Best Crossing to Le Havre

[pcatterall]

Our armchair planning was 'just from the Solent general area direct to le Havre' but we are now trying to put flesh on the bones.
We hope to cruise the south coast from L.E. Eastwards during the second part of April and want to get to LeHavre early May. We thought that leaving a Portsmouth Marina in the early hours, crossing the shipping lanes in daylight and arriving in LeHavre in daylight was feasible. Are there any better suggestions? in settled weather perhaps one could moor or Anchor off Bemridge and get a quick start from there?
We want to avoid a tidal start port so as not to restrict the other planning elements.
Your suggestions appreciated and valued as always.

 

[sailorman]

Our armchair planning was 'just from the Solent general area direct to le Havre' but we are now trying to put flesh on the bones.
We hope to cruise the south coast from L.E. Eastwards during the second part of April and want to get to LeHavre early May. We thought that leaving a Portsmouth Marina in the early hours, crossing the shipping lanes in daylight and arriving in LeHavre in daylight was feasible. Are there any better suggestions? in settled weather perhaps one could moor or Anchor off Bemridge and get a quick start from there?
We want to avoid a tidal start port so as not to restrict the other planning elements.
Your suggestions appreciated and valued as always.

around 90 Nmls for the trip you do not encounter separation zones as they finish at CH1. so very straight forward allowing for say 3 tides you would need to depart Pompy on a rising tide to get the advantage of 2 east going tides

 

[AIDY]

around 90 Nmls for the trip you do not encounter separation zones as they finish at CH1. so very straight forward allowing for say 3 tides you would need to depart Pompy on a rising tide to get the advantage of 2 east going tides

at 6knots it's about 16 hours.... don't bother with bembridge (priory bay) for dropping the hook, it's not much further from gosport and your get a better night sleep.

I've been across a few times direct to LH from pompey..... however i go via brighton now to fecamp.... there is little more distance in the passage.

 

[VicMallows]

don't bother with bembridge (priory bay) for dropping the hook, it's not much further from gosport and your get a better night sleep.

I disagree, especially if only two (or even one) aboard. Far better IMHO to make a really early start straight into open sea. I would though choose Sandown bay rather than Bembridge for the overnight ..... always of course depending on the weather.

Vic

 

[AIDY]

I disagree, especially if only two (or even one) aboard. Far better IMHO to make a really early start straight into open sea. I would though choose Sandown bay rather than Bembridge for the overnight ..... always of course depending on the weather.

Vic

I guess it depends on the size of the boat. 40 mins for me from pompey entrance to princessa cardinal.... I'd rather have a better night sleep and do 40 mins extra in the morning

 

[VicMallows]

I guess it depends on the size of the boat. 4

And type! Good point. User profiles seem sadly lacking these days.

 

[minnitt]

be wary about exiting portsmouth harbour against a full adverse spring tide - its small ship channel can be quite a handful in some circs. it's doable at any state of tide but dont be surprised if your SOG falls away dramatically.

le havre is accessible at any state of tide and in darkness as well as in daylight. just keep to the north of the main ship channel as you approach the harbour. once thro the harbour entrance bear left for the marinas.
from memory it is all closed up on sunday apart from one fast-food restaurant (with a very interesting mens toilet!). also one very snotty sailing club - the other was closed when we last visited.
if le havre why not honfleur instead - only 8 -10 miles further on and very picturesque. lock operates thro'out day and night and even the outer harbour, access 24 hrs, is lovely.
michael minnitt

 

[VicS]

Any one of the Gosport Marinas would be a good staring point.

Chichester ( Sparkes ) or from the East head anchorage would not be too bad either.

I've only been to Le Havre twice but to Honfleur several times. From Portsmouth (Wicor), the Hamble and from Chichester.
I reckon if conditions are such that there is any doubt about leaving from any of those places you'll not be wanting to do a cross channel trip anyway.

time your departure to get the best tide for leaving the eastern Solent and its approaches.
but as suggested aim to get the benefit of two east going tides on the way across

I've no qualms about crossing the shipping lanes at night. I've probably crossed the channel more times at night than in daylight!
Always watch out for ferries coming up from behind and doing the unexpected in the Nab and Bembridge ledge area.
Good visibility is what you need!

