Just three of us went for an afternoon paddle from the campsite 3 miles down-tide to the Phare du Four, we had been there in very flat conditions a couple of years ago. This time there was a big tide running as we were well offshore on Springs, and we were at the lighthouse in no time.
The lighthouse was attracting the swell and just beyond, the tide was swirling into a race over the shallow reefs and rocks.
Requiring an energetic ferry glide at right-angles to the tide to make the mile to the shore without being caught up in the race. As soon as you relaxed your ferry angle, the waves breaking in the race where right on your shoulder. Not a place to mess up. Later in the week a 'Rockpool' lost 50cm of its bow in the rocks here, an expensive day out for the owner, who was lucky to escape with lacerated forearms after a rough water double roll followed by a wet exit. The bow, wedged in the rocks, had been bent double in all three planes by breaking waves during this process.
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