Morbihan

Every year the Jersey Canoe Club arranges a weekend to Morbihan in southern Brittany.  Most years we are blessed with settled conditions and warm temperatures but this wasn't the case this year, particularly on the Saturday.  Continuous rain on the Saturday was accompanied by increasing wind on the Saturday evening, resulting in a couple of the tents becoming damaged.

It didn't stop us getting on the water, both days, it was just that we didn't aim to paddle as far as in previous years. 
Still a thoroughly enjoyable weekend away though.

Our first port of call, in rapidly deteriorating weather was Er Lannic.  The stone circle is thought to be approximately 5,000 years old.  Where else is it possible to paddle so close to such significant historic monuments, whilst playing in significant tidal streams?

 Our plan was to paddle up the river to Auray.  The southerly breeze considerably assisting our progress but also blowing in some very damp conditions.

 It wasn't a day for the best photographs!

 Kayaks on the quayside at Auray  It was pretty miserable and we didn't need much convincing that an afternoon in the bar was far more preferable than 8 miles into a head wind in torrential rain.

 Sunday dawned far brighter, so following a paddle around the islands in the southern part of the Gulf we returned to the play spot near Ile Berder to make the most of the waves which are generated on the flood tide.

Lighthouses of Brittany

There is something special about the lighthouses of Brittany, particularly when viewed from a sea kayak.  This is a selection of some that I have seen over the years.  Not all of the best quality as some were scanned from slides.  That said Breton lighthouses are amongst the most unique maritime buildings encountered anywhere.

Le Heaux de Brehat.  To the west of Ile de Brehat on the north coast of Brittany it was built in 1840, although the top was blown off by the Germans in August 1944.  Located on an offshore reef the sea kayak is an ideal way to access this light.

Ile Louet is situated in the Baie e Morlaix, near Roscoff on the north coast of Brittany.

25 nautical miles west of Corbiere is the Roches Douvres.  The light was finished being rebuilt in 1954 after it had been destroyed by the Germans 10 years before.  We raised the Jersey flag but the following morning it was a serious crossing of 25 miles in dense fog.  I have to admit that we felt pretty isolated the night we spent on the reef.

L'Ost Pic is located just to the south of Paimpol.  Built in the 1890's I have to admit that the last time I landed there I ended up swimming.

Phare du Paon is situated on the north coast of Ile de Brehat, this is ome of the finest sea kayaking you could find anywhere.  It was originally built in 1860 but like some many lighthouses along this coast it was blown up by the Germans in1944.  It was rebuilt in 1949.

Another lighthouse blown up by the Germans, this light marks the approaches to St Malo.  It was rebuilt in 1949.

Sea Kayak Morbihan 2015

After the pool session last night with the Jersey Canoe Club we headed to the pub as usual for a quick pint and the conversation very quickly turned towards our future trip to Morbihan, on the first weekend in May.  I didn't manage to get there last year but since my first visit in 1984 I have paddled in this sea kayaking mecca numerous times.

It is the combination of strong tidal streams, numerous islands and world class historical sites, which combine to make this area of southern Brittany such a  great kayaking destination.  Roll on May but a quick look at a few photographs whetted the appetite.

 The island of Gavrinis, with the passage tomb clearly visible.  It is believed that it was constructed about 5,500 years ago.  There are great views as you paddle past but to see the ornate carvings inside the tomb it is necessary to travel by boat from Larmor-Baden.

 Sea kayaks on the quayside at Auray.  A delightful paddle up the western side of the Gulf.

 Er Lannic towards low water.  Where else in the world is it possible to paddle through a stone circle.

 Ruth enjoying the sensation of being on the water in Morbihan

 Heading south out of the entrance to the Gulf.  It won't be long to the welcome cool first drink at the campsite bar.  Port Navalo is on the opposite side of the entrance

 The tides are always entertaining.  Nicky is playing on the west coast of Ile aux Moines

 

Larmor-Baden.  Preparations are well under way for the first Greenland rolling competition to be held in Brittany.  We had a superb couple of days judging a large number of Breton paddlers competing in a variety of challenges. 

Sea kayaking on the Laita

One of the advantages of sea kayaking in Brittany is that when the wind is blowing hard and paddling on the sea is something that is probably best left for another day, there is always the opportunity to discover some of the delightful estuaries which punctuate both the north and south coasts.

One of my favourites is the Laita, which lies just to the west of Lorient, close to the eastern border of the Finistere Department.  We have always aimed to complete a two way trip, paddling up the river to Quimperle on the rising tide, lunching in this delightful Breton town before catching the ebb tide back towards the coast of southern Brittany.

