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BRETAGNE blocking the No. 2 ramp at Saint Malo on September .. The ship
had arrived at the port on Friday 21 September at which time Brittany Ferries halted their services due to industrial action by crews. The vessel remained blocking the ramp until October 2, which resulted in CONDOR RAPIDE having to use the No. 1 ramp which only allowed one of her stern ramps to be used. And COMMODORE GOODWILL having to enter the basin system and use the ramp in the Basin Jacques Cartier. 0475W 181K
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BELUNE is a ro/ro barge which plies round the islands and crossings in the Golfe du Morbihan. 0482w 203k
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RHUYS appeared not to have been in service this summer. She is the last of the single screw wooden vedettes built in the 1970’s. 0494w 183k
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High water at Conlea 0505w 186k
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The harbour front at Auray the area which as been re-
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Water taxi TREH-
0552w 221k
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This simple attractive monument stands close to the old lifeboat house at Étel.
With nine names, and a picture of a lifeboat together with the date of 3rd October 1958, would at first glance indicate the loss of the craft and her nine crew on that day, but that is not the case.
Étel is notorious for the heavy seas which develope on the sand bar at the entrance during bad weather, resulting in the port being closed to shipping.
Because of this Dr. Alain Bombard who had crossed the Atlantic in an inflatable dinghy in 1952 and was championing the use of inflatable dinghies for rescue work chose the port to test such a craft.
With the Authorities present to witness the trial, and with rescue craft on hand, and with hugh waves breaking on the bar, the inflatable craft was launched with Bombard and six others climbing aboard. On the second run the craft overturned throwing all into the water, and as the lifeboat VICE AMIRAL SCHWERER II closed in to pick them up, a rope became entangled in one of its propellers, and having lost steerage, it broached and capsized. Of the seven crew, five lost their
lives, including the lifeboat coxswain Emile Daniel, while of the seven aboard the inflatable dinghy, four were lost.
Although deeply affected by the disaster, Dr Bombard continued to promote the use of inflatable craft, and today’s fast lifeboats, life rafts and yacht tenders owe much to his work.. A company bearing his name is still involved in the production of life rafts, tenders and related craft.
The lifeboat VICE AMIRAL SCHWERER II had only been on the Étel station from May that year (1958) having from 1938 been at St. Servan and later Saint Malo as POURQUOI PAS being replaced at the latter in 1956, before undergoing a major refurbishment at Fecamp in 1957.
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The replacement lifeboat was named PATRON EMILE DANIEL in his honour. The craft was
due to be replaced in the spring of 2004, but on 8 September 2003 she hit an obstacle as she crossed the bar and was nearly lost. Salvaged, she was repaired, and has remained in Étel since. She celebrated her Jubilee in June 2012.
The vessel is seen on an “Open Day” on 18th April 2010.
See also lower down.
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TAILLEFER 3 seen here at Quiberon. The vessel was built in three sections in 2004 by Merre a Nort sur Erdre and then taken to Saint Nazaire where the sections were joined together. 0530w 161k
Seen at PORT-
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ROI GRADLON Seen here at the small base in the port, the vessel is operated
by the lighthouse authority at Lorient. She still uses her two derricks for buoy work and would to have about of about seven or eight. 0538w 224k
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Built in 1948, one wonders how long she can survive with her methods of working.. 0542w 198k
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A concrete sinker being placed ashore, with the ship’s winches used to hoist
and slew the derrick. Note -
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Fishing for prawns over the back wall of the harbour. 0549w 182k
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Catamaran DRAVANTEG seen here laid up, also carries a number of cars / cargo
in addition to passengers, and operates to Belle-
required. 0552w 177k
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The former Emeraude Lines vedette BELLE DE DINAN now moored in the Baie de Landriais, River Rance, where some painting work has been carried out. 0553w 166k
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Former Saint Malo life-
for a number of years and is in very poor condition. 0555w 361k
POURQUOI -
In 1992 after 34 years of service she was replaced by POURQUOI -
SNS 072.
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A stern view of the vessel showing a triple rudder assembly. 0556w 263k