Be sure you know the entry signals for le Havre... they may have changed since I last went that way but I seem to remember signals for the Port and separate signals for the Marina.

Honfleur is a "must visit" place if you are in that area.

 

[Poignard]

I would head for St Vaast and spend a day there before continuing via the Isles St Mercouf over towards Ouistreham (for Caen), Honfleur then Le Havre. Not the most direct route but pleasant if you are not in a rush.

 

[VicS]

I would head for St Vaast and spend a day there before continuing via the Isles St Mercouf over towards Ouistreham (for Caen), Honfleur then Le Havre. Not the most direct route but pleasant if you are not in a rush.

If you are "doing the Seine bay" several places worth visiting. Carentan in the SW corner is one I would recommend.

 

[Skysail]

I read its a 33ft Buchanan Neptunian motor sailer so able to maintain a good average. All the above are valid points, including a start from Sandown Bay in settled weather. On balance I would go for St Vaast first - easy in a day, then along the D-Day coast - Ouistreham/Caen, Deauville, Le Havre, Honfleur.

 

[Nostrodamus]

Le Harve is a concrete Monolith and not nice to look at. I know it was our fault as we bombed it to the ground and they had to put something in its place.
If you look at the photos in the big church there of what happened it makes you none to proud to be British.
I would however make the crossing from Brighton to Fecamp (avail yourself of the distillery there ). It is much nicer and only a short hop to Le Harve.
Taking this route keeps you just outside the shipping lanes.
We did a lot of this coast last year so views on the crossing and the various ports can be found in our blogs
http://www.cygnus3.com/
If we can help in any way just PM me.

 

[VicS]

I would however make the crossing from Brighton to Fecamp (avail yourself of the distillery there ). It is much nicer and only a short hop to Le Harve.
Taking this route keeps you just outside the shipping lanes.

Bur surely you are still crossing the same shipping lanes, just a little further east?

 

[brianhumber]

If you are "doing the Seine bay" several places worth visiting. Carentan in the SW corner is one I would recommend.

+1.

Tides are also better on French side for going east, you leave locks etc on rising tide and have several hours to make your destination before destination gates close in front of you.
Would also reccomend Dives as a stop over, although approach gets a bit hairy on the ebb in onshore F5 as I found out last year. We were the only visitor at that time in June.

Brian

 

[Nostrodamus]

Bur surely you are still crossing the same shipping lanes, just a little further east?

You can just skirt around the end of the separation scheme so although you do have to contend with the same ships you do have a little more room to manoeuvre.

I would agree about trying to go east to west on the French side. You are continually battling the tide to make the next entrance. .

 

[VicS]

You can just skirt around the end of the separation scheme so although you do have to contend with the same ships you do have a little more room to manoeuvre.

I would agree about trying to go east to west on the French side. You are continually battling the tide to make the next entrance. .

Surely Brighton to Fecamp takes you across the western end of the Dover Strait separation scheme or very close to it

A passage from the eastern Solent to Le Havre should keep you clear of it.

 

[dulcibella]

No problem - a simple passage with magnificently visible arrival lights. If they are red, call LH Port Control who speak good English and will give you the green lights as quickly as they can. Keep just out of the main channel on its red side. I like Le Havre as a city - despite the post-bombing concrete block architecture, it has a good art gallery, an exceptional modern church, and lots of eating places (providing you don't mind a bit of walking) that are more authentic and cost less than the pretentious places in Honfleur, which is pretty but rather a tourist trap. My top tip if you like authentic meat dishes is Le Bistrot des Halles (7, Place des Halles Centrales), about 10 minutes' walk from the marina in a side-road on the way to the main square. No nonsense about BSE there - lots of kidney, sweetbread and brain dishes as well as regular meats. Wines are medium priced but of exceptional quality. One of your party should have reasonably functional French if you are to get the best from it. They have good chicken and fish offerings for the less robust. I think that they are closed on Mondays.