Richie
Well-Known Member
We took last week off work and luckily the weather held in our favour for a summer cruise. Here's some pics and a bit of a trip report from our first cross channel trip.
We had been hoping to head straight down to the channel isles last weekend but looking at the forecast we weren't confident with the westerley that had been blowing for the back end of the week so decided to head to the west country first and if the weather went our way to head across from there.
Left Cobbs Quay on Sunday and headed for Portland. Skt was a bit grey and sea was a bit lumpy so glad we'd decided on a short first leg. Weirdly the flattest part of the journey was round St Albans head so good we'd timed it with wind and tide together and then got very choppy shortly thereafter. We'd planned on a lunch stop in Lulworth but thought the swell would be make it very uncomfortable in there so we tucked right inside the corner of Mupe Bay instead. Managed to get nicely out of the chop and even though it wasn't the best of days thought that Mupe Bay was lovely - nicer than Lulworth and amazing with the cliffs leaping straight up out of the sea.
Left Mupe Bay after a couple of hours to find the sea had got worse but not far to Portland so ploughed on at 15knts for half an hour to get there. Never been here before but is a really nice marina. Long fingers and really far apart - in fact so big enough room to fit a third boat in between - which was good as with the wind catching the bow it took about 8 goes to get in as it was. Luckily with the weather being so poor by this stage not many folk were about to laugh at our attempts. rest of the marina really nice too, lovely showers and a decent looking bar that served up a good coffee and hot chocoloate. We had a stroll down to the Cove Inn for tea overlooking Chesil beach for tea but I couldn't recommend that. Bizarrely on the way there's like a sunseeker parts bin graveyard where all their old hull and superstructure moulds sit out by the roadside.
Leaving Portland next day to bright sunshine and evidence of the upcoming Olympics. A number of dinghies out training for the sailing events by the looks of it.
Onto Portland Bill and nice to see that the previous day's seas had calmed down and had a lovely trundle round and chance to slow down to take a few pics before heading across Lyme Bay to Dartmouth.
Cruised at about 20 knots all the way to Dartmouth - saw quite a few boats on the way down but all yachts. Arrived a couple of hours later to the beautiful entrance to the river Dart.
We motored all the way up past the town to Dittisham. We'd been down to Dartmouth in April and had stayed in town but we fancied chilling out on the buoys up river this time. There's a really nice pub within a short row from the buoys up here too - the Ferry Boat Inn. Good fish n chips and a hospitable landlord. Chilling out didn't work out as well as we'd hoped as the slapping of the water on the mid river buoy gave us only half a night's sleep.
Next morning we went round to Brixham, beautiful day with the sea like glass around Berry Head
Stayed here for a day on a MDL free night but they couldn't fit us in the marina - only had room on their visitor pontoon. The new Freedom Berthing for MDL has proved really popularf down here they say as folk who were worried about getting back from the West Country just leave their boats here instead - indeed they had a note up saying QAB was booked up until almost the end of August.
Refuelled here and with the weather looking good planned the trip to St Peter Port for the next morning. Left at 10.30 planning to arrive just nicely in time for us to get over the sill at HW-2.5hrs.
Ended up getting there a bit earl as the sea was so calm - did 28 knts most of the way
Couldn't believe how flat it was with just a very gentle swell.
Refuelled at 72ppl in St Peter Port before moving over to join the waiting pontoon for Victoria Marina as they were just about to start letting the boats in. We were asked to raft up to the (only) 2 motorboats on the waiting pontoon however we hadn't even got the fenders sorted when the asked us the two other mobos and us to go straight in (feeling only slightly guilty about jumping ahead of all the raggies).
We rafted up inside along the one pontoon of other mobos. The whole rest of the marina was pretty much yachts.
However then later on the RYA Southern Motorboat cruise fleet came in to balance the numbers up a bit.
After the tide had gone out I took a walk round to look at the sill. Really wouldn't want to time this wrong...
Though apparently one yacht did almost have a go earlier in the day just after the tide had just covered the sill. They'd scooted past all the boats on the waiting pontoon and were steaming for the marina entrance until they saw the red light and slammed it in reverse just in time.
We had a couple of lovely days in St Peter Port, great with the marina being in the centre of town. Can recommend Da Nello restaurant for anyone wanting a great meal there.
Left Friday morning for the trip home via Alderney. Had much trepidation about heading up the Swinge but with minimal wind and timing it for slack water it was like a lake boating - not always like that I'm sure.
Braye harbour was a beautiful place for a lunch stop
Before leaving the scorching sunshine in Alderney to head back to Cobbs for Friday afternoon. On the way back in mid-channel saw the only two mobos we'd seen out in open water.
