Alan1
Well-Known Member
Going to Sark this weekend.Any advise on best moorings ,pubs Tec. Thanks for any info
Sark
- Thread starter Alan1
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johnalison
Well-Known Member
My knowledge of Sark is not extensive, but I've parked there a couple of times. Once, we spent a day in Greve de Ville in the NE. This was lovely but there was a bit of swell when trying to land on the beach. On another occasion we spent a night anchored in Grand Greve on the west. This was also lovely, and sheltered at the time. We also visited by ferry and went to a very posh eating-place whose name I've forgotten, but I still remember the lovely Sark lamb we ate. No cars, but keep a sharp lookout for horse-drawn vehicles. I've always found the atmosphere a little odd.
doug748
Well-Known Member
Someone will have the real local griff but failing that:
I had a happy stay in La Grande Greve which is large and open but should be settled this weekend. Deep though, and it is coming up springs so if you anchor in 10mtrs at LW it might come up to 20, so you need to have in excess of 60mts out. (I know you know this but it is worth pointing out)
Possibly better to get there asap on Friday and bag a mooring at Havre Gosselin. There was a little local difficulty and threats of removing these moorings but I think they are still there and may even be free/honesty box jobs. Watch how you park your dinghy with the range it is common to see them vertically suspended underwater or hanging from a painter with all the contents swilling about the bay.
On the E coast there are said to be moorings at Greve de la Ville but I have not visited, there certainly were a couple at Dixcart Bay but I always find these types of cove a bit creepy at night if you end up anchoring.
Once you ascend the Central Massif you can walk the whole island in a short day. Great place with just a touch of the Wicker Man about it.
I had a happy stay in La Grande Greve which is large and open but should be settled this weekend. Deep though, and it is coming up springs so if you anchor in 10mtrs at LW it might come up to 20, so you need to have in excess of 60mts out. (I know you know this but it is worth pointing out)
Possibly better to get there asap on Friday and bag a mooring at Havre Gosselin. There was a little local difficulty and threats of removing these moorings but I think they are still there and may even be free/honesty box jobs. Watch how you park your dinghy with the range it is common to see them vertically suspended underwater or hanging from a painter with all the contents swilling about the bay.
On the E coast there are said to be moorings at Greve de la Ville but I have not visited, there certainly were a couple at Dixcart Bay but I always find these types of cove a bit creepy at night if you end up anchoring.
Once you ascend the Central Massif you can walk the whole island in a short day. Great place with just a touch of the Wicker Man about it.
Seven Spades
Well-Known Member
Dixcart Bay is a bit rolly.
dslittle
Well-Known Member
+1 and Derrible Bay was renamed Terrible Bay by friends of ours after they had a very uncomfortable night. We also found a bit of swell in Greve de Ville but not too bad. The restaurant is called The White House and well worth a visit as is a stroll along the High Street. The 'Fire Station' is worth going to just to see their equipment. The Harbour Master, Matt, is a good chap and very affable. All in all a lovely quaint place that we thoroughly enjoyed..
prv
Well-Known Member
I was there last week 
It was easterlies, so we picked up a mooring in Havre Gosselin. They are free, and were never more than half-full during the two days we were there (albeit midweek). Shelter from the wind was very good, but it got a bit rolly for a few hours around high tide as some of the protective rocks are covered. According to the pilot this is only really a problem at springs, but if you want to avoid it then you could anchor in the Grand Greve which is reputed to suffer less.
There's a good concrete landing at Havre Gosselin (don't be put off by the rickety-looking ladder you can see from the moorings, the new steps are tucked in behind the rock nearby). If you're going ashore for long it's normal to carry the dinghy up the steps and leave it on the flat area at the top, to avoid the dangling or flooding problem mentioned above.
While walking around the island I made a short diversion to peer down into Greve de la Ville on the east coast, for future reference. There are buoys there too. It looked less sheltered in a westerly than Havre Gosselin is in an easterly, but these things can be deceptive.
