Braye in a moderate easterly?

[prv]

If that Meteo France forecast proves accurate (NE force 4-5, sea state moderate) I wouldn't want to be spending the night in Braye.

Agree with that - but it's very different to what the WRF (via WindGuru Pro) is predicting for Alderney:

I don't really want to go on to Guernsey if I can help it - due to the trip back more than the one down. We're departing from the Needles on Saturday, but have to get all the way back to Southampton on the Monday and preferably not at 0130 like last time

That said, I'm aware of the dangers of picking the forecast you like best, and also that fin-keeled Ariam doesn't lie to anchor or mooring as sweetly as Kindred Spirit's deep hull did. Unfortunately the tide will be running the wrong way for a quick divert to Cherbourg if the wind isn't dropping as forecast.

Pete

 

[dom]

Me neither!

Me neither now ...helping daughter with maths revision!

I always think the trickiest bit for roll-neutral folk in a NE is getting back to one's boat at night ...and if you take the water-taxi make sure of the times with the driver as its a bit hit and miss (Mob 07781 415420, or C37)

If in doubt you can always give the ever-helpful Harbourmaster a shout (01481 822620) the day before and keep an eye on the Meteo France link above.

 

[dom]

Agree with that - but it's very different to what the WRF (via WindGuru Pro) is predicting for Alderney:

Are the two forecasts not basically the same?

 

[Angele]

Agree with that - but it's very different to what the WRF (via WindGuru Pro) is predicting for Alderney:

I don't really want to go on to Guernsey if I can help it - due to the trip back more than the one down. We're departing from the Needles on Saturday, but have to get all the way back to Southampton on the Monday and preferably not at 0130 like last time

That said, I'm aware of the dangers of picking the forecast you like best, and also that fin-keeled Ariam doesn't lie to anchor or mooring as sweetly as Kindred Spirit's deep hull did. Unfortunately the tide will be running the wrong way for a quick divert to Cherbourg if the wind isn't dropping as forecast.

Pete

Unfortunately I can't see the WindGuru image, as the server here blocks all Photobucket content.

From personal experience (but possibly slightly biased, being a Jerseyman) the most accurate forecasts for weather around the CI comes from the Jersey Met office, who also now produce the forecasts for Guernsey. In second place I would put the forecasts issued by Meteo France and broadcast by CROSS Joburg/CROSS Corsen (i.e. the one in Dom's earlier post). So, yes, don't just pick the one the forecast you like, but have a good look around at the competing views.

If in doubt, personally I err on the side of caution when visiting Braye - hence why I have only been caught out the once.

 

[Talulah]

Whilst I know it's not your original question and given the concensus is to avoid Braye given the wind direction how about going to St Vaast instead? It's pretty well the same distance. The forecast is good both there and back and it's a nice place to visit. No swell to worry about.
We are doing Gosport, St Vaast, Cherbourg, return this weekend. So if you do decide to go this route pop in and say hello.

 

[longjohnsilver]

XC is predicting anything from 6 - 17 kts from NE to SE. Stronger winds are Thurs/Fri which will leave some small swell which from our experience will make Braye somewhat uncomfortable but not untenable.

If the forecast NE F4-5 materialises I certainly would not want to be there, even though I love the place.

 

[prv]

Whilst I know it's not your original question and given the concensus is to avoid Braye given the wind direction how about going to St Vaast instead?

Don't have the times to hand now, but I believe the gate will be closing on Saturday afternoon well before we could expect to arrive. Anchoring out in the bay for the whole evening doesn't sound much fun, especially in an easterly.

Pete

 

[LadyInBed]

Forecast as per Metio Consult

 

[Pinnacle]

We are going to E Cowes..........I think it will be pretty calm there......

 

[Talulah]

We are going to E Cowes..........I think it will be pretty calm there......

Quite the opposite I suspect in everything else.

 

[Pinnacle]

 

[Pinnacle]

But we will be going over to the "other side" to eat!

That may well be a bit noisier!

 

[prv]

So, we made it

Wind was more or less exactly as forecast by Windguru; possibly a bit less on the way over as we ended up motoring part of the way to keep the speed up. Left Southampton about half two on Friday, sailed down to the western end of the Solent ready for a timely start the next morning - given the present and forecast easterlies we decided Alum Bay looked like the best spot to anchor. Not been there before, but quite pleasant, and a change from my normal staging post of just inside Hurst spit (obviously not suitable in an Easterly).

Set off at 7:00 the next morning, pleasant enough crossing apart from the failing breeze, and moored up in Braye by 6pm. Not particularly rolly, though very obvious that it would be in the wrong conditions - sitting on a mooring looking straight out into the middle of the Channel with nothing in between definitely felt a little exposed. Got the dinghy rigged while Chris cooked another excellent dinner (I think this one was the cheese-and-mustard-stuffed chicken breasts with bacon; Friday was the lasagne and garlic bread).

