YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Rest day high above Jomson , in the most spectacular campsite with views across to the Niligris. Time to meet yaks, find gentians, and to identify a soaring Himalayan Gryphen. And to read, play cards and rest up after the last two busy days. It was only minus 5 here last night, relatively warm! Tomorrow we will descend 1000m to Marpha, the end of our trek. Sad to be leaving the mountains behind but looking forward to a long hot shower!

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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What a day! Last night was a chilly -18c (-14 in tents). We got up early to get a headstart on a long day. 1 1/2 hours up to Dampus pass where the Annapurna massif appeared ahead. Then long arduous traverse- 5 miles going up and down the 5000m contour through deep snow. The cloud came in and it made navigation tricky. Then we started to head steeply down to tonight's camping spot below the snow line with yaks grazing around us. We're perched high above Jomsom with views of snowy peaks all around. The tents are pitched on grass tonight, a lot warmer than snow.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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French Pass A hard day in awe-inspiring scenery. Finally we were high enough to see Dhaulagiri i and ii in all their glory. It was a long tiring slog up to French Pass 5360m and then down into Hidden Valley through deep and tiring snow. Now camping at 5050m - v cold already. We check our blood oxygen saturation each night - expecting scores in high 70s

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Rest and acclimatisation at Base Camp. Temp dropped to -13c last night. A few people chilly in bed. Temp in tent a balmy -11c. Today the clear night led to sunny morning and the temp rapidly rose. Avalanches and rockfalls all around. There are definitely places where you don't want to be! Just done crampon practice and the sun has gone in. Tee shirt replaced with thermal top and down jacket immediately Big day tomorrow over French pass.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Dhaulagiri base camp 4700m We're now up at Dhaulagiri base camp camping on the rocky snow covered glacier. The weather pattern has been pretty consistent- clear mornings gradually clouding over to rain/snow in the afternoon. Temp last night was -7c - colder this evening. Everyone feeling the altitude- average speed 0.8mph this am

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 9 Rest and Acclimation Snow cleared overnight to reveal a rocky and snowy landscape. Bridget is feeling better and James worse (although improving over the day). Doing anything fast is already becoming an effort making the guides rock moving wall the more impressive. Our tent was moved to slightly flatter ground. Dhaulagiri base camp tomorrow.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 8 Definitely more serious today. About 600 further up the valley to Glacier camp. Progress was slow. Scenery spectacular until clouds and snow arrived. Bridget varying between feeling mediocre and awful. Spirits remain high. The guides hacked a campsite from a snowy rock field like the top of Scafell pike while it was snowing hard. We are in awe of them.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 7: Rest and acclimatisation Having reached 3600, it's time to take altitude a bit more seriously. We have have days of rest and acclimatisation between each day of climbing. Bridget felt a bit grim overnight with a comb yog altitude and a cold so I (Rob) am staying with her as the others go for a walk up and down a few hundred metres. This is no hardship as we are sitting in the sun surrounded by the spectacular amphitheatre of Dhaulagiri Tomorrow we go over 4000m

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 6 A short day up to Italian Base camp. We came out of the really steep sided valley into a giant amphitheatre of mountains. Dhaulagiri 1 rises steep to the east , number ii to the northwest hidden by closer lower lumps. 3600 m and starting to feel the effects of altitude but all good

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 5 A shorter day - but now over 3000m. Temperature dropping. The campsite was too small for all our tents so the porters have just levelled a new area! Now off for a v cold swim wash in water fresh off the glacier. Please send rugby score

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 4: A hot climb through forest with bamboo, creepers, huge trees (and leeches!) up the steep sided valley of Myagdi Khola to Dobang at 2,500m. We're camping in a forest glade with a soundtrack of crickets, waterfalls, rain and, earlier, rolling thunder. Just now a glimpse of the rose coloured peak of Dhaulagiri through the clouds as the sun sets. Spirits are high.

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Day 3 pictures



En route to Muri

We passed a secondary school perched high over the valley, and were greeted with scarves and flowers. Tonight we are camping in the playground of another school, with terraced paddy fields all around. We have been told that the teachers are going to come and perform traditional dancing for us later this evening. Crowds of curious kids surround us as we settle into our tents. Lots of chat, and very smiley faces. Namaste!

Day 2

We awoke to the spectacular sight of the Dhaulagiri massif- free of cloud as in the picture.

We set off at 8, leaving the team to clear away the camp and load the team off. We angled along the side of the valley a few hundred metres from the river both vertically and horizontally. Much of the day was along a road- at first passable by bus (just) but gradually degrading unti by the end it was definitely just for walking and mules.

