From the top: Charm of Rhu; trophies and prizes;
the overall winner Woodwind, a one-of sailed by
Roger Jarrett; Hugh Stewart in kilt on Mikara; and
a French welcomeCLASSIC CHANNEL REGATTA
Round the Île de Bréhat Race. Mikara’s crew used the time
at anchor to tune up and practice for the Danse des
Classiques. This is a parade of sail off Logivy where the
crews’ singing, dancing and costumes are judged. We also
had the chance to see some of the other yachts under sail
at close range. The bowler-hatted Martin Thomas sped
past at the helm Charm of Rhu (8-M, 1963). Mabel’s crew
had Mexican cigars and sombrero hats, and a bunch of
mermaids whirled past in gaudy windswept wigs. Crews
were singing, dancing and swaggering and the whole thing
was hilarious. Steve and Wendy played The Skye Boat
Song, with Hugh alternating between playing his
squeezebox or dancing a Highland fling with Wendy on
the foredeck. After much singing and dancing we all
berthed in Lézardrieux where we were piped ashore by a
Breton band and the ‘Lézardriviens’ gave us another great
welcome. There was more partying and prize-giving, but
the tides for our return to Paimpol meant an early
departure the following morning. A Breton piper walked
down the pontoons playing a reveille at 6.30am to raise us
all. It was a lovely gesture.
Back outside Paimpol we mustered once more in our
anchorages before being marshalled to the lock. Sandy and
Hugh donned their kilts again, a gesture always
appreciated by the French on the Celtic fringe. What the
crew on Wild Rival thought when a gust of wind lifted
Hugh’s kilt remains uncertain, but he sends his apologies.
There were welcome aperitifs on the quayside, a tented
village, stalls and street bands lining the quayside. This
was followed with a prize giving in the early evening.CHANTS DE MARINS
The regatta was won overall by Roger Jarrett sailing
Woodwind, the one-off timber yacht his father had not
only designed but also built, which is as moving a tribute a
son could ever pay his father as one can think of. Cevantes
IV, an S&S design, was second; Lulotte, a Swan 55 was
third; Mikara, to our astonishment, was fourth. There
were some lovely prizes including large ceramic platters
and pots for the Channel Race, a French double-breasted
worsted sailing jacket for the overall winner of the Danse
des Classiques, and Mikara won a box of 24 oysters which
immediately precipitated an oyster party in her cockpit.
At the final supper in the vast Salle des Fêtes, us 420
sailors were entertained by musicians on stage. A
competition arose between French crews who sang their
‘chants de marins’ to the British and the British then took
up the stage and sang sea shanties back to them. The crew
of Pilot Cutter Polly Agatha bounced their chairs around
their table in time to the singing while remaining seated,
much to the hilarity of observers. The crew of the Brixham
Trawler Provident sang out unaccompanied from the hall
floor. It was surprisingly moving. A large conger then
encircled the tables full of laughter and singing. It was
entente cordiale at its best. At 2300hrs the town put on a
spectacular firework display.
We all had a wonderful time. The classic yachts were a
delight to behold and the citizens of Paimpol and
Dartmouth should all be thanked for their welcome.
“So, Hugh, how do you feel about the week?” I asked
him, wincing at grazed varnish and a chafed jockey pole.
He grinned and said: “Well, not bad for a bunch of
amateurs.” So with any luck I might get invited back in- I wouldn’t miss it for anything.
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