Aboard the Dragous
To discover the real sensations of sailing in Brittany with your family, you don't need to be an experienced sailor: this half-day trip at sea, off the coast of Saint-Cast-le Guildo, is a concentrate of emotions for budding navigators.
As soon as the wind blows...
This morning we have an appointment with Arnaud at the Nautical Center for our first trip at sea, aboard an old rig called “The Dragous”.
There are 3 of us, Elodie and Nicolas, the parents, and Léa, our 8-year-old boy. Three other people are accompanying us for this sea trip. We had been warned: even if the weather is good on land, we never embark without warm, waterproof clothing, sunglasses and a hat!
Arnaud, our captain for the day, equips us with life jackets and gives us safety advice.
We are lucky: the sea is beautiful, the sun is shining and just the right amount of wind for sailing. Arnaud accompanies us to the boarding pontoon. There is a bit of walking before arriving at Dragous, the walk on the pontoons is very pleasant: you have a breathtaking view of the large beach!
You have to climb over the railing to get on board: it's already a sport!
We feel the call of the open sea!
After letting us cast off, Arnaud maneuvers the boat to leave the marina. No choice, you have to use the engine! Very quickly, the Dragous takes the channel and that’s it! We are already in the Bay, with our backs to the Grande Plage, with Pointe de la Garde to starboard.
After having traced us'historical de “Bernic rub” (this is the baptismal name of the Dragous de Saint-Cast), Arnaud explains to us the basics of sailing: how to rig the boat, how to position yourself in the boat, how to use the helm to steer... We feel the call of the sea!
Heading for Cap Fréhel and Fort La Latte!
On the port side, we can see the small beaches of Saint-Cast and the Bay of La Fresnaye. Arnaud introduces us to the species of birds that live alongside sailors: cormorants, gulls, guillemots and terns.
We are watching the Dolphins ! It seems that we often see them in the Bay. We change course, heading towards the Ébihens archipelago, a string of private islets facing the Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer peninsula. We are getting closer, but we will not land there: there is no port to dock.
The Emerald Coast seen from the open sea is splendid!
Before returning to the port of Saint-Cast (unfortunately, the end of the sea trip is approaching), Arnaud offers us an aperitif on board. We let ourselves be carried by the wind to the channel. It's an incomparable experience to sip fruit juice in this setting, at water level!
We are not going to stop our experience as freshwater sailors there. Since we weren't able to land on Ébihens Island, tomorrow we're renting canoes and going for a picnic on the main beach.
In the meantime, it's lunch time, and we have reserved a table at the port.
Restaurants at the port of Saint-Cast-le Guildo:Where to try traditional sailing in Brittany?
To try traditional sailing in Brittany, supervised by qualified instructors who will adapt the teaching according to your expectations, your level and the weather conditions, contact Saint-Cast nautical center.
You can sail on the Dragous from Easter to All Saints' Day.
You can even privatize the Dragous!
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