Channel Islands Cruise

[masterofnone]

In June, our club intends a two week cruise from Newhaven to C.I via Cherbourg, I would be grateful for your input. Current plan- day 1 nhaven/solent, 2 solent/cbourg, 3 cbourg/st peter port, 4 rest, 5 pport/ st helier, 6 etc open options weather dependant, return via Bray. Approx 10 yachts/ 40 persons
Your input as to restaurants/ marinas/ anchorages/ contacts/ discounts are welcome.

 

[Talulah]

In June, our club intends a two week cruise from Newhaven to C.I via Cherbourg, I would be grateful for your input. Current plan- day 1 nhaven/solent, 2 solent/cbourg, 3 cbourg/st peter port, 4 rest, 5 pport/ st helier, 6 etc open options weather dependant, return via Bray. Approx 10 yachts/ 40 persons
Your input as to restaurants/ marinas/ anchorages/ contacts/ discounts are welcome.

For a two week cruise I would recommend you also get in St Malo not stopping at St Helier until the trip back.

 

[Sailfree]

For a two week cruise I would recommend you also get in St Malo not stopping at St Helier until the trip back.

I like St Malo but only just made St Malo to Bray on one tide in a 38'. I would be tempted to stop at Guernsey one way and Jersey/Carteret the other unless fast boat or favourable winds.

 

[Robin]

Cherbourg to St Helier is easy on one tide, leaving Cherbourg at local HW to use the inshore tide eddy along to Cap De La Hague just as the tide is slack and going south through the Race. Carry the tide down to Jersey and as it turns it carries you along the south coast to St Helier. We used to do that regularly in a 33 footer and it leaves you Guernsey to use as a stopover on the way home because it is harder to get up through Alderney Race in one tide from St Helier. Having avoided a double visit to St Peter Port gives the option of going to St Malo, or Treguier maybe or going into Isles Chausey and maybe a day or two on Sark.

 

[Angele]

All good advice from Robin.

Cherbourg to St Helier is about 60nm. But, with careful tidal planning you are unlikely to have to sail more than 50nm (and, potentially, quite a bit less if at springs or if you run the Alderney race at full ebb ). So, most boats should be able to do it in under 10 hours - one tide as Robin points out.

However, I see that you are doing Newhaven - Solent (45 nm) then Solent - Cherbourg (75nm from Portsmouth), rather than direct from Newhaven to Cherbourg (about 95nm, probably to windward). I infer from this that you are looking to avoid long passages and it is inevitable, in a fleet of 10 boats, that some will not want to be putting in 10+ hours sailing day in, day out. So, although it is quite doable, you might not want to do Cherbourg - Jersey having already sailed 120 nm in the previous two days.

And that is where the conundrum starts when planning a cruise for multiple boats. Is everyone of a similar standard/ambition? Some boats may be up for long days at sea, others may not. Do you plan for the more ambitious crews or the more conservative ones? Either way, you are unlikely to come up with something that suits everyone.

There is also the problem of weather when it comes to planning a two week cruise. It is quite likely that on one or two days the wind/waves may be such that some of the boats don't want to put to sea.

So, how about planning only the major stops for everyone (each a couple of days apart) and giving alternative itineraries in between depending on the crew and/or weather. Something like:

Day 1 - destination Portsmouth
Day 2 - destination Cherbourg
Day 4 - destination St Helier
Day 6 - destination Granville
Day 8 - destination St Malo
Day 10 - destination St Peter Port
Day 12 - destination Cherbourg (or Braye if conditions are suitable)
Day 13 - destination Portsmouth
Day 14 - destination Newhaven

By not being too prescriptive, this would give lots of possible itineraries in between and plenty of opportunites for people to spend a day ashore. Crews could stop off at Sark in either direction, or call in at Carteret on the way south. There is an opportunity to visit Isles Chausey, possibly Isle de Brehat/Paimpol/St Quay for the more ambitious, or the Ecrehous. Some of these are weather dependent and you would therefore be unlikely to plan them into a fixed itinerary and yet it would be a shame not to see them.

Also, if you are only arranging the berthing and meal options for every second day, it reduces your workload!

 

[Robin]

Just to add to the explanation of a one tide trip Cherbourg to St Helier, it uses 2 hrs of westbound inshore eddy (actually more like slack) to Cap De La Hague whilst the main Channel tide is still eastbound, then through the Race at slack with 6 hours to reach Jersey by which time the tide is turning but in doing so runs along the south of Jersey to St Helier, just what you want.

If you go to St Peter Port although the trip is shorter you arrive with a long wait to get over the cill before you can go into the marina, not a problem of course if you stay outside on the (non-walkashore) pontoons.

The useful tides on the way south unfortunately conspire against you when going northbound, hence it is difficult if not impossible at yacht speeds to get up and out through the Race in one.

Beware also on the return that if headed for Cherbourg from St Peter Port (maybe because the weather is unsuitable to stop over in Alderney) that the inshore eddy along from Cherbourg to Cap De La Hague is now working against you. Not a problem as long as you stay offshore steering due east until past say Omonville before turning Southeast for Cherbourg, if you go close in you will stop dead. Not for nothing was this inshore eddy referred to by SWMBO as the Omonyville Horror, 8kts motorsailing and stationary over the ground.