Didn't eat ashore (we were on a bit of a budget cruise, and my mate Chris prefers to cook anyway) but had a quick drink in the Mermaid towards the end of a long hot walk. Funny place, didn't feel like a pub, more like a NAAFI bar or a small down-at-heel sailing club.
We prefer Sark to St Peter Port (and Guernsey in general, with the exception of Beaucette).
Pete
It was easterlies, so we picked up a mooring in Havre Gosselin. They are free, and were never more than half-full during the two days we were there (albeit midweek). Shelter from the wind was very good, but it got a bit rolly for a few hours around high tide as some of the protective rocks are covered. According to the pilot this is only really a problem at springs, but if you want to avoid it then you could anchor in the Grand Greve which is reputed to suffer less.
There's a good concrete landing at Havre Gosselin (don't be put off by the rickety-looking ladder you can see from the moorings, the new steps are tucked in behind the rock nearby). If you're going ashore for long it's normal to carry the dinghy up the steps and leave it on the flat area at the top, to avoid the dangling or flooding problem mentioned above.
While walking around the island I made a short diversion to peer down into Greve de la Ville on the east coast, for future reference. There are buoys there too. It looked less sheltered in a westerly than Havre Gosselin is in an easterly, but these things can be deceptive.
Didn't eat ashore (we were on a bit of a budget cruise, and my mate Chris prefers to cook anyway) but had a quick drink in the Mermaid towards the end of a long hot walk. Funny place, didn't feel like a pub, more like a NAAFI bar or a small down-at-heel sailing club
. We prefer Sark to St Peter Port (and Guernsey in general, with the exception of Beaucette).
Pete
Angele
Well-Known Member
The key to mooring/anchoring off Sark is to pick a bay suitable for the wind direction and swell. There will be at least a couple in the lee of the island, whichever direction the wind is blowing, and hopefully you can find one that also has a bit of shelter from the swell.
After the slight spat about moorings some years ago (see post #3), this all died down and they are now free. A couple of bays have (yellow) visitor moorings - Greve de la Ville (east side, under the lighthouse) and Havre Gosselin (on the west), although I think there may be a couple in Port Gorey on Little Sark too. But, you can anchor in most of the bays. For example, I arrived fairly near to dusk one evening and found all the moorings in Greve de la Ville taken, so we popped round to the bay to the north - Fontaines Bay - which is a really snug little anchorage. (So snug, I felt the need to get up in the middle of the night to bring in 12 or so metres of chain to keep our swinging circle small enough that we couldn't touch the rocks on either side :ambivalence
Try to avoid arriving after dark. With the exception of the lighthouse at Point Robert and the one on the northernmost tip, there are no navigation lights.
Dixcart is the most popular of the anchorages, especially with day visitors from France or Jersey, closely followed by Derrible. (Unlike the earlier posters, I have had lovely still nights in both - it is all about picking the right bay for the conditions).
As for restaurants you are now (sadly) rather limited. The Barclay brothers (who own Brecqhou) bought up most of the nice restaurants - Aval du Creux, Dixcart, La Moinerie. They then shut them down. So, there are now only a handful remaining. There is La Sablonnerie on Little Sark (a bit pricey, but great food), Stocks, Hathaways. Most of the others do lighter snacks. Take a look here: http://www.sark.co.uk/taste-of-sark-coming-in-june-14044/
There are only a couple of "pubs" on the island: The Bel Air Inn and The Mermaid (plus the bar at the Island Hall).
Sark is one of my favourite cruising destinations. So long as the weather is decent, you will have a lovely time.
Edit: I think Dslittle is confusing Sark and Herm - the White House is the only hotel on Herm. Despite having visited Sark at least 20 times, I have never come across a hotel of that name on Sark.
