under the cockpit and inflate it by holding on tightly to each roll. The operation takes time.
A little calm after the storm
Fortunately, a great day on land, a nice meeting but also a dry and warm night in a dormitory of the island, allow Océane and Constantin to consider the continuation of the trip with more serenity. But next time, they will not be caught there anymore, they will go to Ouessant by ferry!
