The Minquiers (minkies)

[jointventureII]

Has any one (i'm looking for channel islanders here) ever visited the minkies?
I want to go, but am slightly unsure as all i have heard is worrying remarks e.g. don't go near them! I have been to the Ecrehous, which, prior to going, had the same remarks, but i found this quite easy navigation and a great day out.
Please help! I am unsure of things like the anchorage- does it dry out?
Or when the best state of tide to visit is.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Depsol, come in , your time\'s up!!

Depsol's your man, just ignore all the twaddle about Soltron!

 

[DepSol]

Re: Depsol, come in , your time\'s up!!

I heard that LJS!!! Just had a thought why your boat smokes so much. You fills up with Total fuel at Boatworks Cetane of 45.5 worst fuel in Guernsey is Total and more expensive than Shell.

Now the Minkies eh, what do you want to go there for. Just a rock with a few houses for those crappeauds (Jersey people cos Guernsey people are Donkeys long story). Cant help you much as we only go there in passing, nothing to see really. Now if you do want to go pop into St. Peter Port on your way through and I'll copy some bits out of my pilot book which will help. and give you some help on the approaches, but dont buy the diesel. Better off going to the Isle Chausey much nicer. Neap tides always best for looking around not much tidal movement as we can get anything from 0.3m to 10.6m tidal movement on a spring. You can arrive at high tide and swear you've never been there when looking at the same place at low.

Have you been to the Channel Islands much before apart from the Ecrehous?

Excuse spelling and grammer been on pc all day, brain and fingers knackered.

Oh yes if you want advise then you'll have to be polite and listen to whatever I want to drone about whether it be Soltron or erm well erm Soltron!

Dom

 

[DepSol]

I think that if you are going to ask people questions it would be polite to introduce yourself. Do you usually go up to people asking them things without saying who you are. Fill in your profile.

Dom

 

[tcm]

Re: magazine hoarders?

there was definitely an article about this in one of the mags. Cumberlidgey, mebbe three/4 yrs ago, MBY I think, with pics, um 97-99

 

[DepSol]

Re: magazine hoarders?

I am bad at hoarding mags (so my wife says) but not that bad!

 

[tcm]

Re: minkies

okay, i am pretty sure that you can anchor, in the right places, and at least some will dry of course. One of Cumberlidge pilots will tell you all about it, with pics, so go and buy that. Or, er at least have a quick flick of it and then buy a chart.

 

[DepSol]

Re: minkies

Channel Islands Pilot is the best one. The old one was done by Robson but the new one is in line with the admiralty charts and has photos not out of date sketches.

Any probs send me a PM and I will fax you some details and some local knowledge to get you through. It is very difficult to go into detail on such a dangerous area over a few posts.

Dom

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I believe I'm right in saying that the Minkies proudly boast the southernmost public toilet in the UK and, yes, there appears to be an anchorage or two 'coz I saw some boats anchored there last summer whilst en route from St Malo to Jersey. It all looks very scary on a chart but there a couple of buoys marking a passage thru' the middle which, incredibly, is regularly used by the fast ferries on passage from/to St Malo. The skippers must drink Carling Black Label, I reckon, but on the other hand they sometimes cock it up as the ferry sinking off Corbiere light on Jersey illustrated
If you want a 'get away from it all' experience, I would rather reccomend Iles Chausey as already suggested. Easy entrance from the South and buoys laid in the Sound. You can overnight in settled weather

 

[piratequeen]

Re: Depsol, come in , your time\'s up!!

As we say here in Jersey - "Red sky at night, Guernsey's alight"

 

[jointventureII]

Re: Depsol, come in , your time\'s up!!

Thanks,
I live in Jersey so yes, i suppose i have been 2 the channel islands a few times (sorry for the poor joke)
We have recently upgraded from a Orkney Coastliner 14 (which we went to the ecrehous in) to a Day Angler 21, which we will moor at St catherines (east coast if unfamiliar)
At the moment it is in St helier marina, where we are working on it cause we have just bought it. So, we have conquered one of the three reefs, we are working on the minquiers at the moment. I have looked up the cruising report on the web which was handy and also the freebie tide tables issued to 'regular customers' from south pier shipyard (a chandlers) in Jersey, which has a very good guide, photos and the lot.
Thanks 4 your reply

 

[DepSol]

Re: Depsol, come in , your time\'s up!!

Still havent filled in your personal info. If your from Jersey then you should be able to get better local knowledge in your area. Join the Jersey Boatowners Association good way to get to know fellow boat owners and get knowledge.

Day Angler 21 well capable of going round the Islands. Info from South Pier ok but get Channel Islands Pilot best book for these parts.

Dom

PS I'm in Jersey in the summer I'll let you know when as I come round to Gorey.