East of Jersey - help required

[JamesS]

We shall be detouring to St Helier this year and expect to head east towards the French Coast.

I've always approached to and from the west before - any advice for an east bound exit will be appreciated. I've got all the necessary charts and pilots.

Many thanks in advance.

Cheers

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[Eccles]

Where are you heading after St Helier?
If you go N.E. towards Portbail or Carteret you will need to use the Violet channel. Once clear of the SE of Jersey it is a straightfrward passage to either or these. A nice intermediate stop (if you can take the ground) is Gorey harbour.
The Channel Islands Pilot compiled by the Royal Cruising Club is essential.
Bon Voyage

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[qsiv]

As Eccles says, it really isnt tricky, until you get closer to the French coast it's all fairly deep. Avoid Carteret, Portbail and Granville in fresh onshore breezes - anything over a 4 is uncomfortable, and anything over 6 requires you to be made of very stern stuff - or foolhardy!

Dont forget Chausey (I'd recommend the southern entrance to the sound as a first timer, and stay further west than you think appropriate - the aspect of the islands can lead you closer in than you contemplated). Once into the Sound there are many mooring or anchoring options, for peace and quiet go further northe, establish tidal range carefully. Springs yield acres and acres of exposed beaches and rocks that are childrens and moule hunters paradise. One of my favourite local haunts.

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[brianhumber]

Don't do it in the Fog
Otherwise not that difficult just watch the tide and keep plotting where you are.
HO charts for this area are good, if its settled weather and not too blowy Carteret etc are very good.
Try to visit the the 2 groups of UK rocks and Chausey if its a calm week..

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[Doug_Stormforce]

Departing St Helier is straightforward enough, at night follow the back transit of the leading lights about SSW or at day time there is another back transit heading about SSE. Destinations in France start on the South of the penninsula with Granville (while the pilotage is fairly straight forward, many of the lights described in the Almanac/pilot books do not seem to match what you actually see.)

Chaussey is a nice stop on the way to Granville and an amazing sight, looks a bit scarry on the chart but a great place to stop. Gets very busy on bank holiday weekends and in August.

Further up the French coast there a are few options Portbail, Dielette and Carteret all need to be approached at the right height if tide and none offfer as many facilities as Granville.

While there are many rocks SE of Jersey few are a problem at most state of tide and there are three obvious channels running N/S between the Island and the mainland.

I have always found Cunliffes Shell Channel Pilot more than adequate for this part of the world

<hr width=100% size=1>RYA Courses in the Solent at http://www.stormforce.biz

 

[qsiv]

If you wan't a local contact when you're over, do PM me and I'll give you my number.....

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