This is what it’s all about: three weeks of great adventure, dozens of wonderful memories, great new friends, and not a marauding orca pod in sight (see below). Hey, we’re going to do it again next July and August. Come join us!
August 2022 Expedition Update—Deep-Sea Fishing
We just Googled it: the cost of deep-sea fishing out of Miami can run as much $225 per hour. And there are minimums, generally four hours. So that’s what? US$900/900€/£760 for half a day. Holy mackerel! Well, we let our crew members try their luck at no additional cost. And take a look: yesterday, Bay, one of our August students, reeled in two “holy mackerel(s).” We don’t know if his parents would be impressed, but Bay was lovin’ it! Maybe we should add fishing to our list of QBE expedition perks...
August 2022 Expedition Update—Océanopolis
We’re back in Brest this week—at Océanopolis. For more on this amazing aquarium and marine research facility, check out their summer 2022 trailer, HERE. It’s in French, but if you don’t speak the language, you’ll still get the gist. Our July crew spent a day at Océanopolis, as well. It’s an impressive, if below-the-radar, destination.
August 2022 Expedition Update—Headed to Brest
Just after this pic was taken, the weather changed. After a great day in Lorient, we had to abandon plans to visit the Glénan Islands and decided to sail west instead. On the upside, we found a great crêperie to celebrate a birthday. Now it’s on to Brest!
August 2022 Expedition Update—The Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival
Here we are today at the Inter-Celtic Festival in Lorient with Charles Bertrand, a former QBE crew member who now plays with the National Marine Corps Breton Bagpipe Band. When he was a teenager, Charles brought his bagpipes along on an expedition and routinely piped us into port. It always created a stir when people jockeyed for a good vantage point from which to watch and listen.
There are several Celtic “Nations,” including Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, Galicia (in Spain), and Asturias (also in Spain). All share indigenous cultures that descended from an ancient proto-Celtic progenitor, all are represented at the festival, and all have a thing about bagpipes!
You never know what you’ll discover on a QBE sailing expedition.
August 2022 Expedition Update—the QBE potato peeling Society
We like to write about the things that make QBE sailing expeditions a bit... different. We use this space to showcase some of the amazing places we visit, some of the special events we attend, and some of the summer fun we have (e.g., swimming and exploring). But here’s one example of something that undoubtedly sets us apart: our August crew members all wanted to help peel their own potatoes this past week (seriously)—a team peeling exercise! And a fine job they did. Team building and bonding are points of emphasis on QBE expeditions.
QBE July 2022 Expedition—Our Crew
Congratulations guys! The pleasure was all ours. We’re sorry that a few people were unable to join us.
Dolphins alongside a QBE cutter off the Breton coast
It’s not uncommon for us (and other sailors) to be escorted by pods of dolphins. People who study marine life seem to have differing opinions why they do this. Some speculate they’re able to expend less energy by slipstreaming—i.e., they’re wanting to hitch a free ride. Others opine that dolphins are very curious animals: they simply want to check out any large floating projectile not found in nature, see who’s on it and what they’re doing. Whatever the reason, a dolphin escort is always a source of tremendous excitement for the crew. We’re advised not to feed dolphins day-old pizza or… well, anything at all. In fact, it’s illegal.
A dolphin pod escorting a QBE sailing expedition (July 2022)
QBE July 2022 Expedition Update—We made it to Pornichet!
Everybody had a terrific time exploring the entire length of the Breton coast, learning a lot about gaff-rig sailing, and making great new friends. (Crew members also got their QBE t-shirts! LOL) More pics of the expedition later.
Now we spend a few days participating in a classic-boat regatta before welcoming our August crew and heading back to St-Malo.
QBE July 2022 Expedition update—Lorient, France
When in France, one should eat what the French eat—with perhaps some extra whipped cream. Here we are in Lorient today, chowing down on crêpes.
