One week cruise in North Brittany between the Sept-Iles and Ploumanach

Detail of a route for this summer. Or how to see life in the pink At first sight it always seems complicated to sail in the English Channel. The tides are important and you have to deal with them. To this you can add a slightly indented coastline and sometimes surprising weather. But thanks to all this, we can enjoy a grandiose spectacle and small, calm anchorages on the islands and islets.

I propose to accompany you on a short trip of a few days among seals and puffins.

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Tidal coefficients are less important compared to other basins, but it should be remembered that it is always better to sail with the current, rather than against it. Care should also be taken to avoid sailing with the wind against the current as much as possible.

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Day 1 Trébeurden - Ile Grande: 8.5 miles

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You are already in Trebeurden or you wish to go there. The marina is easily accessible via the well marked channel of Toull ar Men Mellen by day and night. The wet dock is accessible for 6 to 8 hours a day depending on the tide. The tide gate tilts as soon as the water height is +4.20 m which allows access to boats with a draught of 1.50 m. If yours is bigger, you have to wait..

To the north of Milliau Island you have several waiting areas, one of which has mooring buoys. Beware of the swell for all these waiting areas, as they are open to the west. Door opening hours are to be consulted on the website of the port of trebeurden.

We are there so we can leave, direction the Grande Island! The game consists in leaving Trebeurden as soon as possible, once the door is open... that is to say at rising tide to arrive at the Ile Grande at high tide or at least with enough water to find an anchorage.

Navigation does not present any particular difficulty up to the Bar-Ar-Gall beacon except for the rocks and islets at the exit of the Toull Ar Peulven channel and the WNW extension of the Grande Island with the rocks of Les Peignes.

Once Bar-Ar-Gall is overflowed, you have to go towards the perfectly visible Raven rock, then following the beaconing, you have to approach the cardinal N turret of the Ile d'Aval. From there you have the choice between the W and the E of the Ile d'Aval.

To the west anchorage, grounding, possible at Porz Gelen or towards Toull Gwenn. To the east the south of Erc'h Island is perfect for a night stranding under the stars. As you will have understood, here you choose your anchorage according to the size of the beach you want at low tide..

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Anchorage at Toull Gwenn

Day 2 Ile Grande - Ploumanac'h: 8.5 miles

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We leave the same way we arrived after having closely studied the tide schedules. Indeed, as for our arrival at Ile Grande, we need water on arrival in Ploumanac'h. But it can also be the occasion for a small visit to the small station of Trégastel. After turning the Bar-Ar-Gall beacon to the east, watch out for the Eleyo Plateau bypass and head towards the starboard side of the Taureau. Let the beacon guide you to the Coz Porz cove for a picnic on the grounding or to the west of Île Ronde at the level of lateral n°6 to stay in water on a depth between +1 m and +2 m.

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Coz Porz wedge

End of nap and swimming, time to go back. First, we must calculate our departure time according to the water level required for the arrival in Ploumanac'h. This time depends in part on the choice of stopover. Either the port, or the anchorage at grounding. Another good opportunity to revise the rule of the 12th..

One thus leaves the channel until the beacon of Le Taureau, then direction the pink lighthouse of Méan Ruz which signals the entry of the channel of Ploumanac'h. No major difficulty except for the narrowness at the entrance and sometimes the swell which can make the entrance tricky. But after..

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Entrance to the channel of Ploumanac'h - Costaérès castle
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Ploumanac'h Channel

From the starboard n°5 boom, you have to choose between the port with its sill at +2.50 m and mooring on dumbbells, thus calculating the water height... or the grounding in the West of the boom on a sandy bottom sounded at +4.50 m and in the middle of splendid pink rocks of course.

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Waiting for low tide in front of Tourony beach
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Stranded in front of Tourony beach

Day 3 Ploumanac'h - Les Sept-Îles - Perros Guirec: 11.5 miles

Croisière sur la côte de granit rose

Croisière sur la côte de granit rose

Direction the Sept-Îles, the land of gannets, seals and puffins. No major difficulties to go back up to the islands except for a little current when arriving at Ile aux Moines. Our trip to the Sept-Îles can begin with a visit to Île aux Moines, which is the only island where we will be able to land.

Anchoring possible near the ton (in reference) on probes at +3 m and less if you approach the Ar Moudenno island. It is also possible to anchor directly on the beach of Bono Island on probes at +2.40 m. Beware of variations in water height before disembarking, you must plan the chain lengths accordingly.

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Anchorage in Sept-Îles with the famous Puffins..

After this stroll to the Ile aux Moines, head for the island of Rouzic, where more than 20,000 pairs of Northern Gannets nest. From a distance, you'd think the island was covered in snow... mistake, it's the Gannets. Beware of the rocks of Ar Gazec, because taken by the spectacle of these Flying Gannets we could run aground there..

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Croisière sur la côte de granit rose
Croisière sur la côte de granit rose

After having skirted Rouzic, one crosses or circumvents by the South the Black of Rouzic in direction of the cardinal W of the Couillons de Tomé. It's straight ahead, but here again be careful of the current which brings to the East or West according to the tide. This beacon allows you to be set for the approach of Perros-Guirec.

From Les Couillons de Tomé make your way to Bilzic's turret, the first lateral mark of the channel. Then just follow the channel to the port. No particular problem except for limited access by the tides. Indeed, a submersible retaining wall at the +7 m shoreline keeps the basin afloat and forces you to pass through a gate. So anticipate!

While waiting for sufficient water height, several waiting areas on buoys and/or anchor are accessible depending on the tide and your draught. At the entrance of the harbour, be careful of the current when passing through the gate.

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Croisière sur la côte de granit rose

Day 4 Perros Guirec - Port-Blanc : 8.5 miles

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On the way to Port-Blanc and its many surrounding islets. Departure from Perros-Guirec as soon as the door opens... or not. Indeed, the charm of Port-Blanc also lies in the fact that you can get there at any time of the day or night. In fact, it's better during the day..

Leaving Perros, you must follow the channel that passes S of Ile Tomé towards the port side beacon Roche Guazer which is in fact the first beacon of the NE channel access to Perros. Be careful, once again, of the current which could deport you towards the plateau du Four.

At the height of the beacon, you must continue to avoid the rocks of the Four until you see the white turret of the lighthouse of Le Voleur and take the 150° road towards it. You will quickly see the white turrets of St Gildas and the Château and then the lateral marks of the channel.

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Anchorages in water possible on buoys from the port side boom Roc'h Ruz or further south to the starboard side boom Run Glaz
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Anchoring at grounding on a buoy or anchor by sinking into Pellinec cove.
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Take the opportunity to visit the buried church

Day 5 Around Port-Blanc

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This pool lends itself wonderfully to all walks. It is possible to leave Port-Blanc, go around Saint-Gildas, Ile des Levrettes and Enez Inic to anchor in the east of Ile d'Ozach. Magnificent landscape to be practiced in dead waters and calm sea. From there, you may see the Plougrescant abyss and its famous house. But use rather the GR 34 to get there.

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The abyss of Castel-Meur
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The house of the abyss

From there road towards Bréhat or towards the bay of Morlaix in its western part called Léon. Good wind!

Map holdings from data.shom.fr Geodetic system: WGS84