NauticalNovice
New member
Do any forum members have practical experience of the waters around the Channel Island of Alderney?
Thanks
NN
Thanks
NN
Channel Islands
- Thread starter NauticalNovice
- Start date
Newbroom
Active member
Lived and boated there for a number of years. What in particular do you want to know.
NauticalNovice
New member
iledesprit, thanks for your reply.
What I am mainly interested in is the journey Alderney to / from Auderville (Port de Goury in France). With regards to that I have a few questions.
Q1. How difficult is this journey? I read somewhere that the tidal flow on that stretch of water can reach 10 knots. As I am not very experienced I don't really know how much of a challenge that presents. Is that a real challenge?
Q2. The facilities at Port de Goury seem to be very basic. I have only ever seen small powerboats and very small fishing boats in the Port. The Port entrance looks very shallow at low tide. I am wondering what size boat this little Port could accommodate?
Q3. The Bailiwick of Guernsey (which includes Alderney) is not part of the EU but has special status with respect to trade so I don't anticipate any issues at customs. But in terms of border controls, what formalities and documents are required when arriving at Port de Goury or when returning to Alderney - and are there any officials at Port de Goury and if not where does one need to go to get your passport stamped?
Thanks for your help.
NN
What I am mainly interested in is the journey Alderney to / from Auderville (Port de Goury in France). With regards to that I have a few questions.
Q1. How difficult is this journey? I read somewhere that the tidal flow on that stretch of water can reach 10 knots. As I am not very experienced I don't really know how much of a challenge that presents. Is that a real challenge?
Q2. The facilities at Port de Goury seem to be very basic. I have only ever seen small powerboats and very small fishing boats in the Port. The Port entrance looks very shallow at low tide. I am wondering what size boat this little Port could accommodate?
Q3. The Bailiwick of Guernsey (which includes Alderney) is not part of the EU but has special status with respect to trade so I don't anticipate any issues at customs. But in terms of border controls, what formalities and documents are required when arriving at Port de Goury or when returning to Alderney - and are there any officials at Port de Goury and if not where does one need to go to get your passport stamped?
Thanks for your help.
NN
Keith-i
Well-known member
Avoid wind over tide and ideally avoid springs. It's certainly shallow around Goury though there are a few transits for the entrance iirc. I can't recall the state of tide limitations but the little harbour does dry out. As for customs, you're very unlikely to be approached by any officials at either end. Technically I think you should fly a Q flag upon entering Alderney and fill out a customs form with passport numbers etc. There used to be a post box at the head of the pontoon for the completed forms.
Omonville around the corner is perhaps a little easier.
Omonville around the corner is perhaps a little easier.
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JT57
New member
Are you planning on making Goury your first landfall after a channel crossing? Having been through the Alderney Race on numerous occasions, and seen tidal conditions first hand around Goury, I would suggest either making Cherbourg your first point of call, or going straight to Alderney. Get it wrong and you'll end up in Guernsey or somewhere out in the channel.
guernseyman
Well-known member
1. Make sure you have an alternative destination well planned. Any one of the following: delay, fog, swell could make Goury unapproachable.
2. Don't do it. Take JT57's advice.
2. Don't do it. Take JT57's advice.
NauticalNovice
New member
Thanks to everyone for the advice.
Perhaps I did not explain myself too well in my first post, so let me clarify the situation....
I will be based in Alderney for some time and would like to go to France frequently - weather permitting. I will have all the tide tables and up-to-date weather reports available. If it doesn't look too good I simply won't go. My knowledge of alternate suggestions is as follows, which might not be currently correct.
1. Omonville : As far as I can recall there is nothing at Omonville, no harbour, no marina. If there is then I must have missed it.
2. Cherbourg : Cherbourg is of course the smart option. The only thing is that it is 3 times further than Goury - not that it would be relevant if Goury was unapproachable. But it would be nice if Goury was a practical option. The trip from Alderney to Goury is so short that one could be reasonably confident that conditions would be OK for the duration.
3. Goury : The comment by Keith that ".... the little harbour does dry out ...." is not good. For me that makes Goury a non-option.
4. Dielette : Dielette would also be an option but I would need to be very sure about the weather before setting out.
NN
Perhaps I did not explain myself too well in my first post, so let me clarify the situation....
I will be based in Alderney for some time and would like to go to France frequently - weather permitting. I will have all the tide tables and up-to-date weather reports available. If it doesn't look too good I simply won't go. My knowledge of alternate suggestions is as follows, which might not be currently correct.
