Guernsey in early June

[sighmoon]

I was thinking of sailing to Guernsey in early June, to join my wife who will be at a conference there. The advice I've been given though, is don't try without radar, as it will most likely be very foggy, and it's bad idea to try to cross the shipping lanes if you can't see what's coming.

Any thoughts?

 

[guernseyman]

It's not foggy often, you could try a weather forecast. Or sail with someone who has radar.

 

[sighmoon]

Thanks Guernseyman, the impression I got was that the aproaches are more usually foggy than not. If that's not the case, I'll bring the boat round to the south coast and wait for a favourable weather forecast.

 

[bilbobaggins]

There is a 'cold water upwelling' intermittently during much of the summer just west of Guernsey, which predisposes the area to seafog ('warm air over a cold sea' ). Wind direction, of course, is important.

You may find that the short hop from Start Point ( Dartmouth ) to Guernsey, passing just to the west of the 'Off Casquets TSS', is convenient. Conversely, from the Solent the quite constant streams of forumites passing to and from Cherbourg to fill up their polypin bottles with 'vin en vrac' comprise a useful 'aid to navigation'. From there, with a convenient tide and fair wind, turn half-left at Cap de la Hague, leave Alderney well alone on the right, and Guernsey is ahead but 4-5 hours away.

I avoid crossing the TSS with a religious fervour these days.

You could use the new Herm webcams ( see adjacent post ) to check out the visibility in the Little Russell Channel...... Pity there isn't something similar overlooking The Swinge.

Enjoi.

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

BTW, there's a swift and very helpful sail repair service on Guernsey. Details from the marina office....

 

[guernseyman]

Without weakening my previous comment, let me add that apart from fog there can be misty days. The relevance is that the approach to St Peter Port through the Little Russell is not the easiest owing to Guernsey having a low profile from the North.
With GPS it is not as bad as in the old days. Particularly if you are single-handed and if there is a risk of sea-mist, it would be worth considering using the Great Russell (between Herm and Sark) and turning right at the Lower Heads buoy, or going down the west coast of Guernsey (with sufficient clearance) and turning left after Les Hanois lighthouse.

 

[ColinHuggins]

Having encountered Channel Island fog many times after a long haul from the Westcountry I always chickened out of those Russels and went clear round Les Hanois and headed North. The reasoning being that the S coast of Guernsey has no offlying dangers and is big enough not to hit.
Still a good idea if your gps is struck by lightening or overnight steamer-scarers, microwaves or whatever have flattened your battery.
CJH

 

[guernseyman]

I've never crossed the Channel - always come from Alderney or Normandy. In reasonable conditions the Little Russell is no more difficult an approach than many: the lie of the land gets clearer as you get closer.

After the Hanois though, I'd go head East for a few miles before turning North!

 

[Topcat47]

Mind you it's a lot of fun with a following tide.....(the little Russel that is).

 

[penultimate]

Your avatar doesn't reveal whence you are approaching Guernsey. Apart from the Casquets TSS you will have to cross the shipping at some stage. In my experience fog is more prevalent around the Channel Isles than in the shipping lanes.
Jersey Radio on Ch.25 is particularly useful for local conditions.
From the West Country I approach/leave Guernsey either North about, by the Doyle Passage; or South about, with a prudent offing, dependent on tide.
I don't have radar but do have a radar detector (Lokata Watchman).

 

[sighmoon]

Thanks for all the tips, guys.

We are coming from Wales, so we'll probably make the crossing from Salcombe - unless the weather forecast is perfect when we get to Land's End, in which case, we'll go straight from there.

This is probably a stupid question, but is a radar detector much the same as a radio direction finder. I had no luck looking for the former, but found one of the latter on ebay for a fiver - looks very star trek. Radar's just a radio signal right?

 

[penultimate]

RDF and radar essentially work on very different frequencies. RDF is virtually useless at sea now because the only radio beacons which are still operational are the aero ones; and I wouldn't trouble to buy one. However, I still carry my old Seafix RDF for use if the GPS signal is not available.
The Lokata Watchman detects radar transmissions and has an audible alarm. Unfortunately they are no longer manufactured, and so far as I am aware the only other radar detector on the market is the expensive but excellent CARD system.
In the absence of either radar or a radar detector and you are concerned, rightly, about the presence of shipping in poor visibility I would recommend the NASA AIS. Personally I am waiting for the Class B AIS which should appear on the leisure market this year.

 

[sighmoon]

Thanks again. I'll keep an eye on ebay for the Lokata. I'd rather have something simple-ish that I can bring out and blow the dust off when the need arises.