Views of those who visited Alderney in the last 2 seasons?
- Thread starter Channel Ribs
- Start date
David_Jersey
New member
With engine? ROTFLMAO
Weird sh#t like that happens all the time in these parts - probably worth visiting just for that
IanR
Member
Why Alderney
Alderney and Channel Islands
Reasons for visiting quite different Guernsey as it is on the way to Brittany and is a nice place in the north for a stop off . St Petes too busy generally prefer Beaucette.
Jersey - won't go there too commercial and St Helier should have two LLs
Alderney - visited a few times and stayed once for a whole week. I love to visit for the change of pace, I do enjoy the 1950s character,(Yes sure customer service is a tiny bit variable - but there is no rationing particularly for the sea food!!) I enjoy the peace and quiet and would visit more IF only SWMBO could find an acceptable set of toilets and showers. The current ones are always full of sand, cold and dirty floors and generally well past their sell by date. If you could do something about these facilities we could easily be conviced to come back more often.
I agree however that the morring buoys are convenient only if you can be sure not to get hammered by a bouncing neighbour, so please ensure that they are marked with max LOA somewhere otherwise would have to anchor if space available.
Mainbrayce and Roland etc always been most helpful and go there just to look around, always buy something even if I did not know I needed it.. Harbour Master also very approachable and offers good advice. Water taxi service useful if a bit pricey but carry the tender as well so you pays your money and takes your choice.
There are of course some great anchorages away from Braye and perhaps a little more publicity about them could mean Braye not becoming overcrowded,
I don't want a marina either and so please just do something about the facilities, why not link any investment for them with the sailing club and get double benefit?
Thanks for asking...
Alderney and Channel Islands
Reasons for visiting quite different Guernsey as it is on the way to Brittany and is a nice place in the north for a stop off . St Petes too busy generally prefer Beaucette.
Jersey - won't go there too commercial and St Helier should have two LLs
Alderney - visited a few times and stayed once for a whole week. I love to visit for the change of pace, I do enjoy the 1950s character,(Yes sure customer service is a tiny bit variable - but there is no rationing particularly for the sea food!!) I enjoy the peace and quiet and would visit more IF only SWMBO could find an acceptable set of toilets and showers. The current ones are always full of sand, cold and dirty floors and generally well past their sell by date. If you could do something about these facilities we could easily be conviced to come back more often.
I agree however that the morring buoys are convenient only if you can be sure not to get hammered by a bouncing neighbour, so please ensure that they are marked with max LOA somewhere otherwise would have to anchor if space available.
Mainbrayce and Roland etc always been most helpful and go there just to look around, always buy something even if I did not know I needed it.. Harbour Master also very approachable and offers good advice. Water taxi service useful if a bit pricey but carry the tender as well so you pays your money and takes your choice.
There are of course some great anchorages away from Braye and perhaps a little more publicity about them could mean Braye not becoming overcrowded,
I don't want a marina either and so please just do something about the facilities, why not link any investment for them with the sailing club and get double benefit?
Thanks for asking...
LittleSister
Well-known member
We visited in a 23 footer in summer 2008, from Solent, on way to Brittany. We seemed lucky to pick up about the last mooring left.
As the First Mate has just said - "I liked it. It was nice and unpretentious. It was very rolly, though."
I think we must have been very tired when we arrived, because neither of us can remember much detail of the visit.
I think the rolling made us leave more quickly than we otherwise would have done, and while not put us off visiting again, puts it lower down the 'keen to revisit' list.
Staff in the harbour office were very friendly.
Chandlery (then up for sale) was pricey but worth it to get what we needed (new hand-bearing compass and something else I've forgotten). I think we had some problem getting a response from the water taxi and so ended up reluctantly pumping up the inflatable.
Food shop seemed expensive and limited stock, but hey, it's an island.
Major harbour works going on, but didn't trouble us.
Had fish and chips at a cafe near the harbour, but abandoned chips as inedible.
We live further away now, but if we were passing that way again we'd like to visit and explore more of the island, but we'd want to try to pick some more settled weather in the hope of avoiding the worst of the rolling.
As the First Mate has just said - "I liked it. It was nice and unpretentious. It was very rolly, though."
I think we must have been very tired when we arrived, because neither of us can remember much detail of the visit.
I think the rolling made us leave more quickly than we otherwise would have done, and while not put us off visiting again, puts it lower down the 'keen to revisit' list.
Staff in the harbour office were very friendly.
Chandlery (then up for sale) was pricey but worth it to get what we needed (new hand-bearing compass and something else I've forgotten). I think we had some problem getting a response from the water taxi and so ended up reluctantly pumping up the inflatable.
Food shop seemed expensive and limited stock, but hey, it's an island.