1. Omonville : As far as I can recall there is nothing at Omonville, no harbour, no marina. If there is then I must have missed it.
2. Cherbourg : Cherbourg is of course the smart option. The only thing is that it is 3 times further than Goury - not that it would be relevant if Goury was unapproachable. But it would be nice if Goury was a practical option. The trip from Alderney to Goury is so short that one could be reasonably confident that conditions would be OK for the duration.
3. Goury : The comment by Keith that ".... the little harbour does dry out ...." is not good. For me that makes Goury a non-option.
4. Dielette : Dielette would also be an option but I would need to be very sure about the weather before setting out.
NN
guernseyman
Well-known member
At Omonville there is a small harbour with some visitors' buoys, some local moorings, or you can anchor outside the buoys or inside the breakwater.
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Keith-i
Well-known member
Dielette is actually your best bet. It avoids the Cape where the tides are strong and it is not far by taxi to Les Pieux for some food and supermarche's. You will also be cutting across the Race rather than travelling parallel to it.
What size/type of boat will you be using?
What size/type of boat will you be using?
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guernseyman
Well-known member
In the season there is a free shuttle bus to/from Les Pieux.
JT57
New member
There is also a ferry from Dielette to Guernsey so you should be able to get back to Alderney if the weather closes in, which it often does in that area. Why not keep your boat in Guernsey? You can fly there from Alderney and the cruising grounds are a little less challenging (and more extensive) for an inexperienced skipper. You could even cruise down to Jersey, which is really great!!!!
NauticalNovice
New member
Once again, thank you for the replies and advice.
Perhaps my lack of experience shows, but I have a revised plan, which I would like to propose. Shooting it down in flames is OK...
1. I really would like to make the Alderney < > Goury plan work, providing it can be done safely. The distance is less than 10NM.
2. I can rent a garage long-term in Goury where I can leave a car.
3. I can buy a Bayliner 192 Discovery (or similar) with trailer for around 12k GBP. (see photo as an example)
4. When the weather is fine and the tide is right I can make the Alderney < > Goury journey in well under 30 minutes.
5. On arrival at Goury I can then trailer the Bayliner and put it in the garage and we can travel on to anywhere in France.
6. On return, if the weather is bad, there is good accommodation in Auderville, to wait until conditions are good.
Let me know what is wrong with my plan.
NN
Perhaps my lack of experience shows, but I have a revised plan, which I would like to propose. Shooting it down in flames is OK...
1. I really would like to make the Alderney < > Goury plan work, providing it can be done safely. The distance is less than 10NM.
2. I can rent a garage long-term in Goury where I can leave a car.
3. I can buy a Bayliner 192 Discovery (or similar) with trailer for around 12k GBP. (see photo as an example)
4. When the weather is fine and the tide is right I can make the Alderney < > Goury journey in well under 30 minutes.
5. On arrival at Goury I can then trailer the Bayliner and put it in the garage and we can travel on to anywhere in France.
6. On return, if the weather is bad, there is good accommodation in Auderville, to wait until conditions are good.
Let me know what is wrong with my plan.
NN
sneil
Member
Having been to Goury a few times over the years but not by boat, I would suggest you get to know some of the locals that boat out of there and learn to run the marks in and out in good and inclement weather. It is not by accident the French base a life boat there. Your boat size looks good but you are going boating in a very small boat in a place that many of the very experienced fear to tread the race in no place to learn to boat.
Good luck and lots of enjoyment.
Good luck and lots of enjoyment.
JT57
New member
NN
It's two years since I last went through the race, from Cherbourg coming home to Jersey. Weather was OK, SW F3 gusting F4. We were in a Sealine SC29, that's the one with the soft top sliding roof system, albeit we had everything closed up for the journey. At one point, off Goury actually, we had waves breaking over the roof, and that was in good weather. It's the strength of the tide that creates these conditions. Maybe I got the timing wrong, but it would only have been by a few minutes.
Would I go out into the race in an open boat? No way, and I consider myself relatively experienced. I'm sure the Bayliner is a great boat, but it looks like an inshore speedboat to me. The French mostly use Merry Fisher/Antares type craft where you can shut yourself in a watertight-ish cabin and still see to helm.
It's so difficult when people post your type of enquiry because the chances are you could cross the race and be absolutely fine. But you might not be, and "only ten miles" (to paraphrase) does emphasise your lack of experience. How far can you swim in three foot waves and a cold sea?
