Cross Channel this weekend

[Guest]

I am planning on sailing from the Solent to St.Vaast/Cherbourg this Sunday and would welcome any advise/info on these 2 ports.
I am aware that entry into St. Vaast is HW-2 to +3.
Also info on eating establishments would be most useful.

Kikki

 

[VMALLOWS]

I'm sure you'll be flooded with info on both ports, so the only info i'll offer relates to St. Vaast.

If you arrive outside the lock (gate) times, or indeed if you just prefer to save a night's fees and enjoy some quiet after the passage, just anchor outside. I've anchored there at night with no problem. You can also stay there and use the dingy to St.Vaast or Tahitou (sp?)

The best area is on the northern edge of the green/white sector of the light almost due south of the 'square' fort. Obviously you need to study the chart in detail.
Holding is good, and shelter excellent in anything other than SE.

If you want provisions rather more basic than from the famous emporium, the supermarket (Super-U) is about a mile on the road west out of the town.

 

[jimi]

I was at St Vaast at easter and had a meal at the Hotel de Fuschias, quite pricey but absolutely excelllent. Do'nt miss out on the moules at one of the harbour front cafes either. The church of the sea is a must for 5 minutes quiet contemplation, its just at the south end of the village.

 

[tony_brighton]

went to St Vasst for the first time a couple of weeks ago - very friendly, easy to get into but finger pontoons are somewhat short (<8m?) and dont have cleats at the end but the French round hoop jobs. Fees are cheap. The lock gate opens when there is sufficient water - its usually noticeable from offshore by the rush of fishing boats leaving. Watch out for lobster pots on the approach - we saw literally hundreds in the shallows by Tatihou so its probably worth recommending a daylight approach. make sure you do your passage planning and get the tide right around Barfleur - if uncertain then go to Cherbourg so you can more accurately time your passage around.

Good selection of restaurants; can recommend the market on Saturday morning for fresh produce. M.Gosselin's Emporium is a treat.

Cherbourg is nothing like as nice but has a vast marina accessible at all states of the tide - its always a good jumping off point for the far side of the Channel and has the infamous hypermarkets where a serious bargain can be had.

Have fun!

 

[bedouin]

I agree with most of Tony's comments - what he omitted to mention was that, although St Vaast does have lots of eating places, most of them were still shut - though they may have openned since then. We did like the local bar/bistro with a name something like "Debarkement" - it was very popular with locals which is always a good sign.

St Vaast has a useful website - check out:

http://www.saint-vaast-reville.com/

If you haven't been before Cherbourg is certainly worth a visit, and is certainly an easier destination than St Vaast in being well lit and having no tidal restrictions either coming or going. It also has the advantage that Yarmouth/Cherbourg is one of the shortest and easiest crossings from the Solent.

 

[Guest]

Fuschia's in St Vaast is a good place for eating. Also exact times of the opening and closing of the gates are published on the internet, but I forgot where. You could probably find them quite easily by doing a search.

 

[ParaHandy]

Might be worth looking at the weather for Sunday? I calculate SW 40+knots.

 

[rogerroger]

Wine and walks

If you go to Cherbourg...

A good place to buy wine is in the complex of the big super market but in the separate wine merchants on the left hand corner as you walk in the main entrance. They don't advertise the fact but if you're in the marina and spend over 50 quid they'll provide a free taxi back to your boat which is most handy.

Also, it's well worth the walk up to the fort on the top of the hill - there's a great view and a small D Day museum which gives some good history of the town and its strategic importance in the war.

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[rogerroger]

A nice lively sail then ? The boat will be well ballasted with wine I'd imagine...

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[ccscott49]

That should stir up the sediment nicely in the old claret, great sail though! Especially coming home!

 

[Guest]

Thanx everyone for the replies.
I've been checking the long range forecast since last weekend. Although not a very reliable indication of things to come it can be useful when read in the right context. Originally it forecasted F2/3's ENE for Sunday and Monday, but having kept a close eye on the situation it would appear that we are about to experience a period of unsettled weather. Todays forecast for Sunday now indicating W F5. Must prepare my crew for a faster crossing!!!!!!

Thanks again everyone.

Kikki

 

[ParaHandy]

We're probably interpreting data from the same source - Bracknell - and such a wide difference, F5 = 20kn, means one of us is wrong and for that reason worth finding out why.

The synoptic forecasts for 1200z on Sunday have consistently shown a wind strength of 40+kn on the geostrophic wind scale. As we get closer to Sunday and the forecasts become more accurate, the wind strength is slightly increasing. Geostrophic wind is calculated slightly above mean sea level. Over land, friction will reduce the velocity but over the sea I have found the loss to be 5 kn or less by checking prediction against actual in the middle of the Channel:
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.phtml?station=62305
The forecasts are generally pretty accurate.

I could quite easily have got this wrong. Would you like to share how you derived your data?