South coast to Channel Islands...

[rays]

Having decided not to stay in Holland and sail down the Belgium/French coast to Boulogne and then onwards westwards (see earlier posts) we are now back on the Orwell.

We are planning to set out to Dover/Eastbourne etc later this week and then cross to the CI's. Can anyone who has done this passage advise on the best place to leave from if planning to go to Guernsey. Don't want to go to Alderney particularly.

Having glanced at the passage notes in Reeds I'm getting a bit worried about tide races, overfalls and the like. Can the worst of these hazards be avoided by going further west and then going directly to Guernsey? Or am I being a bit of a wuss? All advice from those with local experience welcomed.

Thanks.

 

[snooks]

Cherbourg, cherbourg and cherbourg

It's by far the easiest place to leave from to get to Guernsey, hit a waypoint north of the Cap DL Hague for around (or just after) HW Dover, A straight line from the harbour entrance to the right of the Cardinal mark should be fine until you are north of the headland. Then head west to the middle of the gap between Alderney and France, Then point towards Guernsey, easy /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Avoid the overfalls on the chart and watch your SOG go into double figures....Also avoid the charted bank to the NE of Guernsey. Set a waypoint on the middle of it and make sure your distance from the waypoint doesn't get too low.

If the wind is from the south it can get lumpy, and if it gets foggy head for the big Russel rather than the little Russel apart from that the tide more or less takes you in the direction of Guernsey, so there is not too much to worry about.

One year we put the kite up outside Cherbourg Harbour and took it down outside St Peter Port, we had sunshine all the way, pray for a day like that, it was great!

 

[Robin]

It all depends! If you want to get there quickest then maybe Brighton to Cherbourg then St Peter Port. With more time cross from Poole direct to St Peter Port or via Cherbourg, or even from Weymouth. Going from the Solent adds in an extra tide gate but Yarmouth or Lymington to Cherbourg then St Peter Port would work.

The tide races are not to be ignored but not to be afraid of either with proper passage planning. Alderney Race can be passed through at slack water southbound either going from Cherbourg, where there is an inshore tide eddy that takes you west to Cap De La Hague to arrive with the Race turning south, or from say Poole where you plan for the same arrival time. Slack in Alderney Race is about 30 mins before HW Dover and the calmest passage through is about 2/3rds of the way between Cap De La Hague and Alderney. It pays to head across towards Alderney before turning down anyway as this gives you more tide on the tail and not pushing you left of your track - helpful with a SW wind to prevent you having to point up more and more until you have to tack.

North bound through the Race your timing is limited by the time you can get out at St Peter Port and with a favourable tide you will arrive at the race with it still running hard north, then NE off Cap Del Hague. Try and avoid wind against tide unless it is light but otherwise enjoy the ride and set your own SOG records. The roughest water is just north of Cap De La Hague and along towards Cherbourg but it is not dangerous just unpleasant unless with strong winds against the tide, if in doubt slow down and just go with the flow till it spits you out!

The tides in the Little Russell are strong but you will have them with you, can be rough with a N or NE against the tide, in a SW wind it is more sheltered by the Guernsey.

The tides between the say Brighton and Weymouth and Cherbourg peninsular run harder than west of there (reach over 4kts cross tides at springs) but if you are aware of them, plan for them and don't try to stay on a straight line groundtrack not a problem. However be aware that if crossing north/south a 4kt cross tide can add or subtract as much as that from or to the windspeed if that wind is east or west and proportional at other angles. A difference of 8kts apparent windspeed between max east going tide and max west going if crossing in an easterly or westerly, can make the forecast wind of F4 be a F3 or F5 over the deck without the real wind changing at all.

Other than Alderney Race there are overfalls off the south of the IOW, off Anvil and St Albans heads, and off Barfleur, mostly avoidable if far enough offshore. The Swinge west of Alderney can be very rough at the wrong times but that only applies if you want to go via Alderney.

 

[myoldsailor]

when are you going? I am taking my yacht fri 10th July from southsea
more than welcome to pair up.

 

[myoldsailor]

snooks - when you say:

"hit a waypoint north of the Cap DL Hague for around (or just after) HW Dover"

do you mean leave cherbourg just after high water or arrival at the waypoint on high water?

cheers

 

[snooks]

Sorry, aim to arrive at the waypoint which is around 1.5-2nm north of La Plate at around HW Dover. Found a chart now....Take a line out of the west entrance of Cherbourg, to north of Basse Brefort North Cardinal, and you'll be on the right line to get you to due north of La Plate, north of Cap De La Hague.

It does get confused around there, but you have to remember it will get better, if there isn't enough breeze to keep you going through it, stick the motor on to keep your momentum up.

From there head west about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way across the gap, around 5 miles the sea will be a lot smoother and you'll be taken down by the tide, but just keep going west on the compass, then once your in the clear water between the overfalls head for the Little Russel

I hope that's a little clearer

 

[Robin]

[ QUOTE ]
do you mean leave cherbourg just after high water or arrival at the waypoint on high water?


[/ QUOTE ]

If you leave Cherbourg at local HW that is when the inshore eddy starts along the coast westwards. Stay inshore until Basse Brefort cardinal and pass close north of it, then heading more NW to clear Cap De La Hague offshore, then go west to between half to 2/3rds across to Alderney before turning on course down the plughole for a waypoint due north of the Little Russel. Don't go offshore too soon or you will find the eastgoing main tide. Resist the temptation to turn Cap De La Hague too soon for Guernsey because you will be set way south of your required track and in a SW wind will find yourself pointing ever higher until you are head to wind! The route via 2/3rds across will get you there faster than a boat at the same speed that turns too soon, quite a big difference too.

At a weekend there will be a mass exodus of local French boats at around HW Cherbourg all going to St Peter Port for diesel and M&S underwear.

Remember the same inshore eddy off Cherbourg to Cap De La Hague will work against you on the return trip too and head due east once through the Race (you can go closer to Cap De La Hague going up, say 1/3rd across) until east of Basse Brefort before turning SE (your heading may be nearer S) for Cherbourg. You will pass many boats that are inshore of you and going very slowly over the ground!

 

[Sailfree]

Going from the Solent casn be fast as if you get the last of the tide shooting you out of the needles you can get the tide going through the Aldernay race.

In springs you can get 4-5kts added going down the solent and 9-10kts going through the Aldernay race. I would only recommend this in good weather and not strong wind against tide.

I think my average time for Hamble to St peter Port is about 13hrs on a 43' boat.

 

[rays]

Myoldsailor,

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