Can't wait to go again next year
We had been hoping to head straight down to the channel isles last weekend but looking at the forecast we weren't confident with the westerley that had been blowing for the back end of the week so decided to head to the west country first and if the weather went our way to head across from there.
Left Cobbs Quay on Sunday and headed for Portland. Skt was a bit grey and sea was a bit lumpy so glad we'd decided on a short first leg. Weirdly the flattest part of the journey was round St Albans head so good we'd timed it with wind and tide together and then got very choppy shortly thereafter. We'd planned on a lunch stop in Lulworth but thought the swell would be make it very uncomfortable in there so we tucked right inside the corner of Mupe Bay instead. Managed to get nicely out of the chop and even though it wasn't the best of days thought that Mupe Bay was lovely - nicer than Lulworth and amazing with the cliffs leaping straight up out of the sea.
Left Mupe Bay after a couple of hours to find the sea had got worse but not far to Portland so ploughed on at 15knts for half an hour to get there. Never been here before but is a really nice marina. Long fingers and really far apart - in fact so big enough room to fit a third boat in between - which was good as with the wind catching the bow it took about 8 goes to get in as it was. Luckily with the weather being so poor by this stage not many folk were about to laugh at our attempts. rest of the marina really nice too, lovely showers and a decent looking bar that served up a good coffee and hot chocoloate. We had a stroll down to the Cove Inn for tea overlooking Chesil beach for tea but I couldn't recommend that. Bizarrely on the way there's like a sunseeker parts bin graveyard where all their old hull and superstructure moulds sit out by the roadside.
Leaving Portland next day to bright sunshine and evidence of the upcoming Olympics. A number of dinghies out training for the sailing events by the looks of it.
Onto Portland Bill and nice to see that the previous day's seas had calmed down and had a lovely trundle round and chance to slow down to take a few pics before heading across Lyme Bay to Dartmouth.
Cruised at about 20 knots all the way to Dartmouth - saw quite a few boats on the way down but all yachts. Arrived a couple of hours later to the beautiful entrance to the river Dart.
We motored all the way up past the town to Dittisham. We'd been down to Dartmouth in April and had stayed in town but we fancied chilling out on the buoys up river this time. There's a really nice pub within a short row from the buoys up here too - the Ferry Boat Inn. Good fish n chips and a hospitable landlord. Chilling out didn't work out as well as we'd hoped as the slapping of the water on the mid river buoy gave us only half a night's sleep.
Next morning we went round to Brixham, beautiful day with the sea like glass around Berry Head
Stayed here for a day on a MDL free night but they couldn't fit us in the marina - only had room on their visitor pontoon. The new Freedom Berthing for MDL has proved really popularf down here they say as folk who were worried about getting back from the West Country just leave their boats here instead - indeed they had a note up saying QAB was booked up until almost the end of August.
Refuelled here and with the weather looking good planned the trip to St Peter Port for the next morning. Left at 10.30 planning to arrive just nicely in time for us to get over the sill at HW-2.5hrs.
Ended up getting there a bit earl as the sea was so calm - did 28 knts most of the way
Couldn't believe how flat it was with just a very gentle swell.
Refuelled at 72ppl in St Peter Port before moving over to join the waiting pontoon for Victoria Marina as they were just about to start letting the boats in. We were asked to raft up to the (only) 2 motorboats on the waiting pontoon however we hadn't even got the fenders sorted when the asked us the two other mobos and us to go straight in (feeling only slightly guilty about jumping ahead of all the raggies).
We rafted up inside along the one pontoon of other mobos. The whole rest of the marina was pretty much yachts.
However then later on the RYA Southern Motorboat cruise fleet came in to balance the numbers up a bit.
After the tide had gone out I took a walk round to look at the sill. Really wouldn't want to time this wrong...
Though apparently one yacht did almost have a go earlier in the day just after the tide had just covered the sill. They'd scooted past all the boats on the waiting pontoon and were steaming for the marina entrance until they saw the red light and slammed it in reverse just in time.
We had a couple of lovely days in St Peter Port, great with the marina being in the centre of town. Can recommend Da Nello restaurant for anyone wanting a great meal there.
Left Friday morning for the trip home via Alderney. Had much trepidation about heading up the Swinge but with minimal wind and timing it for slack water it was like a lake boating - not always like that I'm sure.
Braye harbour was a beautiful place for a lunch stop
Before leaving the scorching sunshine in Alderney to head back to Cobbs for Friday afternoon. On the way back in mid-channel saw the only two mobos we'd seen out in open water.
Can't wait to go again next year