Passing through many villages, we're now camping in the grounds of the local primary school- and now have hundreds of smiling bashful little kids running around

Morning view!

Day 1:Dharapani

Yesterday we flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara, then had the afternoon relaxing and mooching around the shops in Pokhara. We celebrated James's birthday with a lovely meal, seated on the floor overlooking the lake. Lizzie turned her ankle while racing James down a staircase- so she is now strapped up and moving gingerly! Good thing we're moving slowly!

Today, an early start and we were loaded onto a bus for the 4 hour drive to the start. The road worsened as the scenery grew more spectacular. We got very close to some big drops - especially where the road was washed away.

At the start, we met the rest of the team, so we are:
14 trekkers (including us)
1 Brit leader (Cory)
1 Sirder (Arjun)
2 assistant guides
Head Cook
2 Assistant cooks
25 porters!!!

We've now arrived at first camp, and our tent has just been readied!

Spirits very high

Arrived In Kathmandu

We (Rob, Jo, James and Bridget) have arrived in Kathmandu. Lizzie is currently en route here from Sri Lanka enjoying a business class upgrade.

We have a day here preparing- and avoiding Covid. It's fashionable again here.

Arrival in Kathmandu

Hoping we'll be able to send better pictures soon, but on our descent into Kathmandu today we saw these giants of the Himalayas well above the cloud ceiling, which was high. Maybe Dhaulagiri and Annapurna?

Falmouth to Salcombe

The best sail of our trip! Downwind with the stingray (double headsail) in rolling seas, Tintin surfing at 10-12 knots, it didn't take long to cover the 50 miles back home to mooring 262.

Dinner with Mum at Ferry Hill after the men's singles final. A good end to the most relaxing cruising holiday ever. 

Gales one and two

After Friday morning's gale abated we shot across to Falmouth under genoa only, making 7 knots (not bad for Tintin). Boat saucepan bread made expertly by Richard enjoyed by us all.

Saturday, gale no 2. Gail and Richard headed home by train and we had a great catch up with Simon and Trudy Loveridge in Falmouth.

Tomorrow,  to Salcombe

Over the channel, Thursday 13th

A steady westerly gave us a great reach north from Camaret, through the Chenal du Four and on over the channel to Cornwall.  19 hours for 118 miles. We needed to keep a minimum speed of 6 knots to make it across before the imminent southerly gale, and with the help of the engine, we did.

Dolphins playing at the bow in the red and green of the navigation lights welcomed us past the Lizard and on into the Helford. We crept up river in the dark and anchored off Tremayne Quay.

This morning it's doing what it said. Blowing old boots and wet, but we are snug and very sheltered.

New crew

Gail and Richard arrived in Brest to join us. We beat west through the Goulet de Brest in a lovely fresh breeze, and eased off down to Camaret. Out for crepes for dinner!

An early start tomorrow,  to catch the tide north through the Chenal du Four, and then across the channel to Cornwall.

Progress back up the Brittany coast

Plans for crossing the channel in the next few days are evolving as the weather forecast changes 

Brest

Sailing all the way today, perfect wind - out of Douarnenez Bay, around Cap de la Chevre, past Camaret and up the Ras de Brest.

Today's picture a painting from Brest Museum of Fine Arts, a scene from Brest in the 1920s

A day in Douarnenez

A coast path run, and old sardine fishing boats seen in action. Did you know Douarnanez suffered from several sardine crises? 

Further north

The best day of sailing we have had yet, with the wind on our beam - first NW to Raz de Sein then NE to Douarnenez. It was a joy

Saint Cadou to Sainte Evette

From the peaceful river anchorage of St Cadou, to Ste Evette, anchored off the beach. It's a bit rolly here due to big swell from a distant storm. A (rainy) front passed through first thing with the pressure rising since. Not quite enough wind to sail today, and big swell of 3-4m off Pt du Penmarch. Lots of busy dolphins out and about, and a basking shark looking so so lazy.

Quimper delivery, then Anse de St Cadou

We almost missed the narrow entrance to this creek, but squeaked in shortly before low water. It's like our own little private pool

North to the River Odet

A gentle southerly in the morning, perfect for the cruising chute, gybing our way back to Benodet and up river to the Anse du Combrit. Bridget's last evening on Tintin.

Back to the Glenan Islands

Settled weather = go to the Glenans

To Baie de la Foret

Under a grey sky today, 30 miles close hauled to the NW to Baie de La Foret. We had a close encounter (but not too close!) with one of the foiling 40s en route.