QBE July 2022 Expedition Update—Near Concarneau
Sunday, 17 July, headed east now. It’s hot, but the sun is shining and we have a strong breeze. We’ll take it! (We use our Zodiac to go ashore.)
Image: Google Maps
QBE July 2022 Expedition Update—Océanopolis (Brest)
🇫🇷 Happy Bastille Day! 🇫🇷
Wow, the Océanopolis aquarium complex is massive! Here we are examining an orca for periodontal disease. (We can only imagine what a mouthful of implants would cost—they can have up to 50 teeth.) Orcas belong to the dolphin family; speaking of which, we’ve had pods of dolphins following us this past week. And that is an amazing sight, especially when you’re so close you can almost touch them!
QBE July 2022 Expedition Update—Brest
The crew on Marie Claude this week
Last night we were in the Aber Wrac’h, a small village and harbor on the river Wrac’h. Today we’re in Brest, the historic port city at the tip of the Breton peninsula where we’re looking forward to a visit to Océanopolis, one of Europe’s most impressive aquariums and largest oceanographic research centers. Tomorrow night, we’ll have a great view of the city’s spectacular Bastille Day fireworks display before moving on. QBE expeditions are always about a lot more than just sailing—they’re a template for what summer “worldschooling” courses can be.
Here’s a short video trailer for Océanopolis. It’s in French, but even if you can’t read the titles, you’ll get a good feel for what the aquarium has to offer. The trailer is just 80 seconds long.
QBE July 2022 Expedition—Orientation
Crew members learn sailing terminology, how to tie knots, and the basics of sailing.
Making final preparations for our July 2022 expedition!
QBE’s two mousses (apprentice deckhands), Jules and Mewen (below), tinkering with the bowsprit of one of our cutters.
Reserve your place now for next season
Hey parents and grandparents! Do something special for your teen next summer: let him/her experience the romance and excitement of an old-school European sailing expedition on our gaff-rig pilot cutters. And why not?
✅ Sailing is a safe team sport in which everybody gets to participate
✅ It’s a top-shelf life skill
✅ Crew members not only learn to sail, they explore, discover, and expand their horizons
✅ There are no ticks or mosquitoes in our sailing area
✅ A QBE expedition is a singular coming-of-age experience that makes for winning university admission essays
✅ Sailing is spectacular fun
Next summer will be here before you know it, and several applications already have been submitted for the 2023 season. So reserve your place(s) now on an unforgettable small-group sailing adventure. If you know somebody else who might be interested in a European sailing expedition next July or August, forward them a link to our website or send us their coordinates and we’ll send them some information.
* A QBE sailing expedition makes a great birthday, Holiday, or graduation gift—a present that will pay dividends next summer and for years to come.
QBE Outdoor Education—live-aboard team sailing and personal development for 15–18 year olds. Trusted by parents since 1992. Instruction is in English, French also spoken.
Our latest QBE T-Shirt
We thought we’d try to print up some red ones for our crews this summer.
If you’d like your own, click or tap here.
Our pilot cutters: before and after
The antifouling begins on one of our pilot cutters
One of our pilot cutters as antifouling wraps up
We’re happy to report that three years of crud have been scraped from the hulls of our two pilot cutters, a process known as antifouling. A lot of hard work has gone into getting the boats ready for this season after the horrific “COVID pause.” And look at that sky! How appropriate that, as we prepare to sail again, dark winter clouds have lifted to provide us with some spectacular weather.
Getting ready for the season
St-Malo, France. Wednesday 18 May, 2022: A bird’s-eye view of one of our pilot cutters. Between now and July, we’re working flat-out to get our boats ready for the season—new electronics, new varnish, new rope, new life boats, new paint, and soon—some lucky new crew members!
(“… Now, how do I get down?”)
Going, Going...
We’re halfway through the month of May and our August expedition is just about sold out. We do still have places available on our July expedition. If you’d like to join us, book your place now.
