Channel Islands 2010 - Alderney and home

Sadly it was all too soon for our last port of call “abroad” – a quick stop in Braye harbour in Alderney. Where we went for some chips from the legendary harbour chippy . The locals were queuing before it opened – mind you it is quite quiet in Alderney so a chip shop is a big thing !

On the final Saturday morning of our two weeks we stuck out for home at a not to early for once 08:00. We were headed for the Bembridge end of the Isle of Wight as tides didn’t serve us well for the closer Needles entrance. Really light winds meant it was cruising chute time. Even with this for a couple of hours we only made about 4 knots through the water and I was considering having to give up when the wind picked up just enough and we started going for it. Both shipping lanes were crossed with cruising chute up and then wind built up more, and then a little more. And then it really was too much. The log was reading a bit faulty after me having to unclog some Portbail sand earlier in the trip but we were still going pretty fast when it briefly touched 20.1 knots. We actually had “rooster tails” from the interference of the wash from the two hulls. I managed to catch a quick glance at the GPS at one point which showed 14 knots but on some of the surfs we were definitely quicker than that.

This was of course completely imprudent and unseamanlike – but great fun !

I needed the lee of the Isle of Wight before I could attempt to get the chute back in the sock. It was a struggle but we found just enough quiet water and shelter from the wind to get everything down and packed away before we unfurled the Genoa and took off again.

With such a late start, and initially slow progress we took about 12.5 hours before we made Portsmouth and stopped there for the night as my home pontoon in Southampton was dry until midnight. A nifty bit of parking (if I do say so myself) and we were tied up safely for the night and headed for much welcomed showers.

It was dodging Cowes week racers the next day on the way back round to Calshot and up Southampton water and tied up on our home pontoon.

With some 330+ miles (it’s about that on the chart and the log went haywire after Portbail so in reality it would have been much more) it was all in all a cracking trip. The crew weren’t even sick at all on the way back and we certainly did get a lot of sailing – the engine was hardly used apart from entering and leaving harbours/anchorages. We never used the generator once as the Solar Panels kept up with the fridge although we did plug in to electricity at both Cherbourg, St Aubin and Portsmouth. Add to that that the fact that we only paid at for two nights in Cherbourg, one night in both Portsmouth and Alderney and a donation in Herm and it was a cheap trip too.

The Iphone was great - as well as screenshot of the navigation as we went round I was able to download the entire route to Google Maps so easily - so here it is

View Larger Map

Next year I think it’s time to explore the Eastern side of the Cotentin peninsular.

Unless I win the lottery and set of for blue water before then…

Channel Islands 2010 - Sark - Derrible

After a couple of days at Portbail we made tracks back to Sark. We ran out of wind towards the end and had to motor the last bit before arriving at Derrible Bay. We found a sweet spot to Anchor right inside the bay and using our minimal draft tucked in front of everyone else. I really had the anchoring cracked with me just being able to stand up with my feet on the bottom at low water at the stern and still just missing the rocks.

We had a swim around the bay off the back of Talia in this gorgeous setting and bumped in to Cedric and Jane who were on a monohull anchored just behind us whilst swimming. We ended up splitting the night between our cockpit and their saloon imbibing generously in both and needless to say everything was quite fuzzy the next morning. Anna experienced the rocking of a monohull and was pleased to return to the gently swaying Talia. I was just pleased not to fall out the dingy on the way back.

Channel Islands 2010 - Portbail

We had the tide times cracked at Portbail and managed (sans outboard) to get to town across “the lake” with the tide, have dinner, and then the tide swept us back towards the patiently waiting Talia at anchor. Finding anything not containing meat in French Restaurants for the vegetarian crew proved a much bigger challenge! At anchor I was within 15 feet of the “deep flat bit” but managed instead to dry out at a slight angle but not enough to be bothered to move. We saw a large fin keeled yacht which appears to have been abandoned – it didn’t float even at HW

Channels Islands 2010 - Jersey to France

After Jersey it was destination France again – a quick stop off at St Catherine’s Breakwater to get the high tide timing right to get into Portbail and we had a smooth journey, sunshine, radio playing gently wafting along at a 3/4 knots. Anchor down in the sand outside the inner harbour in time for dinner and a glass of wine

Channel Islands 20010 - St Aubin

St Aubin was, as ever, gorgeous and we enjoyed some fabulous food – most noticeably at “the Salty Dog” which served the best lobster I have ever had. We were only just able to sneak in to the harbour as it was quite busy and there were some scaffolding in place as they were apparently repaired the harbour wall. We stayed for several days and attempted to work off our lovely food with what turned out to be a cycle all the way round Jersey. This turned out to be a long way at over 40 miles with some not inconsiderable coastal hills but was satisfying nonetheless. On the last night before we left we met up with Aleck and Chris from Dragonslayer – at 45 foot the Catalac dwarfed poor little Talia. We enjoyed wine and nibble in their saloon – it was so big it was difficult to know where to sit!

One day…

(but as they said they still passage plan at 5 knots – for a 45 footer I don’t think it will be a Catalac – I passage plan at 5 knots and I am only 33 feet but that’s why the accommodation is so big – you pays your money and takes your choice)

Channel Islands 2010 - Herm to Jersey

We went straight from Herm to Jersey and had a cracking sail to St Helier where I picked up some fuel and the quickly left again and made for the much nicer St Aubin- drying in soft mud against the harbour wall. Thanking yet again that I had a vessel that can dry out and thus get to all the nice spots rather than overcrowded, overpriced marina “car parks”.

Channel Islands 2010 - Herm

We dried out on the beach at the main harbour in Herm for a couple of days and enjoyed the sunshine. I feel like I have mastered picking up the ground chains now having been here before. It is a delightful spot. I did have a BBQ where I tried very hard to set fire to the boat but luckily failed. (Even though the outboard petrol was contaminated it still lit…)One night there was a somewhat incongruous “ompah band” on at the local pub. It really would have been nicer if they hadn’t been there !