The wrong pontoon in La Trinité

I wasn't super-thrilled by Port-Haliguen, which is bit bleak with not much to see on the shore, although it had some lovely beaches. We wanted to be somewhere interesting and fairly sheltered for a couple of nights because strong winds and rain are forecast for Monday. I have reluctantly concluded that fighting for a mooring on the islands is not a practicable option with one disabled and one inexperienced crew member - we are better off in marinas.

So we arrived in La-Trinité-sur-Mer after an arduous 7-mile passage across the Baie de Quiberon at speeds up to 3.5 knots in the 8 knot winds. Lo and behold, there was lots of space on the visitors' pontoon although some of the spaces were roped off. The one we were in appeared fine, but I had a bad feeling about it. And in fact when the capitainerie reopened after Sunday lunch we were told that it was impossible, there were no spaces, a race was coming in and we had to use Ponton Romeo. We threw off everything and travelled across the marina to Pontoon R where it looked as though we would have to raft up (no access ashore for Sam). However as I was executing an impressive 180º turn to come next to a small British yacht head to wind, Simon, bless him, spotted a small space right at the end of the pontoon. Another 180º turn and we were in, with the kind help of the owner of the yacht we'd planned to raft up to. We are at a dead end here but I dare say someone will turn up to raft on to us eventually.

The downside is that instead of being right in the centre of town we are now a half-mile walk from the capitainerie, most of the shops, the Philippe Plisson gallery and anything else we might want to visit, and quarter of a mile from the showers. At least we are alongside a stout pontoon which should make it relatively easy for Sam to get off.