Cap de la Hague video .....

Houleaux

Houleaux

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..... shot North of Cap de la Hague when travelling East on a recent passage from Dielette to Cherbourg (and yes, I know I should be shot too for not tightening the leach line....:o).



Wind was NE gusting from 22 to 32kn (apparent). It had been up to 36kn apparent in the race where we were making 12kn + over the ground. It was quite a bit rougher there too - as you'd expect - but unfortunately the camera got knocked so all I've got is footage of a very wet deck!:mad:

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!
 
Great video! The trip round Cap de la Hague always seems rough: we were in Dielette between 10/7 and 12/7 and had a run of strong NE winds on the southern side of the high over the UK, set out one day and had 30 knots apparent just going up the supposedly sheltered bay from Dielette and turned round. We were back on the berth before folks on nearby boats had got up! Even the next day with 15 knots true we had 25 knots apparent as we went round the corner. The tide can easily add 10 knots to the apparent wind giving a "yachtsman`s gale".

An extra day in Dielete did let us see some of the old sailing ships arrive for the bastille weekend, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a sea battle I presume the French won!

It also let us enjoy perhaps the best meal of the holiday in the Bouche d`Orreille, the fantastic restaurant 0.5 kM inland and highly recommended by a certain T Cunliffe in his pilot book, spot on!
 
Hi Chubby.

We have Dabchick on video, but only as we left the marina I'm afraid.

It was the 11th that we went around. You probably made the right decision. It was exciting, but a bit rough!

Cheers,

Rob
 
I had Mrs Chubby and youngest daughter on board so too much excitement might not go down well! Mrs chubby reminds me of a trip round CDH when we fell off a wave and the fore cabin shelf shifted! We were even looking at the huge cost of a taxi or splitting a hire car cost with a neighbouring boat! When we did get round to Cherbourg it was windy enough for them that they went back on the ferry: as soon as they had gone the wind stopped as though someone turned off the switch and I had a millpond crossing the next day: all forecast by Simon K of this parish I hasten to add.
 
We went Cherbourg to Sark on the 12th July. Cancelled 11th as looked blowy and didnt want to do C de le H for the first time in a blow. That said 12th was still quite windy but with wind with tide the race was fine. It was cap de la h that was rough! In the race we were broad reaching down waves at up to 10kts SOG. V quick for a Hurley 24!

Is Dabchick a ketch? sure I see you around Portsmouth and sure I saw you out there!

I wondered about the boat too, looks great!
 
Hi Dabchick is a Barbary ketch based at Wicormarine
Way said:
We went Cherbourg to Sark on the 12th July. Cancelled 11th as looked blowy and didnt want to do C de le H for the first time in a blow. That said 12th was still quite windy but with wind with tide the race was fine. It was cap de la h that was rough! In the race we were broad reaching down waves at up to 10kts SOG. V quick for a Hurley 24!

Is Dabchick a ketch? sure I see you around Portsmouth and sure I saw you out there!

I wondered about the boat too, looks great!
Click to expand...
 
Houleaux said:
..... shot North of Cap de la Hague

Wind was NE gusting from 22 to 32kn (apparent). It had been up to 36kn apparent in the race where we were making 12kn + over the ground. It was quite a bit rougher there too - as you'd expect - but unfortunately the camera got knocked so all I've got is footage of a very wet deck!:mad:

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!
Click to expand...

Believe me --- that is not rough for the Cap
You start to worry when the waves are over 4 M high & start to curl like the breakers on the beach. Then if you do not get them head on you can be rolled in an instant
In rough weather it is better to keep well offshore & make a more rounded course giving the corner more room & entering the race in the middle
One point pilot books do not tell you is how rough it can be taking the inshore route between Cherebourg & C D H to get the tide to speed the trip
In these instances i reckon it is better to get offshore & forget the favourable tide ploy
This helps keep one away from the shore at CDH
 
Daydream believer said:
Believe me --- that is not rough for the Cap
You start to worry when the waves are over 4 M high & start to curl like the breakers on the beach. Then if you do not get them head on you can be rolled in an instant
In rough weather it is better to keep well offshore & make a more rounded course giving the corner more room & entering the race in the middle
One point pilot books do not tell you is how rough it can be taking the inshore route between Cherebourg & C D H to get the tide to speed the trip
In these instances i reckon it is better to get offshore & forget the favourable tide ploy
This helps keep one away from the shore at CDH
Click to expand...

I don't doubt it. The wind we had was no more than a F6 and it was pretty much flat calm when we left Dielette. I certainly wouldn't want to be there in a gale.

I'd like to have captured the conditions whilst we were still west of Cap de la Hague sailing north because the sea was more confused then and the waves considerably bigger. Unfortunately, like I said, the camera was knocked such that it was pointing straight down at the deck - something I didn't notice until we'd rounded the corner.

I'd also like to have filmed the dolphins we saw when sailing between Granville and Carteret. We saw plenty on the port side. The camera was filming the starboard!

Such is life!:)
 
Interesting. ...after our trip I think I'd agree. I think both Reeds and Cunliffe say go up to Cap d l H with the back eddy but at one point (I think about 2-3nm east from the cap) I went half a mile north to avoid huge overfalls. I guess the problem is if you get north you're put of the eddy and against the E going tide

Houleaux very jealous of the dolphins! Wont be telling the future mrs Way as she'll not believe it...I think were in the same places at the same time. South of sark is apparently really common for them...apparently a dolphin-spotting RIB trip from guernsey goes around there! Didnt help us!
 
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