The weather front passed to give a beautiful still evening at anchor 

English conversation class and the submarine pens of L'Orient

A knock on the hull yesterday afternoon,  Eric introduced himself

He teaches English and asked if we'd be happy to have conversation with some of his students in the morning at the port's cafe.

Here we are: Philippe (magician and hynotist) Danny (retired weights and measures man) and Corinne (dog trainer). We had a very happy hour chatting. New friends!

Eric kindly gave us a lift into L'Orient. We spent the day exploring the massive 2nd WW submarine pens, a tour of a 1956 sub, and looking at more super fast fancy round the world racing yachts

Upwind to Port Louis

We left peaceful Etel under the guidance of the pilot, back out safely over the bar. Had a great sail up to L'Orient and tucked in at the marina behind Port Louis' impressive citadel.

Bridget made friends with a lovely old labrador in Etel, reminding us of Rhum

View out towards Etel Semaphore Station

Heading west

Soon after dawn we left Houat behind and sailed for Etel, a town on the River Etel just north of Quiberon peninsula. 

It was the best sail we have had yet, with a good breeze and dolphins on the bow once more. 

Time for a reef in the main and oilies on when it freshened further and the skies turned grey.

To cross the Barre d'Etel, a sandbar that notoriously changes day by day, you have to get the tide right, have the wind in the right direction,  have clear visibility and a working VHF radio to make contact with the Etel pilot. The pilot is stationed at Etel's semaphore station. With a combination of verbal directions and indications from the arrow on the semaphore tower if needed, you are guided in over the shallows.

It was great to hear the pilot's voice who gave us clear directions: steer for the tower.....now 10 degrees to starboard....now for the red post....and we flew in with the flood tide!

All peace and tranquility once in the estuary. Etel is a cheerful little town that once was a major tuna fishing port. Now it farms oysters, and is a perfect place for wing foiling, kite surfing and wind surfing.

Back to Houat

After a gentle afternoon day of geriatric sailing on Wednesday (genoa only- very relaxing) in the Morbihan, we moored overnight tucked in by the SE tip of Isle aux Moines (sea temperature for our swim 20°! in the relative shallows of the Gulf of Morbihan).

Up with the tide this morning to exit the gulf and return to the island of Houat, one of our favourite places. 

Market Day in Vannes

Ancient Vannes

Vannes Marina Capitaine

The Vannes Capitainear seemed to love Tintin, and asked where is Milou? We introduced Snowy. Then he called us up on the VHF just as we were about to enter through the swing bridge, "Look, look, a boat called Captain 'Addock is just coming past! Amazing!!" He joined us for a smiley selfie.

Bridget has joined us as planned, off the train from London, fab to have her here

Into the Gulf of Morbihan

Swirly waters at the narrow entrance  to this inland sea shot us through with the flood tide at a rate of knots.

The Gulf is dotted with numerous islands, plenty to explore anon. But today's aim is to lock in to Vannes where the swing bridge and tidal gate only open for a couple of hours either side of high tide.

Turn left at the pink house, through the swing bridge when the lights go green, and up the narrow canal into the centre of Vannes.

A day ashore

Using Komoot we found cycling and running routes to explore, I headed on foot up river and Rob on wheels to Le Bono on the Gulf of Morbihan.

This is a place where the top racing skippers vye it out to get a super fast boat and the sponsorship that goes with it, then prove their mettle in the big global sailing races.

The pier alongside the huge trimarans is dedicated to their achievements.

There are also simpler traditional craft moored up by the sea wall.

Remembering Dad

Today would have been Dad's birthday.  He taught me how to sail, and love of the sea.

Here he is on his 80th birthday when he was here, on board Halcyon of Hebe,  in S Brittany 8 years ago.

Thanks for the photo Steve!

La Trinite sur Mer

Last night, anchored off Treac'h Salus, Houat, there were such bright stars and equally brilliant phosphorescence in the water. A very calm night, with a bright morning to follow. 

The westerly wind picked up to give us a wonderful reach in flat water across Quiberon Bay to La Trinite sur Mer. Here a forest of masts in the large marina confirms that sailing is very big here. Tintin is moored up next to some very fancy racing boats.

We have waved goodbye to Benj, it was great fun having him with us.

Benj's progress

In the space of just a few days Benj has learnt the ropes, and many new nautical terms, mastered key knots, helmed both upwind and down, and proved himself to be a dab deck hand and bottle washer. 

Thanks for joining us Benj!

Houat revisited

From one beautiful island to another.  Sailing upwind in calm seas and a gentle breeze to Houat was lovely.