Sea of Iroise

The sea of Iroise is the name of the part of the Atlantic Ocean extending from the island of Center to that of Ushant, in Brittany, France.

This sea is famous to be one of most dangerous of Europe: in winter the waves can be gigantic and the particularly destroying storms. But she is also regarded as one of richest in biodiversity, which justified its classification in Réserve of biosphere by UNESCO in 1988 and like first Natural marine park of France in October 2007.

Remarkable geography and places

The sea of Iroise is bordered of a coast alternating beaches, cliffs, dunes and Ria S, as the Aber S which one finds in north. But it is especially strewn with rocks, small islands and islands, which can be isolated like the island from Center or gathered like those of the Archipel from Molène.

The large varieties of depths and the position at the entry of the Manche explain the intensity of the current which characterizes it. Thus, when the English Channel fills during the Flot, of strong currents carry to the North-East, then are reversed with the Jusant, when the English Channel is emptied. These are the currents which reach exceptional speeds, in the Fromveur or the Raz of Center, and which make there navigation so complex. More locally, one finds a similar effect in the Goulet of Brest, the Rade of Brest being emptied and filling with each cycle of tide.

The sea of Iroise is the place of France where the density of Phare S is most important, the number of dangers to be avoided being considerable (a said marine proverb Who sees Molène sees his sorrow, which sees Ushant sees its blood, which sees Sein sees its end ). One finds there headlights mythical, often isolated on the open sea (that one calls hells): in the Passage of Fromveur, the Mare and Kéréon; in the south of the Archipelago of Molène, the Black Stones; in the Strong current of Center, the Old and Tévennec and at the western end of the roadway of Center, Ar-Men. The coast and the islands are also strewn with headlights. Among the most remarkable headlights of the point Saint-Mathieu and Kermorvan at the entry of the channels of the Furnace and of Helle, the Headlight of the Small Pussy at the entry of the Narrow part of Brest and of course headlights on Center and Ushant. The island of Ushant only carries to it 5 headlights: Kéréon, Nividic, the Mare, Créac' H and the Stiff, plus the tower radar of Stiff supervising the Rail of Ushant.

Maritime activities

Military use

Brest being an important military port since 1631, the ships of the Navy cross often at sea of Iroise. Moreover, the base of the French nuclear submarines is located at the Long Île, on the peninsula of Crozon. The sea of Iroise is thus a required passage to leave the Rade of Brest and to gain the Atlantic Ocean. It is not rare to see a Nuclear submarine passing the narrow part of Brest accompanied by a naval flotilla and helicopters.

Fish

If the activity remained artisanal in Iroise and if largest tonnages are not unloaded there, Conquet, Douarnenez, Camaret and Brest accommodate fishing ports which were or are important for certain species like the sleeper, the Lotte, or the Sardine.

To make recognize their production and create a label, fishermen with the line are organized in association since 1993.

Pleasure

The sea of Iroise is very attended by the yachtmen, which practice there in particular the sail and the fishing of leisure. It is a required passage for coastal cruising between northern Brittany and southern Brittany, with in north the Chenal of the Furnace, between Ushant and the coast, and in the south the Raz of Center opposite the Pointe of the Strong current.

Exploitation of the algae

The archipelago of Molène shelters one of the largest fields of Algue S of Europe; these algae (in particular laminar ) are exploited by a fleet of goémoniers (for a good portion based with Lanildut), for the needs for the industries chemical and food (gelling). Several tens of thousands of tons of Goémon are thus collected each year. Certain algae are also collected manually on the estran.

Diving

There exists at sea of Iroise of many sites of diving, attended by several clubs. Several wrecks are relatively accessible and interesting, but the funds in themselves are often spectacular. Underwater hunting is practiced by many plungers. Some boats at bottom of glass make it possible to discover sea-beds.

Nautical leisures

The sea of Iroise offers many spots for the Planche to veil, the Kite-surfing and the Surf.

Rescue at sea

The sea of Iroise is particularly dangerous, but she also is very attended: she is a point of required passage for the boats going up of the south of Europe via the the Bay of Biscay and going towards the north of Europe by borrowing the Manche.

After several sea risks and the catastrophe of the Amoco Cadiz, a obligatory Separation device of traffic was set up for the large ships which are obliged to pass to the West of Ushant: it is the Rail of Ushant. Thus, the most dangerous zone is avoided and in the event of damage, a Remorqueur of open sea can intervene before the shipwreck on the coast or the rocks.

This role was held a long time by the Abeille Flanders, which was replaced in 2005 by the Abeille Bourbon. As soon as the weather conditions are degraded, this ship based with Brest will wet in bay of Stiff with Ushant, saving to him invaluable hours of sea in the event of problem.

The sea of Iroise also shelters stations SNSM with Sein, Douarnenez, Camaret, Conquet, Molène and Ushant. In each one of these ports, a Lifeboat (often of a score of meters) carried out by the voluntary ones is ready to leave by all times since a life is in danger at sea. Photographers like Philip Plisson or Jean Guichard pay homage to these men and superb images of these boats deliver to us working in a dismounted sea.

Environment

Fauna and flora

In spite of several oil slicks and sea accidents to the serious ecological consequences, many degasifications and the Overexploitation of some Fishing resources (whose sardines which made live to 8000 people in bay of Douarnenez with 19th and beginning of the 20th century), thanks to its powerful currents, at a coast very cut out and sea-beds varied, the sea of Iroise constantly is brewed, strongly oxygenated and rich in Plancton, which makes of it an ideal place for the development of a very rich fauna and a flora.

The sea of Iroise is thus considered for its bars and particularly for those of the Raz of Center fished in the middle of the currents. It also shelters two herds of large dolphins of a score of individuals: one in the Archipelago of Molène and the other around Center and one crosses time with other a fish the moon, a Basking shark or a Baleine. It is not rare to see the dolphins accompanying the shuttles connecting the islands to the continent. The Archipel of Molène also shelters an about sixty seals which find there the limit southern of their habitat.

Protection

This significant medium is the subject of many safety devices being interested in terrestrial spaces, but the sea was not directly aimed before the creation of the natural marine park.

Natural marine park of Iroise

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