28th June – Saturday – Les Sables D’Olonne to Ile d’Yeu

8.00am start for the 33 miles which took six and a hour hours.  The weather forecast was for showers, showers my eye!  It started raining about 1 hour after we left and bucketed down for the next five and a half hours.  Soggy sandwiches and rain diluted tea.  We arrived at the Island in pouring rain and a sea swell which prevented us from laying fenders and ropes for safety’s sake until we got into the harbour, which we knew we could, having visited before.  I have never been so wet without being in a swimming pool.

We have returned here as it is a perfect mid point between Les Sables D’Olonne and Pornic, our next new destination.  We came today even though ‘Showers’ were forecast because the yacht race was due to re-commence on Sunday and parts of the approaches to the town were restricted for the race, so we thought we would make a quick exit.

29th June – Sunday

Windy day forecast so staying put.  Quick walk around the Sunday market.  Supermarkets are all closed.

The summer season is making its presence felt with the arrival of many visitors from the mainland.  Great people watching, during a second walk along the harbour-side and breakwater.  Watched a two masted, traditional galleon type ship taking passengers out into the bay at approximately 18.00.  The wind and swell made the large vessel pitch and roll through the waves and we were sure we had made the right decision to stay another day.