Thus ends another week of busy work, meaning one step closer to the real start of the journey as we start our official trip with the passage to the Canary Islands here in (hopefully) a short week. It was a bittersweet goodbye to family friends as we left Les Sables on Thursday to return to Lorient for our scheduled warranty work. It was an introspective experience sailing out of the channel, where in just two short months, 40 solo sailors will do the same as they depart on their non-stop journey around the world competing in the Vendée Globe.

The way back up to Lorient was nicely familiar, with the same early morning hops as we worked around what the wind had to offer us. Saturday, we sheltered on the north end of Belle-Île in what we thought would be a cozy, picturesque anchorage. Although true, it very quickly proved to be a popular spot, with boats piling in one after the other, packed like sardines with sometimes less than a boat length distance between. Often too close for comfort, neighboring boats, us included, would muster on deck to greet an incoming boat with cold stares and crossed arms in an obvious display of displeasure. Half the time the discomfort was enough to send the intruding boat back on its way, but others turned into verbal matches and stubborn defeat. Despite the affair, Belle-Île certainly was my favorite anchorage to date, with an endless walking path all along the coast of the 10 mile-long island.

Our Sunday day sail to Lorient provided us with the chance to see some great action - it was the final day of the Défi Azimut, and 19 Imoca teams were going to partake in a friendly competition around the island of Groix, just outside Lorient. Although the steadily dying breeze worked against our favor as the clock ticked, the call was made to throw an engine on, and before we knew it we were watching all of the boats gybe around the southeast corner of the island. It was was rather awe inspiring, seeing all the boats I had been following for years on the internet, but finally in real life.