Nick_H
Active member
Having posted on here last week about single handing this trip, I had a couple of offers of help so met up with Rich and Paul (Arny) in Jersey on Sunday. Woke up bleary eyed on Monday having propped up the bar in St Helier Yacht Club until the early hours, then had to get the boat lifted in and pick up some cruising gear from Southpier marine. I've had the stern gear treated with Lanolin as suggested on here, so will report back on how well it works.
Had to wait a while for them to bring the gear, so set off middayish on the 70 mile trip to Cherbourg.
Conditions were OK with a NE4, but soon hit some fog patches (as I always do in the Channel Islands, is it just me?). They cleared after the first hour and we had a nice run into Cherbourg in the sun.
Tied up in Cherbourg and went off into town for a meal.
Found a great little bar called the Saloon, so had a quick pint or three, then some wine with the meal and brandy after, so woke up bleary eyed again on Tuesday. The wind had picked up quite a lot overnight, still from the NE but more than forecast, so it was actually a fairly heavy wind against tide sea that we headed out into. A direct heading for Poole was a bit uncomfortable with too much of a beam sea, so headed NE instead and spent an hour plugging straight into the wind at 10 knots and burying the bow a few times. As the wind came round more easterly we decided to turn and head NW with a rear quartering sea and this was a whole lot more comfortable, and of course the nearer we got to blighty the more the sea dropped.
Arrived in Poole about 10 mins too late for Rich to catch the ferry back, so he was dropped at the airport and I assume made it back OK?
Thanks to Paul and Rich for volunteering their services as crew, boat is now safely tied up in Poole to have a Bimini frame and covers fitted, then onto a ship in Southampton and should be in South of France within two weeks. Slight problem is I don't actually have anywhere to keep her down there, but i'm relying on it being a bit like south coast marinas, where waiting lists suddenly disappear when your boat is twenty yards away and your cheque book is open.
Had to wait a while for them to bring the gear, so set off middayish on the 70 mile trip to Cherbourg.
Conditions were OK with a NE4, but soon hit some fog patches (as I always do in the Channel Islands, is it just me?). They cleared after the first hour and we had a nice run into Cherbourg in the sun.
Tied up in Cherbourg and went off into town for a meal.
Found a great little bar called the Saloon, so had a quick pint or three, then some wine with the meal and brandy after, so woke up bleary eyed again on Tuesday. The wind had picked up quite a lot overnight, still from the NE but more than forecast, so it was actually a fairly heavy wind against tide sea that we headed out into. A direct heading for Poole was a bit uncomfortable with too much of a beam sea, so headed NE instead and spent an hour plugging straight into the wind at 10 knots and burying the bow a few times. As the wind came round more easterly we decided to turn and head NW with a rear quartering sea and this was a whole lot more comfortable, and of course the nearer we got to blighty the more the sea dropped.
Arrived in Poole about 10 mins too late for Rich to catch the ferry back, so he was dropped at the airport and I assume made it back OK?
Thanks to Paul and Rich for volunteering their services as crew, boat is now safely tied up in Poole to have a Bimini frame and covers fitted, then onto a ship in Southampton and should be in South of France within two weeks. Slight problem is I don't actually have anywhere to keep her down there, but i'm relying on it being a bit like south coast marinas, where waiting lists suddenly disappear when your boat is twenty yards away and your cheque book is open.
