Planty
Well-Known Member
Had been planning a trip to Honfleur this past weekend for ages, planned for ourselves and another boat to leave soton 3am Saturday, and meet up with two others from Eastbourne, mid channel then onwards to Honfleur.
Well watched forecasts etc and decided we would as per this forum, at least poke our noses out at 3am and lets just see. Actually wind was up but OK, so off the pontoon was I, radioed other boat also in Ocean V, yes they were just leaving too. Waited in the Itchen, no other boat appears, 10 mins, 15 mins, 20 mins, then the mobile rings. Lady wife of skipper, "We've had a bad bump, wind etc plus a misjudgement, boat badly damaged, middle daughter injured!!" So back into OV we go, what a dreadfully sad scene, beautiful Phantom 43, smashed to hell on the port side, all the bow handrailing torn out, little lass caught up in handrailing in need of hospital. Did all we could but they, very generous in circumstances, urged us to continue trip. Desperate for all concerned including of course the other boats hit, thankfully all seemed to be anchor damage and slight, easily fixable, not the Phantom though, big job that.
So off we went, out to Nab Tower, wind high, sea moderate, I'd have gone for it, but Eastbourne flotilla have just heard strong wind warning for Dover straight so are understandably retisent. So now we're off to Eastbourne! What a fabulous trip, wind F4 rising F5-6 behind us, tide with us, 4am - 5am in the morning, got the trim right, matched the sea with our speed, absolutely fan bloody tastic!! Loved every minute of the 2.75 hours it took to get there, makes life exciting and interesting. Got the 8am lock into Sovereign Harbour, had a glorious day & night with good friends. Brilliant!!
Next Morning (Sunday) we're all up for the trip to Honfleur so get 11am lock out to Beechy Head, flat sea then a cracking blast at 25+ knots all the way across, just under 4 hours we're on the approach. However mid channel rain sighted ahead on radar. Was that radar right or what?? It heaved it down from ther on in. Mind you how does one explain this, I don't like that bit with EDC's of swapping from Fly to Helm so had the idea of donning one of my youngsters Gecko, full face, Jet Skiing Crash Hat. Very Comfy, snug as a bug in a rug. However took it off for lock at Honfleur and I'd got really bad sunburnt face!!! HOW???
Rafted up to some really nice yotties outside bridge until 4.30 opening and then all 3 of us get in to Bassin. That is 3 x 43' MOBOs in there, quite a sight even though it was still raining. Told to moor up against another yottie who after we had all rafted up for the next 3 days and having informed him of same as we arrived, announces that he has decided to leave 8am next morning!! So then we convince him that surely it is better moving the raft around now than at 8am in the morning, he's alright with it, "Good Idea", lady yottie not happy at all!! Anyway suffice to say we re did the raft and the 3 MOBOs were inside and walking across a lot safer for all concerned due to swim platforms of course.
Isn't Honfleur just the most beautiful place, been 3 times now, could go 3 more times again, and thats just this year!!. Expensive though, not to moor, it's the shops that do it!! They are superb as are some of the Restaraunts too.
Then yesterday, we take the 11.30 bridge, lock out and it's over to Le Havre for fuel, low water thus have to go the long way round, arrive on fuel pontoon and of course and as usual it is closed. 4 times I've been there now, never arrived at any time of day and it has been open. When they do open it they are the most miserable b******ds alive. Anyway moor up all 3 boats, we need collectively 1200 + lts, and I walk across to the Toatal petrol station to ask for service. No will not open up marine disel pump at all, well not until he finds out we want 1220+ lts, then he might just have someone in 1.5hours time. So we wait, and we wait, and we wait!! 2 hrs passes so I again go over, "Oh sorry, 5 minutes" then proceeds to place an order with his shop suppliers rep, which of course entails looking at every line in the shop and a 5 minute converstation about each. I was there hours!! Eventually glowering etc works and a lady appears that can go over to pump. When she gets there sees boats, has all sorts of "problems" getting the pumps working, closes the pump down again and walks off at which I went f*****ing ballistic!!. Not a drop of disel has been decanted!!
Over they all go (best leave me behind) to the station again to be told, "Take your big boats back to England we don't need you here!" Suffice to say somehow they returned and diesel was acquired. I would much rather have left and gone to Fecamp, but fair play to our friends they got the diesel, eventually!
Remember this is the same place that on the return of part the MBM Paris cruise last year, some 6 boats, filled up three then announced they were closed for the night, wouldn't fill the others and made them stay a night in Le Havre til they opened again late morning next day!! I will never and advise others never to frequent this arsehole of the world again. Really put a dampener on a superb stay in France. Perhaps they were Yes'ers and were a little upset by the No'ers??