When you are next in Alderney, trek across to the east coast with your binos and take a long hard look at that stretch of water. It's one of the most dangerous in the world.
You probably get my drift?
It's two years since I last went through the race, from Cherbourg coming home to Jersey. Weather was OK, SW F3 gusting F4. We were in a Sealine SC29, that's the one with the soft top sliding roof system, albeit we had everything closed up for the journey. At one point, off Goury actually, we had waves breaking over the roof, and that was in good weather. It's the strength of the tide that creates these conditions. Maybe I got the timing wrong, but it would only have been by a few minutes.
Would I go out into the race in an open boat? No way, and I consider myself relatively experienced. I'm sure the Bayliner is a great boat, but it looks like an inshore speedboat to me. The French mostly use Merry Fisher/Antares type craft where you can shut yourself in a watertight-ish cabin and still see to helm.
It's so difficult when people post your type of enquiry because the chances are you could cross the race and be absolutely fine. But you might not be, and "only ten miles" (to paraphrase) does emphasise your lack of experience. How far can you swim in three foot waves and a cold sea?
When you are next in Alderney, trek across to the east coast with your binos and take a long hard look at that stretch of water. It's one of the most dangerous in the world.
You probably get my drift?
IDAMAY
Active member
I have been through that stretch of water at least ten times in boats of 40 foot and more and always in forecast good conditions and at or close to slack water. I totally endorse what JT57 says. I have had pretty solid water over the top of the fly bridge in a Sealine T47 when I cut a little too close at Cap de la Hague. I certainly wouldn't want to tackle it in a 19 foot sports boat. Sorry to be another "kill joy."
Keith-i
Well-known member
Contrary to the last couple of posts I have made numerous trips across and along The Race in open boats over the last 15 years, including a 19' Orkney with cuddy and two ribs, one 5.8m and the other 6.5m. The trips have included Alderney to Dielette and Alderney to Jersey. Granted I pick my moment but there is absolutely no reason why you cannot safely cross in an open boat (and many Alderney residents do so). I would however hesitate to go in anything over a F3 and certainly do my best to avoid wind against tide. You must bear in mind that slack water is at half tide and not at the top of the tide as most would typically expect. Check you tidal atlas, check the wind and travel accordingly. The roughest patches are generally close to the east end of Alderney where the Swinge and Race meet and also close to the Cape.
Given your claimed inexperience I would suggest you learn a bit of local pilotage from the Alderney Sailing Club members as well as some general boating experience. It is not the same as nipping across the solent to the IoW. Fog is the other thing you will have to be prepared for.
Given your claimed inexperience I would suggest you learn a bit of local pilotage from the Alderney Sailing Club members as well as some general boating experience. It is not the same as nipping across the solent to the IoW. Fog is the other thing you will have to be prepared for.
NauticalNovice
New member
I started this Post in the hope that I would learn something from those with far greater knowledge and experience than myself.... and I have certainly achieved that...:encouragement:
To summarize, this is what I have learned up to this point
1. Survivors ask the questions that the dead folk should have asked
2. Life is full of risks, but those risks don't have to kill you if you take sensible precautions
3. Local knowledge given by local folk is worth considerably more than what one can learn from books
4. I don't as yet have sufficient knowledge or experience to do this
5. The folk of Alderney are among the friendliest in the world - I am going to make full use of that
6. I will get an Alderney local expert to do the trip with me a few times before attempting it myself
By nature I am a risk-taker, but I won't take risks when I have the responsibility of my wife, family or friends. The most important lesson that my instructor taught me (many years ago) when I was studying for my PPL was that preparation is 90% of a safe flight. That lesson applies whenever you take on Mother Nature.
Thanks again to everyone for all the help....
NN.
To summarize, this is what I have learned up to this point
1. Survivors ask the questions that the dead folk should have asked
2. Life is full of risks, but those risks don't have to kill you if you take sensible precautions
3. Local knowledge given by local folk is worth considerably more than what one can learn from books
4. I don't as yet have sufficient knowledge or experience to do this
5. The folk of Alderney are among the friendliest in the world - I am going to make full use of that
6. I will get an Alderney local expert to do the trip with me a few times before attempting it myself
By nature I am a risk-taker, but I won't take risks when I have the responsibility of my wife, family or friends. The most important lesson that my instructor taught me (many years ago) when I was studying for my PPL was that preparation is 90% of a safe flight. That lesson applies whenever you take on Mother Nature.
Thanks again to everyone for all the help....
NN.
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