The show or festival at Brest had so much variety its hard to do it justice with
only a few photographs. So, whilst I took photo's of dozens of boats, here I have
presented a wider cross-section of what we saw at Brest 2008, not simply ships and
boats.
No not Ruby's wake, we are on the ferry to the boat festival at Brest 2008. The
clouds are clearing so it might be a nice day.
We were not yet in the harbour when we saw our first old lady taking paying guests
on a 1 hour tour. This is O-021 Jacob Meindert.
Nice to look at, but her identity remains a mystery.
Amazing, the whole horizon is filled with scenes like this, large and small, all
cautiously under engine albeit with full sail.
A splendid trio; on the inside the German 3 masted Goelette, Hendrika Bartelds (49m);
centered is the Lougre de peche, Gallant (37m); and on the outside Astrid (42m)
which the brochure descibes as a "Brick", maybe a reflection of its sailing abilities?
Short of cash and need a new anchor? How about this as a solution presented by visitors
from Galicia. I'd guess a couple of hours on the beach should yield the items needed.
So you thought catamarans were a new idea eh? This dugout cat certainly pre-dates
Prouts.
3 of the 4 masts of the huge Russian youth training ship the Kruzhenstern. Aparantly,
as it arrived, all of the yard arms were lined with trainees. It's 114m long and
the largest at the show.
Any boat who attends any Brest show is eligible to put a plaque into this display.
We saw thousands of them all dating back through the years. Some a genuine pieces
of art.
This plaque had been added to the display only minutes earlier. It is from one of
the group of Japanese boats who are presenting "Boats from Japan", catchy name eh?.
Not just ships and boats but models too. These are amazing in there detail, they
are part models and so show inside (below decks) as well as the outside..
The ancient is well represented so here is the modern; a French frigate currently
in service.
One of the bands who chose to march around and play for the crowds. They were very
good and very funny as well. Country?
With more than 1000 boats on show each themed dock basin looked like this, loads
of boats rafted solid in places. And all having a good time. Cans of larger were
much in evidence even at 1100.
This Norwegian house was built in a day using only wood and hand tools. The rippling
muscles of the guy making wooden roof tiles were much admired by the ladies. Sadly
he's just out of shot.
A traditonal Danish long boat. It had recently arrived and was showing a downside
of its lack of freeboard - everything on board was soaking wet.
At 76 m Cisne Branco, a 3 master, is not only the biggest but also the only vessel
from Brazil here it is berthed beneath the Brest castle ramparts.
One of about 10 boats the Vietnamese people were exhibiting. On the hard was a splendid
overview of the country obviously aimed at would-be holiday makers who might then
chose Vietnam..
And at 83m this is the biggest 3 master at Brest. Mircea is from Roumania.
And finally, the amazingly visual as well as acoustic percussion band, Batala from
Paris. The group now has cloned bands across the world, which is why we enjoyed
seeing their colleagues a couple of years ago in La Rochelle.
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