It was time for me to go back to writing, as this year is nearly at his end.
It had been a year rich in events, let’s see :
First, old memories of 1958 regatas coming at Skøiern, an octant from the 18°century coming from Marseille (perhaps the one of Captain Blight…) and the schooner « De Gallant » sailing for his unhappy fate.
For the »Gras » carnival of Douarnenez the captain became Captain Haddock, even his son din’t recognise him !
Its now traditional : a trip on the north coast, te see our friend Gilles in his home at Kergall and his wood of Kermarie, make beautiful enconters in the river Trieux we would sail up to « La Roche Jagu », only to see the Castel rising from the fog. In Saint Malo pilgimage at the « Bar de l’Univers », to admire the picture of Skøiern which adorn this bar in the fifties… Saint Servan and his Solidor tower, rememberings of past holydays… and visit at the Enim, the place who pay the retired sailors. A surprise with visitors from Saint Pierre et Miquelon, Pascale and Charlot, and a extraordinary enconter with Micha.
A round in Brest roads, to discover Roscanvel, his chapel’s stain glasses, his fonts, the Saint Pöl Roux cottage, the »Chaumière de Divine », reenconter by chance Jean Marc, some twenty yaers later and the gorgeous « Mariquita » and « Moonbeam », splendors coming from a glorious past.
It’s the feast in Douarnenez : with « ça cartonne » you can assist at wonderfull wreckeages in cardboard, while in the bay, at the « Aber » ancorage you always meet beautiful things.
After the passage of the Olympic flame in our boat we could not miss the Brest maritime festival, go back in the Penfeld knowed by the captain 50 years ago, be side by side with the « Pen Duicks », see the friends of « Fleur de Passion » and all the others. It was fantastic, with a night parade for the end, on a Yann Tiersen music. A regata to join Douarnenez were the feast was smaller, but nevertheless as great.
After another pilgrimage in Sainte Anne La Palud, we had enough time to join Galicia, A Coruna and Cedeira, climb up to the San Anton hermitage, assist to the fishermen feast with their Virgen de los pescadores, and by chance find by an antiquairy a magnific field glass, the one of the Chevalierde Haddoque I think. As usual a stop at the Groix island after a detour to see Jean Luc and Anne.
As usual again a trip to Marseille to hug Jacques and Sophie, Emilie and Manon, Eric and Martine, Marie and Jean Louis and make a walk where Anne Marie spend her childhood, the Anthenors, the Grand and Petit Mejean .
Autumn is coming on the Port Rhu, we celebrate the 80 years of Georges, the boatswain from Plogoff, Stéphane and Louison for a remake of the maritime festival, Nicolas, gran son of Louis Rivière came on board and there are the celebrations of the big stike of the “Penn Sardin” in 1924. The captain and his friend Alexandre found the association « Les gardiens du Bateau-Phare » to try to salvage the « Scarweather », the light ship anchored in the Pouldavid river : we will be busy !
Then we wish you
a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !
