Sam Esteve and Bastian Ramery head for the stunningly beautiful Glénan Islands where they find much more than just world class windsurfing.
Words: Bastien Ramery Photos: Ludo Marquier
“Les Glénans, in all its simplicity”
Last autumn, Jean Marie, an experienced boat captain and local guide, called me to give me a heads up that the last suitable sailing window, with summer-like conditions, was imminent.
Over the next couple of days, we were unsure if we would be able to proceed with our mission as the unstable nature of the weather threatened to derail us. Thankfully though, we were lucky to find an appropriate gap in the weather with WindGuru giving us the green light on Sunday at noon. With no time to waste, I hurriedly packed my bags and by the same evening I was headed for Brittany, Finistère, Port la Forêt, pontoon P04 to be precise, on a boat aptly named – LIBERTY!
Meanwhile, Sam [Esteve] booked his flight while already en route to Montpellier Airport, such was the last-minute nature of the trip. Of course, we would need a photographer to capture the best of the action, so after a quick call to Ludo Marquier, who was still in his Parisian apartment, he gathered his camera equipment and also prepared to leave, as I loaded the truck in Wissant.
Fast forward eight hours and we were all aboard the LIBERTY – where Captain Jean Marie and his “second” Laurent awaited us. It was liberating to rediscover the sense of adventure with a leap into the unknown!
After a night in the harbour, rocked by flapping shrouds and rubbing fenders, we set sail south towards the beautiful Glénan archipelago, located 15km off the coast of Brittany.
Before we reached our final destination we would be faced with an arduous crossing, which was a real challenge in itself. We endured a head-on swell of roughly 4 metres for what felt like an eternity, but in reality, was ‘only’ one hour. There was light at the end of the tunnel though as all of a sudden the sea became perfectly calm, so the remainder of our journey, at least, would be smooth sailing until we reached the “lagoon”, downwind of the island of Penfret.
The archipelago itself boasts a rich history having once been a pirate hideout in the 17th century, while it later became one of the most prized fishing locations in Finistère and is now renowned for its sailing school. However, one question persisted in our minds – had the turquoise waters of Penfret ever seen a windsurfer pulling off a burner, culo, or even just an old-school spock?
Rigging on a boat is a bit like putting on your wetsuit in a car… but after the initial struggles we eventually headed out armed with our 4.4s and 4.7s.
The spot was wonderfully inviting and we warmed up around the boat, while waiting for Ludo to be dropped off by the tender to the nearest land, a pristine sandbank, to launch his drone in a stress-free environment.
Soon our gaze wandered to an imposing rock located at the exit of the lagoon, which was being relentlessly pounded by waves crashing into its face, sending plumes of whitewater rocketing into the sky. More importantly, luck was on our side with a beautiful 1.5 metre wave creating the perfect stunt ramps for us to enjoy. Sam unleashed with shifty’s and pasko’s, while I stuck to the more classic wave manoeuvres.
The sea goddess, honoured with a monument on Guéotec Island a few hundred metres away, provided us with the most fitting welcoming we could imagine to the Glénan’s. We chose to honour the gods in our own way that day by leaving Laurent on the boat tender with its moody engine… much like an offering to the Ganges in India.
Now at the mercy of the winds and the currents, Laurent drifted to the end of the archipelago, while the extremely low tide prevented us from rescuing him with the boat. Stranded, Laurent was forced to wait for two long hours, frozen and alone on his rocky islet, while myself and Sam chucked to ourselves with the image of Castaway firmly in our minds.
The afternoon freeride session around Bananec Island was calmer, but just as magnificent, and truly reinforced the ever-present sensation of freedom and of being at the world’s edge, which was only amplified by the total absence of human life on the archipelago. The only boat we saw passing in the distance was an IMOCA – probably heading for the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre a few days later, which was a sight that made us all consider the hardships and adventures of such an endeavour.
Later, in the evening, we all met up in the boat’s lounge to debrief around drinks and food. It felt incredible to be back to the creature comforts of the boat surrounded by leather, carpets and mahogany, while we were still all too aware of the sea and the wind which were raging behind the portholes.
On the menu was of course sea bass, which I had personally hunted a few days earlier in northern France, which is quite ironic since the archipelago is one of the French Mecca’s for bass fishing…
Upon waking up the next day, the sky was overcast, but there was still enough wind to sail! Sam, who was still on 4.4, launched downwind of a natural dike in search of absolute flatness, being the true Leucatois that he is! Watching Sam sailing in those kind of conditions is a sight to behold, as he spins through mind-blowing combinations, that only he and a handful of other world class Freestylers are capable of.
The next objective was to jump over the wake of the boat going at full speed! In hindsight, I realise that this probably wasn’t the most ethical thing to do in this “Natura 2000” zone… which is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. We now at least know that nothing beats a natural wave!
The last session of the day took place on a forgotten atoll in the Pacific and only our full length wetsuits reminded us that we were indeed still in France. The water was turquoise blue and it truly was a picture postcard moment. Fortunately, Ludo, was on hand to capture a glimpse of this magnificent scenery through his drone as words simply wouldn’t have done it the justice it deserves. As the saying goes: “A picture paints a thousand words.”
After a day and a half, it was already time for us to head back to the mainland. This 48-hour escapade was not enough to demystify the myth of the Glénans – where adventures are almost infinite!
This express 48-hour round trip reminded us that windsurfing, is much more than just practicing and chasing sensations on your home turf, it is about the people you meet, sharing and discovering new and wonderful locations along the way. This for us is what makes it unique and keeps the passion firmly alive and kicking.
Thanks to Jean-Marie, our captain, and Laurent, without whom this trip could not have been possible. It’s certainly a trip that will stay in our minds for a lifetime. Until next time…
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