Major harbour works going on, but didn't trouble us.
Had fish and chips at a cafe near the harbour, but abandoned chips as inedible.
We live further away now, but if we were passing that way again we'd like to visit and explore more of the island, but we'd want to try to pick some more settled weather in the hope of avoiding the worst of the rolling.
old_salt
Active member
To add to my earlier post.
Not been for some time now but Please Please NO Pontoons.
Half the fun is on the buoy's.
We used to love it when the Winston Churchill came in with her piper on the fore deck.
17 pubs then don't know about now, all within walking distance.
They closed then at different times ask and you could always find the one that was open even if it meant the long walk to the Golf Club.
Not been for some time now but Please Please NO Pontoons.
Half the fun is on the buoy's.
We used to love it when the Winston Churchill came in with her piper on the fore deck.
17 pubs then don't know about now, all within walking distance.
They closed then at different times ask and you could always find the one that was open even if it meant the long walk to the Golf Club.
glashen
New member
I'm a great fan of Alderney and I think it is one those places many think of as an achievement when we first make it in our own boats. Yes the make over of Braye does seem to have been going on for a long time good to hear it is nearing completion.
Regarding picking up Buoys, since I sail single handed a lot Alderney was a challenge, I have now developed a simple method which seems to work on my 24 foot Trident. Make up a long enough line to attach to the Samson Post, through the Bow and back to the cockpit, have a large Snap Hook attached to this. Motor alongside the buoy grabbing with boat hook if neccesary, you do need to be a bit quick here (but nowhere near as quick as doing it at the bow) Attach the snap hook to the buoy either straight on the the ring or back on its self, depending on the ring size. Smartly go to the bows and pull the Boat into place.(yes again the mooring are close in Alderney so don't have a cup of tea first) It is now easy to attach the main mooring chain/line and you already have a safety line in place.
temptress
Well-known member
Love the place but the moorings are to close to each other
We usually go to Alderney a couple of times a year. Went 3 times last summer. The last visit we just anchored to wait for the tide down the race.
We love the place and really enjoy the harbour. We find the locals friendly but you don’t go to Alderneyfor any sort of customer service. We go there to relax and just try to fit in.
We NEVER use the moorings even if lots of them are unoccupied as they are far far to close together and we often seen boats swinging into each other.
We usually go to Alderney a couple of times a year. Went 3 times last summer. The last visit we just anchored to wait for the tide down the race.
We love the place and really enjoy the harbour.
We find the locals friendly but you don’t go to Alderneyfor any sort of customer service. We go there to relax and just try to fit in.We NEVER use the moorings even if lots of them are unoccupied as they are far far to close together and we often seen boats swinging into each other.
snooks
Active member
The joys of Alderney
andy59
Well-known member
We went last year (lovely september weather ) everyone was very friendly and helpfull ,we love the peace and quiet and will go back again . agree whith others on toilets and dinghy pontoon , maybe a sill to inner harbour would be easy and give potential for some non rolly berths etc.
snooks
Active member
Ooooooh I like that idea
a bit like Padstow, no pontoons, just a good harbour wall that isn't too tidal, and peeps with keels can still get along side.Nothing complex like St Hellier, just a tidal gauge and a sill like St PP without the traffic lights.
KISS
Ex-SolentBoy
New member
I visited Alderney four times this summer, mainly as as convenient stop over to the other islands and northern brittany. Twice we went ashore and twice we did not. Here are my views.
1. We anchored in the bay for a very reasonable amount, and were particularly pleased to be given the latest weather forecast by the chap who collected our money.
2. There seems to be a shortage of buoys for visitors and it is not clear whether the many residents buoys are available to visitors. One member of the harbour staff said no, another said yes. Why not communicate with your residents when they go out and see if there buoys will be available overnight. I saw several boats cramming into the anchorage, despite several free buoys that were still free the next morning.
3. The dinghy pontoon is too small and get's overcrowded.
4. The immediate area when one does go ashore is grim, scruffy and unwelcoming. We were therefore reluctant to go ashore despite knowing that there are good places to go elsewhere in the island.
5. Our boat is 44ft long and there seem to be even less suitable buoys.
6. If the harbour had better shelter we would be encouraged to stay longer.
1. We anchored in the bay for a very reasonable amount, and were particularly pleased to be given the latest weather forecast by the chap who collected our money.
2. There seems to be a shortage of buoys for visitors and it is not clear whether the many residents buoys are available to visitors. One member of the harbour staff said no, another said yes. Why not communicate with your residents when they go out and see if there buoys will be available overnight. I saw several boats cramming into the anchorage, despite several free buoys that were still free the next morning.