Ashore after dinner for the obligatory drink in the Divers - discovered that most of the dinghy pontoon had disappeared since I was last there, leaving only the root piece that the gangway comes down to. Anyone know what's going on here, and whether it's expected back any time soon?

(Ariam is the blue-hulled yacht roughly in the middle of the picture)

Sunday was a lazy morning, complete with full fryup, and a quick visit to the inner harbour to top up water. Found the Mainbrayce berth fully occupied by a motorboat dressed overall, with a merry party (including party hats) in full swing - but they cheerfully invited us to raft alongside them (easier than going on the wall anyway), ran out the water hose for us, and completed the welcome by thrusting large glasses of G&T into our hands! Many thanks to the crew of Puddlejumpa if they should ever find this

Went for a bit of an explore on Sunday; amused by the airport tannoy announcing flights as if at Heathrow, while a horse grazed under the control tower. And lovely views across Burhou and the Casquets - just wish I hadn't left my camera behind on the boat! Back on board in time for Chris to start cooking roast beef with all the trimmings - only deference to being on a boat was mashed potato (with lots of butter and cream) instead of roasties and their attendant hot fat.

(Carving the beef)

Noticed while relaxing with a beer in the cockpit that one of the dinghy oars was missing. Went back to the pontoon more in hope than expectation, had a look around with no luck. Explained the situation to the French family waiting for the taxi (realising in the process that I don't know the French for "oar") and they luckily spotted it floating between two of the tightly-packed dinghies!

The original plan had been to leave very early on Monday in order to get all the way back to Southampton in one go without arriving in the middle of the night. But the tides meant there wasn't really much point leaving before 8am, which we duly did. A pleasant sail most of the way back, with the wind on the quarter and the tide helping as well, bacon sandwiches for breakfast and chicken and herb pasta for lunch. More by luck than judgement, our original calculated course-to-steer set in the autopilot actually carried us all the way from Braye breakwater to the Bridge buoy without the slightest adjustment, and we were abeam the Needles lighthouse at 6pm exactly as planned. For the last three hours or so the visibility was definitely reduced, though not truly foggy, and we also started losing AIS targets which was a bit disconcerting. Still need to look into that one. Radar went on as soon as the reduced vis was noticed, and worked well - first time I've really used it rather than just played about.

Up the Needles channel against the tide - not ideal, but tolerated as we were closer to neaps than springs and didn't really have any flexibility on time. By sticking to the shelf up the southeastern side rather than the middle of the channel we were able to make reasonable progress with Volvo assistance. Going right round the Island on a passage from Alderney to Southampton would have made even less sense, and the tide would still have been against us (though weaker) along the southern coast.

Once over into the northern shallows by Lymington we were able to dispense with Herr Volvo (apparently it is Herr in Swedish as well as German) and make reasonable progress against the tide under sail, eating dinner as we passed Beaulieu (pork fillet in creamy mustard sauce with onions, and rice). The wind started to really die off at that point, so as it got dark around the Lepe cardinal it was on with the engine for a final chug up Southampton Water and home (with only one encounter with Fishing Dickheads this time, see other thread ). Being about half ten when we moored we dispensed with the usual deep clean (Steph had done a pretty good job on the galley as we came up Soton Water) for me to go and do one evening after work this week. Quick pack-up (and return to take down the Forum burgee) and home for a well-earned kip.

Time to go and stick a little red sticker on Alderney on my framed Channel chart

Pete

 

[LadyInBed]

realising in the process that I don't know the French for "oar" - Dame de la nuit
Good to hear that you had a good time. Wind looks SE in the pic.

 

[Talulah]

Excellent result. Another great Bank Holiday weekend.
We made it to St Vaast and Cherbourg. Lots of JOG boats at St Vaast. Some looked decidedly uncomfortable in the swell waiting for the gate. We only had 20 minutes to wait. Just long enough to drop the hook out of the swell and cook breakfast. (Bacon Egg sandwiches.)
Saturday St Vaast market very busy. (Anyone going to St Vaast should arrive before the Saturday market closes at 1pm)
Nice to be away from the Solent. Sunday we sailed around to Cherbourg. Even managed to sail in to the berth on P pontoon. Motor sail on the Sunday night returning midday Monday.
Met Jane K in Cherbourg.

 

[prv]

realising in the process that I don't know the French for "oar" - Dame de la nuit

"Thems ain't oars, them's bridesmaids"

Good to hear that you had a good time. Wind looks SE in the pic.

Yep - it swung south exactly as forecast, but there was practically none of it on the Sunday anyway. Picked up again (still south-easterly) on the Monday to blow us back.

Pete

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Try 'aviron' rather than 'whoar', which suggests 'une Belle de Jour'

 

[Twister_Ken]

Try 'aviron' rather than 'whoar', which suggests 'une Belle de Jour'

Not sure on this one but suspect 'aviron' is an oar as in a rowing eight (what UK rowers would call a 'blade'), whereas 'rame' is an oar as in a dinghy tender. Anyone elucidate?