So after Lee decided to test the impact ability of both the fuel pontoon and our berth within 30 minutes of each other (the score of which was Port Solent 2, Lee 0) we did some quick repair work and left our berth the following morning as planned at 0730 Tuesday 16th July for the start of our adventure. On exiting the lock we found Russ “The Calves” Harding had got up early in Jazzmine to give us a wave off which was a lovely surprise. He then gave us a moonie which was neither lovely nor a surprise.

We had a cracking motor sail across, heading out South West from Yarmouth and then turning South towards Brest, keeping the Channel Islands well to our port. There was a 5 minute weather window when we were able to turn Yanny the engine off for, which also allowed us to have a quick game of scrabble. Apparently Mizzen isn’t spelled Miqzex, but if that’s what Lee needed to win the game then I feel like the better person for allowing him his narrow victory. Franco also finally broke the seal after 33 hours of holding it in. It obviously fell to the nurse to clean up the mess. For a little dog he has an awfully large holding tank.

The first night was beautiful; dolphins, sleeping dog, no arguments. It was lovely.

The second night the weather picked up a bit. You know how if you had 5 stone in weight to lose you might say ” I need to lose a ‘bit’ of weight”. Well it was that kind of “bit”. We had taken a reef in the main and furled the foresail as the weather had been predicted to pick up, and as there are only the 2 of us onboard and at the start of our trip we felt it a safer option, especially with 2 hour watches.

We eventually got to Ushant (a little island off France) at 0100 where there was THE most delightful lighthouse off our port side. In fact I enjoyed it’s statuesque beauty so much from the floor of the cockpit (which seemed to provide the best view) that I virtually insisted we stay still for 3 hours for me to admire the view. At one point Lee interrupted my rapturous staring at the lighthouse to tell me about a pod of dolphins around us. I told him very politely that I might look at the dolphins another time but I was currently binge watching the lighthouse. For 3 whole hours. Without moving. It was seriously that good a view.

Well eventually Lee insisted it was time to move on from the lighthouse and we arrived at Brest Thursday morning around 1000hrs. We moored up on the visitors pontoon, connected the electric, sorted everything out and were promptly told to move. At this point I had a little cry as I had found the whole experience so beautiful.

We stayed in Brest 2 days, and to be fair, after our journey it did seem like the best place in the world. Obviously after Ushant lighthouse.