Also be aware that ideally you leave St Peter Port northbound as soon as you can escape over the marina cill, say 2.5hrs before local HW, (you can usefully leave 30 minutes or so earlier from outside). This gives you 6 hours to reach Cherbourg but will mean that you pass through Alderney Race with it running fast, yeeehaaah! Be prepared for some rock 'n roll for a while for a mile or so along the top.

Also whilst I'm at it, if southbound for St Peter Port (rather than St Helier) it pays not to dive south down the Race as soon as you get to Cap De La Hague but to cross (head, a bit NW to start) between halfway and two thirds of the way to Alderney then turn down. This is because when the tide starts running fast you will be set well south of the track and end up pointing more and more to the west to compensate, usually therefore straight into the wind, plus the tide nearer the top of Guernsey even runs east against you until you get into the Little Russell. Going over towards the Alderney side gives you the tide on your tail and avoids being headed later and it is significantly faster in the end.

On the eating out front I found St Peter Port too expensive by far in recent years despite there being no VAT. We would always eat out either side in France and do a DIY fish feast on board bought from the St Peter Port fishmonger on the way to Castle Cornet. Before that we had several favourite restaurants in St Peter Port (like Saltwater, The Absolute End and Da Nello's to name but three) but when they hiked prices by 33% over everything in one hit a few years back we walked away. I was told at the time it was price fixing by the local Portuguese 'Mafia'.

 

[Elessar]

In June, our club intends a two week cruise from Newhaven to C.I via Cherbourg, I would be grateful for your input. Current plan- day 1 nhaven/solent, 2 solent/cbourg, 3 cbourg/st peter port, 4 rest, 5 pport/ st helier, 6 etc open options weather dependant, return via Bray. Approx 10 yachts/ 40 persons
Your input as to restaurants/ marinas/ anchorages/ contacts/ discounts are welcome.

Intending to go faster than 70 miles in 40+ hours then?

 

[Sailfree]

Day 6 - destination Granville

Never been to Granville - whats it like? Ok for 43' boat drawing 2.2m?

or call in at Carteret on the way south.

Never managed to do Carteret on way South only on way North or East from Guernsey/Sark. I have always found south going tide through Alderney Race means tide is too low in Carteret.

Warning - Carteret is not a port you want to just scrape into. Strong tide going out of river and it completely dries so if the moving sill is raised before you scrape in you have had it !!

Have you ever made it when going Southbound?

 

[Angele]

On the eating out front I found St Peter Port too expensive by far in recent years despite there being no VAT. We would always eat out either side in France and do a DIY fish feast on board bought from the St Peter Port fishmonger on the way to Castle Cornet. Before that we had several favourite restaurants in St Peter Port (like Saltwater, The Absolute End and Da Nello's to name but three) but when they hiked prices by 33% over everything in one hit a few years back we walked away. I was told at the time it was price fixing by the local Portuguese 'Mafia'.

There are lots of good restaurants in St Helier (and, generally, throughout Jersey). Unlike St Peter Port, however, the St Helier restaurants are quite spread out and my favourites (e.g. Nelson's Eye at Greve d'Azette) are not particularly close to the marina (but a nice walk over Mount Bingham, though, from where you get a great view of the harbour).

Since you are visiting yachtsmen, then I would suggest you consider one of the yacht clubs on the island: either my own club (RCIYC) - good food, good value, great view, but at St Aubin not St Helier - or the St Helier Yacht Club, which overlooks the harbour itself. Contact details available from their websites.

For the Jersey equivalent of Robin's DIY fish feast, there is a fish market in the centre of town, but most locals buy sea food from the kiosks at the landward end of Victoria Pier - limited opening: just Friday and Saturday (and Sunday?) mornings.

 

[jimi]

I'd be tempted
Newhaven
Fecamp
St Vaast
Cherbourg
St PP
St H
Spend a 4 or 5 days exploring CI & St Malo
Alderney
Weymouth
Anchor overnight at Studland
Solent
Newhaven

 

[Angele]

Never been to Granville - whats it like? Ok for 43' boat drawing 2.2m?

Quite nice. Quite busy (more so than Carteret). The old town is pleasant, if a bit of an uphill climb to get there. It is a long time since I went there by sea - back in the days when I was only crew - so I can't give a definitive view on access etc, but I'm pretty sure it is far less restrictive than Carteret. See here.

The port is fully equipped with water and electricity and can take in boats up to a maximum size of 15 metres and 2.50 metres draught

My parents used to have a house a little way inland from there, so all of my more recent visits to Granville have been by car.

Never managed to do Carteret on way South only on way North or East from Guernsey/Sark. I have always found south going tide through Alderney Race means tide is too low in Carteret.

Warning - Carteret is not a port you want to just scrape into. Strong tide going out of river and it completely dries so if the moving sill is raised before you scrape in you have had it !!

Have you ever made it when going Southbound?

