Wow....what an unbelievable day, the French who are bonkers about swailing really do know how to see a race off in style!
We opted for not driving down at sparrowfart time as when we were leaving le gare on Friday it looked like all the car parks were full, are only option was the train and unlike Angleterre where additional get put on for special occasions, the earliest we could get was the 08:30am.
So train it was and as we pulled in we could begin to see the magnitude of what we were about to see as the crowds were swarming their way towards la plage.
It's not a long walk from the station but despite our route march it took some time due to idle dawdling.
Our first view of the beach and OMG....I have never seen so many people in all my life congregated in once place for as far as the eye could see. The famous carnival canal where the boats parade up was full to over flowing with people hanging on any available spot. The very very very slim chance of a premier viewing point was gone.
The parade wasn't due to start until 10:00am where over the course of two hours the yachts leave the pontoon after saying goodbye to their loved ones and wend their way up the canal being towed by their support boats to N absolute cacophony of noise that you have never heard before.
We made our way up towards the canal along the beach and found a reasonable viewing point, well wrapped up against the elements we stood and watched and waited still not quite believing we were here.
The sea was brewing up quite nicely with an array of boats battling against the huge swell that had grown since yesterday. No nice sunny weather today just ominous black clouds and right on cue as the first yacht left the pontoon the heavens opened, like a warning from Neptune of things to come. The rain stayed consistently for the next two hrs. Brrrrrr.
Prior to each yacht leaving each intrepid captain was interviewed live for all to see and hear, Alex Thompson 'humbled' by the crowds, veteran Mike Golding itching to go and the only woman in the race and native Breton, Sam Davies just waving and blowing kisses to all.
The next two hrs just flew by, the noise never lessened, flares set off as the each yacht left the canal and headed out to sea for the final checks before the 13:02 start time. Unlike the Americas Cup or even the Transat the start line is quite a way offshore so we were wishing that we were on das bot so we could get amongst it all.
After the last yacht left the canal so did most of the crowds, we in desperate need of warming up headed for a drink and some lunch. This wasn't as difficult as we thought, seems everyone just heads home and not the nearest restaurant so we found a nice looking place and enjoyed our first moules of the hols.
Warmed up nicely we headed out back into the elements, the rain had stopped by now and there was a glimmer of sun on the horizon. Along the promenade there were small crowds but those that had lined the canal and beach were gone.
13:02pm.....and there,re off! An amazing sight on what has been a fabulous spectacle to see, so glad we came over this and have experienced it first hand. What a way to send those skippers off on the marathon of the seas.
It's not been without incident as always, one yacht didn't make the start line after holing her hull on leaving the pontoon, they left late last night after repairs and Safran is back in port this am after colliding with something a few hrs into the race.....and it's only day one!
Having trouble uploading photos, so only a few I am afraid.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We opted for not driving down at sparrowfart time as when we were leaving le gare on Friday it looked like all the car parks were full, are only option was the train and unlike Angleterre where additional get put on for special occasions, the earliest we could get was the 08:30am.
So train it was and as we pulled in we could begin to see the magnitude of what we were about to see as the crowds were swarming their way towards la plage.
It's not a long walk from the station but despite our route march it took some time due to idle dawdling.
Our first view of the beach and OMG....I have never seen so many people in all my life congregated in once place for as far as the eye could see. The famous carnival canal where the boats parade up was full to over flowing with people hanging on any available spot. The very very very slim chance of a premier viewing point was gone.
The parade wasn't due to start until 10:00am where over the course of two hours the yachts leave the pontoon after saying goodbye to their loved ones and wend their way up the canal being towed by their support boats to N absolute cacophony of noise that you have never heard before.
We made our way up towards the canal along the beach and found a reasonable viewing point, well wrapped up against the elements we stood and watched and waited still not quite believing we were here.
The sea was brewing up quite nicely with an array of boats battling against the huge swell that had grown since yesterday. No nice sunny weather today just ominous black clouds and right on cue as the first yacht left the pontoon the heavens opened, like a warning from Neptune of things to come. The rain stayed consistently for the next two hrs. Brrrrrr.
Prior to each yacht leaving each intrepid captain was interviewed live for all to see and hear, Alex Thompson 'humbled' by the crowds, veteran Mike Golding itching to go and the only woman in the race and native Breton, Sam Davies just waving and blowing kisses to all.
The next two hrs just flew by, the noise never lessened, flares set off as the each yacht left the canal and headed out to sea for the final checks before the 13:02 start time. Unlike the Americas Cup or even the Transat the start line is quite a way offshore so we were wishing that we were on das bot so we could get amongst it all.
After the last yacht left the canal so did most of the crowds, we in desperate need of warming up headed for a drink and some lunch. This wasn't as difficult as we thought, seems everyone just heads home and not the nearest restaurant so we found a nice looking place and enjoyed our first moules of the hols.
Warmed up nicely we headed out back into the elements, the rain had stopped by now and there was a glimmer of sun on the horizon. Along the promenade there were small crowds but those that had lined the canal and beach were gone.
13:02pm.....and there,re off! An amazing sight on what has been a fabulous spectacle to see, so glad we came over this and have experienced it first hand. What a way to send those skippers off on the marathon of the seas.
It's not been without incident as always, one yacht didn't make the start line after holing her hull on leaving the pontoon, they left late last night after repairs and Safran is back in port this am after colliding with something a few hrs into the race.....and it's only day one!
Having trouble uploading photos, so only a few I am afraid.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Les Sables Des L'Donne
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