For much of the trip the road pulls back from the banks and there is a sense of isolation, which is increased passing through the reed beds where even access by foot is difficult if not impossible.

The total distance for the return trip is 16 nautical miles but it can feel much less due to appropriate planning, resulting in tidal assistance in both directions.  I have paddled most of the Breton estuaries, with it normally being seen as a bad weather alternative to kayaking on the open water.  The reality is that this is a delightful place to paddle in all weather conditions and the Laita is possibly my favourite estuary paddle in the region.

Nicky just upstream of Le Pouldu

Typical paddling conditions.  The valley had a remote feel with a wide variety of birds encountered.  We saw Kingfishers and Green Sandpipers on the banks with the inevitable buzzards circling overhead.

The railway bridge just to the south of Quimperle

Arriving in the centre of Quimperle, progress upstream is stopped by the weir.  Lunch was taken on a slipway in the centre of town.

Cezembre

Leaving St Malo on the ferry last night we went past the island of Cezembre, somewhere we have visited quite a few times over the years.  It is a delightful one day paddle, particularly during the summer months.  Although it has been nearly 24 years since I first paddled there, it was a surprise to find that I hadn't written anything about it.

The island is in the Department of Ille-et-Vilaine to the north of St Malo, the south coast of the island consists of a lovely sandy beach whilst the rest of coastline is steep cliffs.  There is a small restaurant at the back of the beach but I wouldn't rely on it being able to offer refreshments.  I would go prepared to be self sufficient and if you are able to buy something that would be a bonus.

During the Second World War the islands defences were strengthened by the Germans as part of the Atlantic Wall fortifications.  

Following the invasion of Normandy  the Americans advanced to St Malo, which was taken by the Allies on the 18th August 1944 but the German forces on Cezembre didn't surrender until the 2nd September.  Whilst trying to recapture the island an early form of napalm was dropped on the island.

On our first few visits to the Cezembre we were able to wander around but on the last visit, large areas of the island were fenced off partly because of the large number of unexploded shells.  I am not sure what the current situation is but even if you can't walk around the island it is still an entertaining day trip if you are in the area. 

 Approaching Cezembre in June 1991.  It was the final day of a great weeks paddling along the north coast of Brittany.  At this point we had no idea what surprises waited ashore.

 When we walked onto the island we could not believe the scene of utter devastation which greeted us.  There were numerous shell holes and the German guns had been destroyed.  It was impossible to imagine what it must have been like on the island in August 1944, when it was being shelled from the shore.

A surprising find on the entrance to one of the bunkers.

Leaving St Malo for another day trip to Cezembre in May 2013

Looking out from the walls in St Malo.  Cezembre is the outer island.  Care does need to be crossing to the island because the fast ferries from Jersey normally pass in between the islands.  It is really useful to know your buoyage when you see a hi speed craft approach.

Daily Picture - 18

St Malo is a port that we have must passed through literally hundreds of times when heading to and from Jersey.  Today we didn't have time to explore the Intra Muros, delightful bars and a variety of restaurants lie within the city walls but that must wait for the next visit, we could just view it from the deck of the ferry.  It has been a day of cold north easterly winds and rain showers but we have good memories of paddling out of this harbour in northern Brittany on far more pleasant days.

Top 5 Sea Kayak Trips

Whilst sitting around a camp fire on a remote beach or in the classroom on a 4 Star Assessment a question which regularly comes up is "What are the the 5 best sea kayak trips that you have ever done"?  Just take a minute to think about what are the best 5 days that you have spent in a sea kayak, factors to take into account might include companions, scenery, wildlife, weather etc.  What is interesting is that if you repeat the process in a couple of days time you will probably come up with some different paddles.

So I thought, what are my 5 most memorable sea kayaking day trips at the present time?  I present them below in no particular order.

There is something special about kayaking through the heart of the world's great cities. London and Paris have both been memorable paddles but looking back towards New York from the Statue of Liberty is second to none.

Heading through the Ecrehous reef.  Located approximately half way between Jersey and the coast of Normandy and visit to this delightful ref is a must for any sea kayaker who is visiting Jersey.  There will be a number of paddles arranged here during the Jersey Symposium in May

The west coast of Scotland is justifiably popular with sea kayakers and the paddle at from Elgol into the heart of the Cuillin Mountains has to be one of the finest one day paddles that there is.  This was a beautiful day a few years ago, the day trip at last years Scottish Sea Kayak Symposium included a quick visit to the neighbouring island of Soay.

Disko Bay on the west coast of Greenland has many of the basic ingredients of classic sea kayaking, isolation, dramatic scenery, memorable wildlife etc.  what makes it so special though is kayak through ice whilst there are historic and cultural links between the region and the kayaks we paddle.

This small island is Er Lannic in Morbihan, southern Brittany.  Where else is it possible to paddle in tidal streams which reach nearly 10 knots whilst less than a hundred metres away it is possible to explore semi submerged stone circles, several thousand years old?

Sea Kayaking in southern Brittany

When the number 56 on the car registration becomes the most numerous you know that you are entering the Department of Morbihan, in southern Brittany and some superb sea kayaking is within your reach.

In the Gulf Of Morbihan I normally head east, following the main flow of the tide and threading my way through the myriad of islands which are contained within this "inland sea".  This day though the aim was to follow the western branch of the Gulf up to the old port of Auray, which is one of those delightful Breton villages which you feel you should visit on several occasions.  In the sunshine they look particularly attractive and we were not disappointed with our day out.

If you are heading this way be sure to get hold of the superb sea kayaking guide, which was published earlier this year.

Entering the Gulf of Morbihan, we were staying on the western shore, following the river north towards Auray.  Although we were only on neap tides in places we had about 5 knots of assistance.

Passing underneath the bridge carrying the main road from Brest to Nantes.  This 20th century concrete bridge was in complete contrast to what lay ahead.

Arriving in Auray, a delightful French port, complete with traditional French sailing craft.

 Kayaks were hauled onto the quay side whilst sea paddlers went in search of some refreshments.  It was here that Benjamin Franklin landed on the 3rd December 1776, in disguise and after a difficult crossing of the north Atlantic he was serve as the US Ambassador to France for 9 years.

 Many of the old buildings are well preserved and the town of Auray is a delightful place to pass a few hours, but the tide had turned and it was time to hitch a free ride back to Locmariaquer.

 Getting ready to leave Auray.

Back at the campsite at Locmariaquer, a great base for sea kayakers and well worth a visit.

Morbihan Here We Come

It has been too long since I visited Morbihan in southern Brittany for some sea kayaking and so it was particularly pleasing when the Jersey Canoe Club decided to head south, the first weekend in May, coinciding with a Bank Holiday so we get 3 days paddling.

Flicking though some old photographs these images reminded me of what a superb kayaking destination it is with all the right ingredients, fast tidal streams, a rich historical landscape, varied wildlife and interesting scenery.

Something to dream about on a wet and windy January evening.

 Er Lannic, paddling next to a semi submerged stone circle which is approximately 5,000 years old, is not something that you have the opportunity to do every day.

 The entrance to the Gulf.  The open ocean lies ahead.

Gavrinis, one of the best preserved sites in Brittany.  Landing here isn't possible but the views are spectacular.

 A typical Morbihan paddling scene.  Wooded islands

Nicky playing in one of the areas of tidal movement.  In places the streams reach nearly 12 knots, which is always a challenge.

Triagoz

The Cote de Granit Rose is that stretch of the Brittany coastline, which is much loved by visiting British yachtsmen, and land based tourists.  Although the inhabitants have French passports they are regard themselves first and foremost as Bretons.  The coastline is deeply indented as a number of ria’s penetrate the countryside of Cote D’Armor and these inlets provide shelter during the periods of unsettled weather which can sweep across the region.  Along the coast a number of small bays and harbours are virtually enclosed by the large granite monoliths, which are widely spread providing a unique and dramatic seascape.

Against this background there is some superb sea kayaking.

It was an early April morning that we met at Ile Grande, the early season meant that car parking was not a problem.  Our destination for the day was the Triagoz lighthouse, about six miles to the northwest.  The tides in this area can run with a speed that can catch people unawares and to approach Triagoz meant crossing the tidal streams so we had chosen a neap tide to minimisz the effect of the flow.

As we paddled out from Ile Grande, along one of the many channels, which run in between the surrounding reefs it, became apparent that there was a swell approaching from the west.  As the swell began to feel the shallower water they steepened rapidly before crashing forwards in a surge wall of white, the unleashing of such power emphasized the need to steer clear of the reefs.

