2 week summer cruise...first time to the Channel Islands...any tips?

Many thanks for the replies all. I'm hoping not to get lost or hit any ships! She may be a 40 year old cruiser, but with a colour plotter, cockpit repeater, 2x standby handheld GPS units, my own iPad running Navionics whilst the work one runs the tidal app, DSC VHF and a handheld, NASA AIS radar and NASA Navtex, the nav station puts ICAP Leopard to shame! Oh, and there's also some paper map things, these strange grey crayons and this funny ruler thing with a spinny circle thing on the top if all else fails! If I can't find Alderney its time to hang up the sailing boots and take up narrowboating! But some really useful stuff about tides and hidey holes...thanks guys.

Chrissie...a group cruise over sounds good, depending on when you want to go. TBH we probably will be going in school holidays, simply because one of the crew is a teacher! I don't live locally, however if it was a weekend pub meet that would be great.

If the weathers not up to a channel crossing I've not ruled out heading West again, might stay off the beaten track and look at Exmouth, Lyme Regis etc....BUT at the moment the plan is absolutely to head across the channel if possible.

Thanks again and keep it coming if there's anything else!
 
I was out just a few hours ago on the Exe, lovely under rated river, just be careful with the entrance, especially with any Easterly. Also Lyme Regis, had my first ever boat moored in the harbour, well worth an overnight stay in settled weather, but again avoid in any E or SE winds.
 
Here are a few CI anchorages I've used, and would use again if the wind/weather suited....


Guernsey: Havelet Bay, Soldiers Bay, Fermain Bay, Icart Bay. Don't forget Beaucette Marina - it's a handy and secure bolthole, with a cheap bus service.

Herm: Rosiere Steps, Belvoir Bay, Shell Bay

Sark: Havre Gosselin. I've rolled like a pig all night in Baleine Bay.... Greve de la Ville was OK, but a very stiff climb up the long steps.

Jersey: Portelet Bay - beautiful. St Catherine's Bay, tucked behind the breakwater.

Alderney: Longy Bay, Saye Bay.

Enjoi....
 
I think it will be difficult to make Alderney every time I try to get there I have been headed and had to go into Cherbourg. Once in Cherbourg you can easily make Alderney and enjoy the sail.

Don't forget to go to Carteret (walk around the point, past the coast guard station for one of the the best beaches in Europe) and Dilette (there is a fantastic restaurant on the hill called Le Semaphore). If you go to Sark you can go to Dixcart Bay. Aldernery is great, it is a bit of a time warp but the people are really nice and there are some nice places to eat. St Peter Port is like Waterloo station, very busy with people simply passing through and very aggressive berthing masters demanding payment even before you have got you lines on! Jersey is really nice IF you make the effort to get out and about (You can buy duty free here!!!). If you feel like a challenge Isle Chaussey is wonderful but don't go on a Monday as the main restaurant is closed.

One thing you should be aware of if you anchor in the Channel Islands you will need around 50M of chain the tides often have a range of over 10m so at high tide you will be anchoring in 13-15m.

We now do most of channel crossings at night you gain a day on your holiday if you do, this only works if you are not single handed so that you can get six hours sleep each during the crossing.
 
Prv Pete, no backing off, I'll let you find out for yourself then.

On a sort of brighter note, Old Bilbo, Alderney and Braye should be a lovely spot, but...is it just me, or is there a nasty feeling about the place ?

I once met a lady sailor whose Dad was a surveyor, he'd been asked to check the gaps appearing in the breakwater and found the Nazis had used slave labour, literally; when a slave keeled over they went into the cement mix, so after a few years they created voids...

Also my boyhood hero David Blagden set off from there for the last time, on a daft self inflicted last trip.

On the other hand I remember calling in at Braye with a chum to be met by the harbourmaster " You just missed 'em lads, there was an all girl crew ! "

Brayebeach-3.jpg
 
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Seajet said:
Alderney and Braye should be a lovely spot, but...is it just me, or is there a nasty feeling about the place ?

I once met a lady sailor whose Dad was a surveyor, he'd been asked to check the gaps appearing in the breakwater and found the Nazis had used slave labour, literally; when a slave keeled over they went into the cement mix, so after a few years they created voids...
Click to expand...

Friends of mine also say the same, suspect it's not true (the body in the cement bit, the use of slave labour is fact) And even if it is, why should it have any bearing on going there today, on that basis half of Europe would be a no go area.
 
longjohnsilver said:
Friends of mine also say the same, suspect it's not true (the body in the cement bit, the use of slave labour is fact) And even if it is, why should it have any bearing on going there today, on that basis half of Europe would be a no go area.
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Longjohn,

well I'm not alone in feeling it, and have no reason to doubt the ' body in cement ' story, the surveyor in question was working for the army just after WWII.

There's something about Braye which sends shivers up my spine.
 
Galadriel,

Not quite as spiritual as I meant though I suppose I get your drift; I remember looking in the book in a phone box in St Peter Port and the first A for a few pages was taken up by alcohol advice services !

I hasten to add, I was looking for a petrol station...
 
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Last time we went to Alderney we had risen late and prior to departing further south decided to take a walk around the capital, St Anne :-). before returning to the boat we decided to sit at a cafe and have a cuppa, it was about 11.55am. We sat down and a lady with a note pad arrives and without another word (remember this is a cafe) says "hope you dont want any food we're about to close for lunch". Sort of sums up the Island mentality.
 
Galadriel,

that's not a unique mentality, when I worked as tech photographer on Harriers and Hawks at Dunsfold ( now home to Top Gear, sadly ) we often remarked that the nearby village, Cranleigh, was ' the sort of place where the cafe's close for lunch ', and they did !


galadriel said:
Last time we went to Alderney we had risen late and prior to departing further south decided to take a walk around the capital, St Anne :-). before returning to the boat we decided to sit at a cafe and have a cuppa, it was about 11.55am. We sat down and a lady with a note pad arrives and without another word (remember this is a cafe) says "hope you dont want any food we're about to close for lunch". Sort of sums up the Island mentality.
Click to expand...
 
The bodies in the wall reminds me... If you want a chilling experience, visit the military hospital by Havalet bay. It's really eerie!

Also not mentioned yet, if you like animals, then Durrell in Jersey is well worth a visit. We have had many pleasant days there.
 
cliffdale said:
Also not mentioned yet, if you like animals, then Durrell in Jersey is well worth a visit. We have had many pleasant days there.
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I mentioned the zoo! Yes, it's an excellent place to visit, though very much a conservation zoo rather than just a children's day out

The Jersey vineyard is worth seeing too. I don't know if the pottery is still going, we bought a fine plate there. Elizabeth Castle is worth seeing at least once too and they put on a jolly show around midday. There are events around if you look out for them. We had a guided tour of La Courbiere lighthouse once, but this is only put on a few times a year. I have often fancied doing one of the low tide guided walks among the rocks but never made it.
 
If you plan to spend several days in Jersey look at the possibility of hiring a car to get about to the various places of interest.

We did and were able to get a permit to park in the marina car park.
 
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