We jumped in the dinghy and went over, we had a very pleasant afternoon catching up and helping Dave get rid of his 10 litre box of Merlot. It was very pleasant catching up on each other's experiences. The talk fell to future plans and as we checked the weather were a little shocked to see a strong wind warning for that night. We took the oportunity to nip over and explore the "grottoes du Morgat which were evident in the headland opposit the anchorage as the calm before the storm conditions were ideal.
The sea conditions were flat calm and as there was virtually no wind the optimist kids were paddling their little boats about. If they could do it then surely two slightly overweight old blokes would be safe in an inflatable paddling pool! We are really not yet totally happy with inflatables.....
Dave and I pootled over to the limestone cliffs and poked about in the caves, grounding the outboard on occasion. The colours were very vivid on the cave walls and we regretted not bringing a torch.
We soon had to return to our respective boats and prepare for the nights entertainment.
Leaving the caves for another day.
Around about 11 pm I ŵas reading in the saloon listening to the rising wind when I felt a tremor go through the boat, not a bang but more like a gentle shove. I went on deck and was surprised to find Hocus Pocus had dragged and was trapped across our anchor chain and pulpit. I shouted to Dave and he put out some fenders as she drifted down our side with me fending her off with my bare feet.
I took a very bad photo but if you look very closely you may be able to spot Dave looking worried.
The night was very dark and the wind got up steadily until by 2 am it was blowing 30 knots over the deck. Again something didn't feel right and on going out into the cockpit to check our position and make sure we weren't dragging our anchor I noticed that rubber duck our tender was Looking decidedly deflated having a six inch gash through one of its tubes, the outboard was gradually sinking beneath the now sizeable waves and I quickly shouted Lynne to assist me in retrieving the outboard, by the time Lynne was out of bed and changed I had managed to pull the dinghy alongside from the stern where she had been and as Lynne came on deck I jumped into the swamped dinghy and attempted to retrieve the outboard before everything sank beneath the waves which were thundering down Dark Tarns hull. Lynne was looking pretty worried at this rash and possibly stupid behaviour but said nothing. The outboard was rescued and as I clambered back on deck between us we managed to haul the damaged and swamped inflatable aboard quickly tying it down and retreating below so I could change my wet trousers!
Suffice to say it was a long night, as Douglas Adams once said, a long dark tea-time of the soul. The wind howled, the swell coming from the south was making life very uncomfortable being on occasion 2-3 metres high and breaking, I fretted until the dawn where a spectacle was revealed among our neighbours of flapping sails and flying covers, luckily no one appeared to be dragging and frankly I still can't believe no one did given the appalling conditions. The wind began to shift into the North ( where the forecast said it should have been last night ) and the swell finally began to abate after lunch. Dave kindly ran us ashore for some supply's and as I write this the wind is back blowing hard from the North however the boat is a steady as a rock as there is very little fetch from the beach.
The forecast is good for a run to Dournenez tomorrow so an early start is needed to get into the inner harbour for a little shelter. It's. Probable Dave will accompany us.
I spent the afternoon repairing our dinghy, I will have to wait for at least 24 hours to see if it will hold air.
Fingers crossed!
As the late evening sun came out and the storm clouds began to clear we had a new neighbour come to set his anchor just astern off us.
I think this is a Breton boat we last saw in Roscoff.
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