Having had a really peaceful nights sleep we awoke fully recharged and raring to go!

We left the quietness of the river to join the main fairway pass Lorient and out
to sea, heading for Sauzon, on Belle Ile approximately 25 miles away. Unfortunately we had to motor sailed all the way as the wind was slight.

The atlantic swell was fantastic. Drummer was gently lifted up one swell so we could admire the view from the top, then we slid down into the trough below. The swell continued all the way to Belle Ile. Interestingly, swell has a classification; this one was classed as short length (100m long) and moderate height (2-4 meters).

Whilst admiring the enormity of the waves, we spotted yet another sunfish, this one was lying on it's side as if sunbathing, it's eye facing us and dorsal fin waving. Fantastic.

Arrived at Sauzon mid-afternoon at low water and we were shocked by the huge number of yachts that occupied all the buoys outside the harbour, inside the harbour and anchored. We had no choice but to anchor ourselves but unfortunately due to the number of yachts, this was further away from the shore with less protection than we would have liked so we were rolling around uncomfortably.

Decision time; remain anchored and hope that that the wind doesn't increase and the motion doesn't get worse or dry out inside the harbour either anchored or on a buoy (if one's free) and remember to turn off the fridge (at no doubt at some god awful hour in the morning).

We decided on the latter having checked the contents of our fridge (near empty). You may recall from a previous blog that our fridge is water cooled because the boat was built for the Med (with little or no tides). A real pain when we're not there yet!

Having worked out the time that we could enter harbour we up-anchored and motored in. Although it was busy the harbour master took us to a mooring and helped us moor fore and aft on all four quarters.

Talking with a French yachtsman who was moored alongside, we established that yet again this weekend is a long weekend for the French which accounts for why the harbour is so busy. We were also amazed by how many large boats (30-40ft) occupy the drying harbour.

Needless to say, we are out of the wind, the water is flat and we are hopeful for a good nights sleep.

With regards to the fridge, it should have been turned off at 2am, and on again at 6am but we turned it off when we went to bed and set the alarm for 6am instead!

When we first arrived in Sauzon, we questioned whether we were right to cruise southern Brittany since it appears to be so busy, but thankfully it transpires that this weekend is a long weekend with a national holiday so it probably isn't any different to a visit to Salcombe on a sunny bank holiday weekend back home.

Total distance this season: 379.60 nautical miles