It is early Thursday morning and the drizzle persists. It is not much, just a Summer like calm drizzle. The wind suddenly started to blow from the North East. I switched off the engine and we were laying a course to the NNW on starboard tack. Unfortunately not straight towards Brest, but still 2-3 knots of VMG (velocity made good); our speed towards the destination.

I had downloaded new GRIB (weather files). It looks like one day of sailing today Thursday then the high pressure is moving in with very variable and light winds, so it is likely to be motoring Friday and Saturday. Hope we have enough fuel and that there will be at least small intervals of pressure to break it up with some sailing. On Sunday it starts to blow from the North as the centre of the high pressure moved in over Brittany.

My hope is that we will make land fall on the Isle de Sein on Saturday evening. This is the small island just outside Raz de Sein; a fishing village with a drying harbour and huge tides. You should be able to anchor to its North in calm conditions. We would then just have some hours to make the final push to Brest. However, the strong tidal streams will make the timing of those last hours critical.

Yesterday I wrote, another day other conditions. Today: Another day, two other types of conditions, would be more accurate. The sun came back in force and the wind piped up. Queenie sped along on a tight reach, nothing dramatic just very harmonious. It became a glorious Summer’s day on the Bay of Biscay. I was sitting reading in the cockpit or just sitting enjoying the ride.

At one of these moments, I spotted whales again. At least a couple, maybe more. This time they were swimming in the same directions as Queenie so we could stay with them for longer. This trip has been the best ever for spotting sea mammals. Hans had been told that the whales were easier to spot in the Eastern inner part of the Bay of Biscay. However, we also had the pleasure!

position:45 40.0'N:8 14.0'W