No, sorry I realise I was unclear. I did not mean on one tide going south from Cherbourg. Same problem with Dielette at springs. On my sample itinerary I was assuming you would do Carteret between St Helier and Granville (i.e on the outward part of the trip and not on the return leg).

Although Granville is bigger (and deeper?) than Carteret, you have the same access restrictions: a drying approach. So care needs to be taken there too.

Has your 2.2m draft ever caused you a problem at Carteret? Reeds gives the retained depth in the marina as 2.3m, which sounds a little tight. (And I'm not sure how hard the bottom is). However, I don't suppose silting up is a problem given it is protected by sea wall and cill.

 

[Angele]

I'd be tempted
Newhaven
Fecamp
St Vaast
Cherbourg
St PP
St H
Spend a 4 or 5 days exploring CI & St Malo
Alderney
Weymouth
Anchor overnight at Studland
Solent
Newhaven

That's a lot of sea miles Jimi. Great if all the flotilla is up for it.

 

[jimi]

Yeah, but it does give you the option of anchoring at Studland ;-)

Also can miss out Weymouth , and only real slog would be Fecamp to St Vaast

 

[PeterGibbs]

I'd be tempted
Newhaven
Fecamp
St Vaast
Cherbourg
St PP
St H
Spend a 4 or 5 days exploring CI & St Malo
Alderney
Weymouth
Anchor overnight at Studland
Solent
Newhaven

Jimi is too modest - the merits of his plan are -

Want easy first day out, get across the Channel with no mishaps? go Fecamp-loads of space (all tide entrance) Good choice of eating round harbour.

If still good weather, go for St Vaast - but quite a hike although reasonably sheltered and wait on anchor when arrive: if some want it easier on day 2 just slip round to Ouistreham and lock in: good eating in village

St Vaast - open +-HW4 and nice place

Cherbourg - easy 4 hours trot from St Vaast round headland with tide.

Cherbourg - bit sad really, nothing to recommend, prepare to move on.

Alderney is easy stop over: take mooring and taxi or rubber duck ashore - very special atmosphere. Eat anywhere up the hill. If weather outlook unsettled, avoid Alderney and go direct to St Helier using back current at Cap de la Hague and full flood to Corbiere (stay 1/2 m offshore!) Rounding the Cap at slack poses no real threats, although the churning water can spook the inexperienced.

St Helier - nice place easy going; eat at Pomme d'or on quay - cafe at street level and very nice eat all you can on floor 1 - great for gannets. Get diesel cheap outside gate!

Malo is a nice 4-5 hrs trip, big harbour outside lock gates with cill warning light (stay away from entrance pontoons) Malo has excellent eating everywhere - try the Chateaubriand hotel - our favourite. Take ferry from foot of walls to Dinard for day - lovely walks, beaches - great for kids and oldies alike.

Choice of ports W along coast alfter Malo - all lovely jubbly.

When time to return, chose the moment and go for Peter Port. Eat there at Christophers before 1830 for great deal and v good grub.

For some the Solent / Weymouth / Poole will be as far as they want to go in one day; for others wanting to avoid the Solent go direct to Brighton / Newhaven; it's a good trip and easy landfall (done it)

Have fun!

PWG

 

[Sailfree]

Has your 2.2m draft ever caused you a problem at Carteret? Reeds gives the retained depth in the marina as 2.3m, which sounds a little tight. (And I'm not sure how hard the bottom is). However, I don't suppose silting up is a problem given it is protected by sea wall and cill.

I first went to Carteret in a Dufour 36 1.6 draft) and studied the river at low tide (always try to do this). I only enter on a rising tide and often plough the keel a little in the river while searching my memory for the deepest parts. Depth gauge often reads "0". But I do that when visiting my club - Parkstone Poole and exiting my berth at Hamble Point at low tide. In Cateret marina I think it is silted so it ploughs through OK.

I have seen one boat that tried leaving too late laid on its side on a sandbank just before Carteret exit. but seen many at Pampoil when Lock keeper refuses to open gate for late arrivals!

 

[rich]

Warning - Carteret is not a port you want to just scrape into. Strong tide going out of river and it completely dries so if the moving sill is raised before you scrape in you have had it !!

 

[Solent sailer]

moorings

we found Sark very good and the visitors moorings were in place and fine to stop overnight. also iles chausey is interesting with for and aft mooring buoys in the channel.with such big tides leaving the boat at anchor when you go ashore can be a bit worrying!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Just a thought...

...coming from Newhaven - likelihood is smaller, shallower draught boats, hence longer passage times. Maybe talk of N Brittany ports is too ambitious?

 

[idpnd]

Just to add to the explanation of a one tide trip Cherbourg to St Helier, it uses 2 hrs of westbound inshore eddy (actually more like slack) to Cap De La Hague whilst the main Channel tide is still eastbound

Hello, up to what distance to shore does this inshore current run? Thanks

 

[masterofnone]

Club cruise

Thanks. Yes Mark, our intention is a slightly quicker passage than has previously occurred, and Jimi I haven't traded my steel charabanc in for a racing yacht. I like the idea of Carteret. Rich