Channel Islands Anchoring

[guernseyman]

Not in Greve de la Ville unless they have put more down since May 2009. I've just been counting them on a photo taken from the cliffside looking back towards the boat.

But, yes. More in Havre Gosselin.

Are they still yellow?

I was in Greve de la Ville in July 2010 for the Sark Folk Music Festival. There were at least a dozen YELLOW! visitors buoys. No difficulty counting - I was the only boat there.

 

[Poignard]

I have anchored in Braye Harbour when the visitor buoys were very crowded. I can't remember anyone coming for money so I assume it's free

 

[Channel Ribs]

I have anchored in Braye Harbour when the visitor buoys were very crowded. I can't remember anyone coming for money so I assume it's free

There is a small charge listed, but Alderney is a very relaxed place.

 

[Robin]

I have anchored in Braye Harbour when the visitor buoys were very crowded. I can't remember anyone coming for money so I assume it's free

We always preferred anchoring in Braye because it avoided being rafted on a buoy which can be dodgy there when (note not if) the swell comes in.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Yep, about a dozen when we were in Greve de la Ville in Aug 2010... all free, with a notice ashore suggesting a donation at the tourist office.... which was shut!

We did however, have a pretty rolly time there, and ended up leaving pretty early the next morning after a bumpy old night.. but offset somewhat by the lovely walk up the cliff path (with its marvellous views of the boat) and into the centre of the island, and up to the causeway

 

[guernseyman]

We did however, have a pretty rolly time there, and ended up leaving pretty early the next morning after a bumpy old night.. but offset somewhat by the lovely walk up the cliff path (with its marvellous views of the boat) and into the centre of the island, and up to the causeway

Me too. The swell was hardly visible and seemed to rock the boat disproportionately. I had moved there from Havre Gosselin to get away from the bigger, direct, and more uncomfortable, swell. It must be diffracted round the coast further south to arrive at Greve de la Ville. But as I was only sleeping on the boat each night, it wasn't too much bother.

 

[Angele]

Me too. The swell was hardly visible and seemed to rock the boat disproportionately. I had moved there from Havre Gosselin to get away from the bigger, direct, and more uncomfortable, swell. It must be diffracted round the coast further south to arrive at Greve de la Ville. But as I was only sleeping on the boat each night, it wasn't too much bother.

Most of the anchorages around Sark can be pretty rolly, including those with beaches when the tide is in. The cliffs reflect the swell back without dampening it and so you get hit twice!

That said, the last occasion I visited Greve de la Ville it was pretty settled. Swell was not the problem having a good night's sleep - it was the foghorn on Pt Robert lighthouse going off every two minutes from 2am! We also had a ghostly visitation during the night that left us a little spooked in the morning!

 

[Robin]

The swell seems to be caused by tide rather than being from the main Channel swell and is bad at certain stages of the tide in different anchorages. I know that was the case in Havelet Bay which we often used as a stopover as well as Dixcart and Derrible Bays on Sark east side and Havre Gosselin and Greve De La Ville on the west side. Havre Gosselin was a favourite anchorage for us and we spent many nights there in easterly gales when the wind held us nicely tail into any swell so no rolling. Worth a trip through Gouliot Passage the gap between Brechou and Sark with the tide too if you have cycle clips on.