Then followed a glorious trip back across leaving our friends mid cahnnel and having really lovely May Sunny afternoon cruise in a delightful sea. One for the log book but great, great, fun. Paul
Well watched forecasts etc and decided we would as per this forum, at least poke our noses out at 3am and lets just see. Actually wind was up but OK, so off the pontoon was I, radioed other boat also in Ocean V, yes they were just leaving too. Waited in the Itchen, no other boat appears, 10 mins, 15 mins, 20 mins, then the mobile rings. Lady wife of skipper, "We've had a bad bump, wind etc plus a misjudgement, boat badly damaged, middle daughter injured!!" So back into OV we go, what a dreadfully sad scene, beautiful Phantom 43, smashed to hell on the port side, all the bow handrailing torn out, little lass caught up in handrailing in need of hospital. Did all we could but they, very generous in circumstances, urged us to continue trip. Desperate for all concerned including of course the other boats hit, thankfully all seemed to be anchor damage and slight, easily fixable, not the Phantom though, big job that.
So off we went, out to Nab Tower, wind high, sea moderate, I'd have gone for it, but Eastbourne flotilla have just heard strong wind warning for Dover straight so are understandably retisent. So now we're off to Eastbourne! What a fabulous trip, wind F4 rising F5-6 behind us, tide with us, 4am - 5am in the morning, got the trim right, matched the sea with our speed, absolutely fan bloody tastic!! Loved every minute of the 2.75 hours it took to get there, makes life exciting and interesting. Got the 8am lock into Sovereign Harbour, had a glorious day & night with good friends. Brilliant!!
Next Morning (Sunday) we're all up for the trip to Honfleur so get 11am lock out to Beechy Head, flat sea then a cracking blast at 25+ knots all the way across, just under 4 hours we're on the approach. However mid channel rain sighted ahead on radar. Was that radar right or what?? It heaved it down from ther on in. Mind you how does one explain this, I don't like that bit with EDC's of swapping from Fly to Helm so had the idea of donning one of my youngsters Gecko, full face, Jet Skiing Crash Hat. Very Comfy, snug as a bug in a rug. However took it off for lock at Honfleur and I'd got really bad sunburnt face!!! HOW???
Rafted up to some really nice yotties outside bridge until 4.30 opening and then all 3 of us get in to Bassin. That is 3 x 43' MOBOs in there, quite a sight even though it was still raining. Told to moor up against another yottie who after we had all rafted up for the next 3 days and having informed him of same as we arrived, announces that he has decided to leave 8am next morning!! So then we convince him that surely it is better moving the raft around now than at 8am in the morning, he's alright with it, "Good Idea", lady yottie not happy at all!! Anyway suffice to say we re did the raft and the 3 MOBOs were inside and walking across a lot safer for all concerned due to swim platforms of course.
Isn't Honfleur just the most beautiful place, been 3 times now, could go 3 more times again, and thats just this year!!. Expensive though, not to moor, it's the shops that do it!! They are superb as are some of the Restaraunts too.
Then yesterday, we take the 11.30 bridge, lock out and it's over to Le Havre for fuel, low water thus have to go the long way round, arrive on fuel pontoon and of course and as usual it is closed. 4 times I've been there now, never arrived at any time of day and it has been open. When they do open it they are the most miserable b******ds alive. Anyway moor up all 3 boats, we need collectively 1200 + lts, and I walk across to the Toatal petrol station to ask for service. No will not open up marine disel pump at all, well not until he finds out we want 1220+ lts, then he might just have someone in 1.5hours time. So we wait, and we wait, and we wait!! 2 hrs passes so I again go over, "Oh sorry, 5 minutes" then proceeds to place an order with his shop suppliers rep, which of course entails looking at every line in the shop and a 5 minute converstation about each. I was there hours!! Eventually glowering etc works and a lady appears that can go over to pump. When she gets there sees boats, has all sorts of "problems" getting the pumps working, closes the pump down again and walks off at which I went f*****ing ballistic!!. Not a drop of disel has been decanted!!
Over they all go (best leave me behind) to the station again to be told, "Take your big boats back to England we don't need you here!" Suffice to say somehow they returned and diesel was acquired. I would much rather have left and gone to Fecamp, but fair play to our friends they got the diesel, eventually!
Remember this is the same place that on the return of part the MBM Paris cruise last year, some 6 boats, filled up three then announced they were closed for the night, wouldn't fill the others and made them stay a night in Le Havre til they opened again late morning next day!! I will never and advise others never to frequent this arsehole of the world again. Really put a dampener on a superb stay in France. Perhaps they were Yes'ers and were a little upset by the No'ers??
Then followed a glorious trip back across leaving our friends mid cahnnel and having really lovely May Sunny afternoon cruise in a delightful sea. One for the log book but great, great, fun. Paul