3. The dinghy pontoon is too small and get's overcrowded.
4. The immediate area when one does go ashore is grim, scruffy and unwelcoming. We were therefore reluctant to go ashore despite knowing that there are good places to go elsewhere in the island.
5. Our boat is 44ft long and there seem to be even less suitable buoys.
6. If the harbour had better shelter we would be encouraged to stay longer.
sailorman
Well-known member
sailorman
Well-known member
We usually go to Alderney a couple of times a year. Went 3 times last summer. The last visit we just anchored to wait for the tide down the race.
We love the place and really enjoy the harbour.
We NEVER use the moorings even if lots of them are unoccupied as they are far far to close together and we often seen boats swinging into each other.
Plus the bouys are GRP
topsides damage
Ex-SolentBoy
New member
And to add to my previous:-
PLEASE put some proper pickups on the mooring bows.
PLEASE put some proper pickups on the mooring bows.
actionoptics
Member
Alderney Carnival
We meant to stay overnight before continuing down to Brittanyy but our visit coincided with Alderney week. Absolutely brilliant week of events and everyone was smiling and helpful. Even though we did not recognise the names of the locals who were being mocked on stage, we got most of the jokes. We stayed all week and look forward to the next time.
We meant to stay overnight before continuing down to Brittanyy but our visit coincided with Alderney week. Absolutely brilliant week of events and everyone was smiling and helpful. Even though we did not recognise the names of the locals who were being mocked on stage, we got most of the jokes. We stayed all week and look forward to the next time.
tt65
New member
2 frinds wanted to visit Alderney. We did the bike ride around and the weather wa good and food and drink was fine but after 48 hours they both wanted to move onas they felt they had "Done" Alderney, which we did and went to Guernsey.
RAF
New member
Alderney the good the bad and the ugly
I have been visiting Alderney on a regular basis since 1970. I love the harbour, the Sailing club with its afternoon tea and the cycling and walking. However on the first hint of a NE clear out because it is ugly!
I have been visiting Alderney on a regular basis since 1970. I love the harbour, the Sailing club with its afternoon tea and the cycling and walking. However on the first hint of a NE clear out because it is ugly!
Moodyman
Member
Been many times over the years. Last was in July 2008 when we spent 5 days there in very settled conditions. Walked the island from end to end....really great. You don't go there for noisy/lively entertainment, or for gastronomic delights but for the slower pace of small island life. Downsides.....not many but last time the dinghy parking was chaos - our dinghy was cast adrift one one occasion. The alternative at the time was Mainbrace water taxi which I think was charging £3 a head (the company was for sale so new owners may not charge such prices). They wern't getting much business. The moorings were certainly not full when we were last there but its a bit of a free for all when it does get busy. Harbour master is very visible in the mornings to collect fees but not around early evenings or when the tide is right for new arrivals.
Still, I'm sure I'll return soon
Still, I'm sure I'll return soon
Channel Ribs
New member
There is a clear picture emerging that the dinghy pontoon is a problem, sadly there is little hope of it being made bigger but I do think the existing rules about length of stay might be up for review.
The watertaxi service is directly linked to the pontoon issue, as the more people that use one the better the latter will be. I am delighted to report that there are indeed new owners and that they have been congratulated on a good first season, the rates are 1.50 in day times and 2.00 in the evenings.
Also the harbour office is staffed 12 hours a day, seven days a week in summer. Outside of that season there are plenty of people like us who can help out.
Thanks again for all the comments, please do keep them coming and keep voting in the poll.
mobeydick
Member
We go there often, sometimes as passage stop, sometimes as a destination of its own. Mostly - leave it as it is! Some comments though:
- The mooring bouys are not all spaced the same: some have more room than others, and it is not obvious which are are which. Adds to the fun. Only once had a problem (39ft) and shifted to adjacent bouy which was fine.
- We dont use shore showers/heads (onboard facilities)
- The achorage is getting smaller by the year as more moorings are put out for local boats. PLEASE retain (plenty of) anchoring space!
- We use own dinghy to get ashore. Dinghy park congested, but never failed to get in yet. Adds to the fun
- Will be glad when docks work is done: was like being in a building site. Perhaps some '70s style stone cladding......?
MD
- The mooring bouys are not all spaced the same: some have more room than others, and it is not obvious which are are which. Adds to the fun. Only once had a problem (39ft) and shifted to adjacent bouy which was fine.
- We dont use shore showers/heads (onboard facilities)
- The achorage is getting smaller by the year as more moorings are put out for local boats. PLEASE retain (plenty of) anchoring space!
- We use own dinghy to get ashore. Dinghy park congested, but never failed to get in yet. Adds to the fun
- Will be glad when docks work is done: was like being in a building site. Perhaps some '70s style stone cladding......?
MD