Triagoz lighthouse was built in 1864 and its light, 30 metres above the sea, is visible from 14 miles away.  On this day the early season mist, which hung over the water meant that the light wasn’t visible from 5 miles away and so, we headed out on a compass bearing towards an unseen destination.  After about 1.5 miles the Bar-ar-Gall west cardinal mark slipped by to our left and we entered deeper water.  The mean depth changing from under 20 metres to over 60 metres with a result that the swell settled into a more regular rhythm.  This was a swell, which had travelled from the open ocean, and there was a feeling of real power as we rose and sank a couple of metres at a time.

Eventually the lighthouse started to emerge from the haze and its face glowed gold reflecting the local rock from which it had been constructed.  The defensive ring of reefs was fringed white as the Atlantic swell was halted in its progress east.  We had hoped to land and to briefly explore the area surrounding the light, no more internal visits though, this light became automatic in 1984.  Unfortunately the ever-present swell prevented this happening.  We could have landed but this was not an emergency or a sea kayaking assessment, no need to risk the kayaks so we remained in deep water, savouring the atmosphere and taking photographs before turning east towards a known landing spot.

Les Sept Iles were six miles to the east but we had some tidal assistance for this section of the journey.  Barely visible in the distance we were being drawn towards them both by the tide and by reputation.  Located 3 miles north of the Breton coast they are a superb paddling destination in their own right.  Numerous vedettes travel backwards and forwards between the islands and the mainland but it is only possible to land on one of the islands, Ile aux Moines, the others are all part of the nature reserve.

The bird life in the area is truly spectacular.  On Ile Rouzic there are thousands of pairs of gannets, the most southerly colony on the eastern side of the Atlantic.  For the majority of the boat travelling tourists though the most exciting observation would be of a Puffin, which breed here in small numbers.  I would doubt if hardly any would become excited at the passage of a Manx Shearwater, which also breed in the area.  As we approached the archipelago a few of these birds passed close by and to me they embodied all that is interesting in a bird.  Complete mastery of their environment with a freedom of spirit to roam widely across the ocean.  As they glided past on stiffened wings there was the occasional tilting of the head as if in disbelief as to the type of craft they could see on the water.  The most common bird was the gannet, numerous individuals flying past on their regular commute from Ile Rouzic to the more distant fishing grounds.  Their numbers increasing dramatically during the last few hundred of metres, even if it was thick fog it would have been apparent that we were about to make a landfall.

As we approached the reef it appeared as if there was a line of mist across the rocks at the western end of the reef.  It quickly became apparent that this fog was in fact spray being unleashed from the exploding swells.  Clearly as we bore down on the islands it was going to be necessary to exercise a degree of caution to ensure that we weren’t swept into a maelstrom of exploding waves.  Le Cerf was the first landfall that we made, more of a large rock than a small island, we skirted north avoiding a number of dramatic reef breaks until we entered the calmer waters inside the reef.  We knew that there was a seal colony and were not disappointed when a number of inquisitive individuals swam out to accompany us on our exploration of the reef.

We landed on the northern side of Ile aux Moines for lunch, basking in the early April sun and savouring some of the delights of the Breton cuisine with a number of local paddlers.  Clearly a huge amount of military building had been undertaken in the past but for me the most dramatic man made feature was the lighthouse.  Its construction was started in 1854 and its powerful light is a key feature when approaching this coast.
We circumnavigated the two largest islands, Ile aux Moines and Ile Bono, encountering a number of the nesting birds, which have made these islands such an important ornithological site.  Time was pressing though and it was time to cross the channel towards the mainland.  On spring tides the streams run through the channel at speeds of up to 4 knots and with an adverse wind a significant sea can be generated.  Fortune smiled on us that afternoon and the ferry glide towards the perched granite boulders of the shoreline was carried out in flat calm seas.  We skirted the outside of Ploumanac’h, possibly the most picturesque harbour on the north coast of Brittany, and passed close to Tregastel, so popular with tourists during the summer months.

We threaded our way through the reefs back to Ile Grande, from where we had departed six hours and 20 nautical miles earlier.  Some of the French paddlers concluded their day with a number of celebratory rolls but I was more interested in remaining dry.  As we changed in the car park the full implications of the day’s paddle began to sink in.  We had visited two of the major lighthouses of northern Brittany and seen a diverse range of wildlife in a dramatic natural environment. 

 Rafted up close to Triagoz during one of the few lulls in the swell.

 

 Approaching Sept Iles.  We had been in the kayaks for nearly 4 hours at this point with just a few minutes break close to Triagoz.

Looking back through the reefs, close to Tregastel, a real jewel, on the Breton coast.

It wouldn't have been to healthy to have been caught inside the break at times.

 Heading along the channel back into Ile Grande, the following sea was certainly helping our progress.