V-shaped water at the top of the Alderney Race

[guernseyman]

In mid October I was sailing westwards at low water, spring tide, from Cap de la Hague towards Braye Harbour. A short distance before drawing level with Alderney the thin end of some V-shaped disturbed water appeared to shoot northwards across my bow. I say 'appeared' because I may have been in a body of south-going water impinging on another body of water and constraining it to adopt its V-shape.

I hoved to and watched. The width of the V of disturbed water increased steadily as it travelled north and eventually I moved across it.

Never having seen anything like that, and not knowing the right words to describe it, I wonder what was really happening, and whether anyone can explain it.

 

[Ian_Rob]

What was the approximate size and speed?

 

[lustyd]

Sounds like the wake from a buoy/pot marker. We saw one and thought it was a dolphin for a minute before realising it wasn't moving, we were!

 

[guernseyman]

What was the approximate size and speed?

It was V-shaped. The point of the V measured in inches; the body of the V widened until it was about 100 yards, before I had other things to think about.
It was travelling at rate at a fast walking speed, say 4 or 5 knots.

 

[Jonny A]

Are you sure it wasn't moving but you were? Something similar once happened to me when on a misty day I saw what appeared to be a fishing float being dragged along by a submarine. Even when the GPS told me what was really happening, I couldn't shake off the illusion.

 

[guernseyman]

Are you sure it wasn't moving but you were? Something similar once happened to me when on a misty day I saw what appeared to be a fishing float being dragged along by a submarine. Even when the GPS told me what was really happening, I couldn't shake off the illusion.

As I said in the original post, the (sideways) movement may have been due to the water I was in. But it makes little difference to the peculiarity.

 

[Poey50]

... I may have been in a body of south-going water impinging on another body of water and constraining it to adopt its V-shape.

Asked and answered.