After the slight spat about moorings some years ago (see post #3), this all died down and they are now free. A couple of bays have (yellow) visitor moorings - Greve de la Ville (east side, under the lighthouse) and Havre Gosselin (on the west), although I think there may be a couple in Port Gorey on Little Sark too. But, you can anchor in most of the bays. For example, I arrived fairly near to dusk one evening and found all the moorings in Greve de la Ville taken, so we popped round to the bay to the north - Fontaines Bay - which is a really snug little anchorage. (So snug, I felt the need to get up in the middle of the night to bring in 12 or so metres of chain to keep our swinging circle small enough that we couldn't touch the rocks on either side :ambivalence
Try to avoid arriving after dark. With the exception of the lighthouse at Point Robert and the one on the northernmost tip, there are no navigation lights.
Dixcart is the most popular of the anchorages, especially with day visitors from France or Jersey, closely followed by Derrible. (Unlike the earlier posters, I have had lovely still nights in both - it is all about picking the right bay for the conditions).
As for restaurants you are now (sadly) rather limited. The Barclay brothers (who own Brecqhou) bought up most of the nice restaurants - Aval du Creux, Dixcart, La Moinerie. They then shut them down. So, there are now only a handful remaining. There is La Sablonnerie on Little Sark (a bit pricey, but great food), Stocks, Hathaways. Most of the others do lighter snacks. Take a look here: http://www.sark.co.uk/taste-of-sark-coming-in-june-14044/
There are only a couple of "pubs" on the island: The Bel Air Inn and The Mermaid (plus the bar at the Island Hall).
Sark is one of my favourite cruising destinations. So long as the weather is decent, you will have a lovely time.
Edit: I think Dslittle is confusing Sark and Herm - the White House is the only hotel on Herm. Despite having visited Sark at least 20 times, I have never come across a hotel of that name on Sark.
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dslittle
Well-Known Member
,m
You are absolutely right. Luckily, I always double check my Nav before setting off!!!
You are absolutely right. Luckily, I always double check my Nav before setting off!!!
Angele
Well-Known Member
:encouragement:
[70521]
Well-Known Member
Say hello to the vicar for me, a lovely lady.
Angele
Well-Known Member
guernseyman
Well-Known Member
A word of caution: you might think Havre Gosselin is sheltered in a NE wind, but you will be disappointed - such winds seem to adhere to the ground and sweep down through the moorings making life uncomfortable.
[3889]
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I stayed in Derrible on the buoys twice in April over a fortnight and found it comfortable on both occasions and also scenic. Not great shore access, though.
prv
Well-Known Member
What was the wind doing?
My parents are out there at the moment and mentioned that they might go to Sark today or tomorrow. They've never been there before; frankly they're mostly Solent marina-hoppers who aren't especially confident at anchor (despite the hefty Spade I put on board). If Dixcart or Derrible have buoys and would be suitable in the present northerly, I might pass on the recommendation.
Pete
Angele
Well-Known Member
Any buoys in Derrible are private ones. And I certainly don't remember any in Dixcart when I was there last summer (and, if there are any, again they would be private).
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[3889]
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Not sure why you think that? 2 brand new yellow drums, identical with twin 24mm polyprop pick up lines. No markings to suggest private and they're shown on Navionics.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_dIVuDyPIevV3FVQlFZd1VLRjQ/view?usp=drivesdk
@prv, yes shelter would be good in northerlies. The second time I was there both buoys were occupied and 4 other yachts were anchored nearby, all of which were settled in F4 NNW. The major hazard is fouling the floating pick up lines which are about 8m long!
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JSYmartini
Well-Known Member
No mention of Creux Harbour yet?
Only room for maybe four boats against the wall but as long as the steps are kept clear
Only room for maybe four boats against the wall but as long as the steps are kept clear
Angele
Well-Known Member
Sounds to me like you have picked a buoy used by the Manche Iles Express - the passenger ferry that runs between Jersey and Sark in high season (not every day, but most). If you were there midweek in April then they wouldn't be using it, but I don't think you would be too popular in the height of the summer.
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