The Glénan Archipelago, off southern Brittany, is one of those destinations that we have been dreaming of exploring and sailing for a long time. So, when the opportunity presented itself, nothing could lend itself to it better than doing it in Tiki. Story of a rare and long-awaited session.
It is 1:30 a.m. when we park our vans in the port of Trévignon. The wind has shifted, it has already shifted to the northeast. The weather window that we were waiting for and had spotted is taking place, it looks ideal for tomorrow. We exchange a few words to end a long day and meet in 3 hours. The film crew comes to pick us up by boat at 5 am, the night will be short.
Waking up is difficult but motivation quickly takes over. We gather our wings, suits, harnesses and Tikis on the edge of the quay. A few minutes later the RIB's navigation lights appear, the crew is in raincoats, wet, after leaving Lorient 45 minutes earlier and being woken up by spray.
Time to load, get organized and find your place on board while the boardbags are overflowing and here we are on the way. Head to the South-West, with the light of day behind us and the light of the Penfret lighthouse straight ahead as a landmark. The smile rises as we get closer to the archipelago and see the islands appear.
It is barely 6 a.m. when we set foot on the Guiriden bench, our starting point. We are alone, 15 to 20 knots of wind, the sun rises at the same time as we inflate our wings and appreciate this rare moment. We take a quick look at our journey through the islands and get into the water.
We have the archipelago for us while many are still sleeping. We take our first tacks between Guiriden, Penfret and old Glénan, playing as close as possible to the sandbank and the surrounding islets. The feeling of freedom is total and increased tenfold by the sliding sensations provided by the Tiki. We chained the edges in “the room”, this interior lagoon protected by the circle of islets making Glénan a lost atoll off the coast of Brittany.
A descent along Bananec, a passage at the foot of Fort Cigogne, before sliding past the port of Saint Nicolas and around the island of Drenec. The playground is magical, to slalom between the few boats at anchor, to pass between the rock heads or to enjoy the mirror water leeward of the islands to feel the board accelerate under your feet without noise.
The Tiki is confirmed as the perfect support for exploring, going upwind without forcing it, crossing windy areas without fear and getting into the middle of rocks and kelp fields as the tide goes out. We are in high tide and are making the most of this ephemeral Glénan which is offered to us for a few hours, revealing crystal clear waters on the many sandbanks of the archipelago.
