Lagoon days

Around ten private owners' boats had made the trip, and finally more than 70 people met up on the Friday evening, to discover the programme the organisers had concocted for us. A first briefing was relaxed and good-humoured, to such a point that after the welcome drink, many people went to eat together in the restaurants around Les Minimes... Things were off to a good start!
The next morning, we woke early for a serious briefing with the skippers on the builder's Lagoon 560, which served all day as the 'flagship' of the fleet, made up of Lagoon 380, 400, 440, 450 and 500s. The weather was fine and warm, but the wind promised by the weather forecast was absent. Not a problem, big boss Yann decided to start a course of about fifteen miles, to reach Aix, the end of the first stage. Although the organisers had warned us we were not racing, you will never stop ten or so skippers leaving at the same time from point A to reach point B trying to get there before their mates. And despite an almost complete lack of wind, Yann took off under sail at the helm of the 560...and wasn't caught by anyone. Not very sporting for the guests!!!   
As meal time was approaching and the wind was becoming erratic, most crews reached the Ile d'Aix anchorage under engine, to go and taste the island's oysters. 30° C in the shade, but no shade meant that most crews tried to cool down in the water (not very warm yet, at the beginning of June), before returning to La Rochelle with a wind that was finally present (around 15 knots), giving us a nice sail…
When we arrived back in the harbour, a bus was waiting to take the participants to the former weather ship 'France 1', for a lively evening to the sound of an excellent jazz group.  
The general opinion was that it had been a successful meeting, but a bit too short…