Views of those who visited Alderney in the last 2 seasons?

[Channel Ribs]

Just that really, if you sailed to Alderney in 2009 or 2008 and would like your comments to be noted at a forthcoming Harbour Tourism meeting then please post them here. Any responses will be put forward in the discussion of what brings people here and what visitors like and dislike about the island.

Thanks in advance.

There is a wee poll, thanks for taking part.

 

[Vid]

I've been to Alderney about four times and Guernsey once by sail. On both occasions it was because they were there - we spent very little time on the islands themselves, perhaps half a day each time. I love Alderney in the summer and it's always interesting sailing. I was less impressed with Guernsey as we had had to motor across the channel only to find Guernsey was closed when we got there - literally nowhere open we could find at around midnight by the time we had moored up. We left the next morning for Alderney, though that wasn't Guernsey's fault.

I'd love to spend a bit more time there, but week-long sailing trips tend to be in the Med.

 

[old_salt]

Alderney, Guernsey and Jersey are only stopping points on the way to St Marlo.

 

[Sans Bateau]

The time before last we were in Alderney, we sat down at an outside table at a busy small cafe, for a cuppa tea, thats all. It was about 11.45 or slightly later. Woman (waitress ish) comes up to us, whipping the table she says "Hope you dont want any food, we're closing for lunch soon". Well thank you for such a warm welcome, I thought, just as well we havent made a special effort to come and see you!

 

[TiggerToo]

....a busy small cafe..... she says "Hope you dont want any food, we're closing for lunch soon".....

just about sums up the ethos of time gone by in the UK: those were the good old days!

 

[fireball]

We used it as an intermidiate point on our way to Gurnsey this year ... we did spend a couple of hours on the island, but as it was peeing it down we didn't hang around. Back aboard the wind had swung around from light NE to not quite so light Westerly and we rocked and rolled all night By the time morning came I was glad to get up and go! Sorry!

We do hope to come back and spend a few days just to explore the island - but that will largely be weather dependant...

 

[vyv_cox]

Cheating a little, last time I visited was six years ago, time before that about eight. We liked it very much, cycled all around the island, visited the museum, used the Internet shop, bought a new outboard. Moorings were OK in the weather of the day, not too expensive at that time. Far more relaxing than Guernsey, which is rather hard work. Wouldn't mind having their harbour on your island, though.

 

[David_Jersey]

Ok, I've not been to Alderney for 20 odd years - the reason? It's too far ........you need to extend that breakwater

 

[ksutton]

Am afraid its a transit port on your way to France. There is usually too much incoming swell, 7 out of last 10 visits I made were seriously uncomfortable.
Like other comments here, I also have found an attitude problem in some restaurant's.
The locals don't come across as being friendly and don't seem to appreciate visitors, sorry to say a bit of a residents expat "click" in existence.

 

[wotayottie]

Always fancied visiting Alderney and will do so next year after calling on relatives in Guernsey. What is there in Alderney? facilities for visiting boats?

 

[rickym]

We visited Alderney in the Summer?? 2008 and also in April 2009.

SWMBO loves the place, a real stepback in time.

It is nice to see that Braye is having some development to make it a real community.

The new owners of Mainbrayce are trying hard and were very pleasant.

The Harbour "development" is AWFULL! Slimy concrete has replaced the beautiful stone wall. Dust or mud everywhere.

When we went this April the HM was still laying the visitors moorings in the harbour. These need to be thought out as there was not enough swinging room between them for a 32 footer.

In the past I considered the staff on the water unhelpful "just find somewhere" was the terse reply from the Dory. Harbour fairly full and us short handed from an overnight crossing. Didn't think "where do you want us to go" and giving the length of the boat warranted such a response. Could take charm lessons from the staff at St.Peter port or Yarmouth on the I.O.W. Alderney is getting better, office staff always pleasant probably just the summer temps.

Why don't the pubs in St Annes sell food? They do in Braye!

Harbour staff could manage the Dinghy dock a bit better. Never enough space, folk need educating in leaving a longer painter NOT tieing off hard to the dock. Put up a notice perhaps?

Whatever you do don't turn it into a marina as Yarmouth is about to do.

Sort out the showers. This spring it was chaos with the building work just trying to get there.

Alderney has a unique character (1950's England?) don't spoil what is good.

Rick

 

[Channel Ribs]

Always fancied visiting Alderney and will do so next year after calling on relatives in Guernsey. What is there in Alderney? facilities for visiting boats?

Thanks for all the comments so far all, the good and the bad - all very valuable.

I shall try not to keep interrupting the flow but I thought it nice to answer the question above...

The island is only 3.5m by 1.5 and so is very easy to explore, there is lots of history and very beautiful scenery all easy to find and get in amongst. There is a small town and a small harbour community, there is no shortage of pubs and the way of life is very (perhaps too?) relaxed with old fashioned opening hours that can be a shock to the system.

Currently the only marine facilities are swinging moorings, BUT there has long been talk of improving the facilities and perhaps even developing a fully fledged marina. There are showers, toilets, fuel, water and groceries available, chandleries and a clothing shop. Did I mention the pubs?

 

[rickym]

That's part of the charm closing for lunch, your que to go to the pub or whatever!

 

[rickym]

Thanks for all the comments so far all, the good and the bad - all very valuable.

I shall try not to keep interrupting the flow but I thought it nice to answer the question above...

The island is only 3.5m by 1.5 and so is very easy to explore, there is lots of history and very beautiful scenery all easy to find and get in amongst. There is a small town and a small harbour community, there is no shortage of pubs and the way of life is very (perhaps too?) relaxed with old fashioned opening hours that can be a shock to the system.

Currently the only marine facilities are swinging moorings, BUT there has long been talk of improving the facilities and perhaps even developing a fully fledged marina. There are showers, toilets, fuel, water and groceries available, chandleries and a clothing shop. Did I mention the pubs?

Improve the facilities and the shelter but don't make Alderney a marina please!

 

[Poignard]

The only reason I visit the Channel Islands is because they are a stopover on the way to Brittanny.

 

[Sadlermike]

Excellent museum.

 

[npf1]

Totally agree with above: showers, dinghy parking and space between moorings all need improving. Surely, these are all easily fixable without requiring much money to be spent.

More specifically, I'd like to see the shower facilites a) clean b) with some sort of keypad entry and c) separate from the public toilets. Last time I was there they were minging, plus they seemed to be a playground for a gang of kids. I also seem to recall that SWMBO would have liked a hairdyer thing in the ladies shower area. We would be happy to pay £1 or £2 for decent and clean showers.

Except for the above, we liked the island and been several times in the last few years, sometimes staying for 3 days at a time.

 

[T_C]

The time before last we were in Alderney, we sat down at an outside table at a busy small cafe, for a cuppa tea, thats all. It was about 11.45 or slightly later. Woman (waitress ish) comes up to us, whipping the table she says "Hope you dont want any food, we're closing for lunch soon". Well thank you for such a warm welcome, I thought, just as well we havent made a special effort to come and see you!

Fred drift because I haven't been there since the early eighties, but I recall a chippy at the top end of St Anne's which had a sign on the door "Closed for lunch".
Tickled me....

 

[Topcat47]

I love Alderney. The pace of life, the people, the community feel, the Divers and the First & Last. I second the appeal not to turn it into a marina though.

 

[MarkG]

SWMBO and I have been there many times over the years, in fact part of our honeymoon included a few nights stop, with a visit to Rita's 'First and Last' which has always been one of our high points on any cruise.

Likes:
- The moorings - I wouldn't like them to change that much, certainly not to pontoons unless they were behind the sill.
- Mainbrayce very helpful, both the chandlery and taxi, although its time the poor taxi driver had a roof over their heads.
- Shops very convenient and we've been able to get all we needed.

Dislikes
- The MESS - when is it ever going to end. It feels like its been going on for ages!!