TheBishop
Well-Known Member
Took the family ( Wife and two small boys 3 and 2 ) together with my mate as crew from Plymouth to CI's and St Malo last week.
Crossed on Saturday from Plymouth to St Peter port. Took on 1100 litres at Plymouth Yacht Haven at a cost from memory of 87p?? Left Plmouth at 1230 got to St PP around 2000. Boat is a Trader 50 cruising at 2000revs: SOG around 11kts. Crossing uneventful, F3/4 from NW. Plenty of commercial shipping but radar and MARPA takes care of uncertainty.
STPP a complete zoo. Rafted up outside alongside a big Squaddie but inner marina full to overflowing. Next morning a daughter of a friend of mine flew in from the UK to act as nanny, we picked up 1100 litres at the St PP Fuel berth at a cost of 54p. The StPP HarbourMaster told me that he had never had as many big motorboats in and wondered why? Mmmm...87p plays 54p....go figure.
Ran down to St Malo leaving Guernsey around 1100 and got there in time for the first lock at around 1430. Another zoo as a big freighter went in followed by a gnats swarm of small boats jamming up the lock. we tucked in behind the freighter with a yacht hanging off us. Utter mayhem for 10 minutes but managed well by the lock staff. The water levels change slowly but you have to man your lines as its a long way up.
Sat in my favourite spot alongside the quay outside the walls. Water and electricity and the guinea seats for promenaders. St Malo is quite my favourite place on this coast. Great restaurants, bars, shopping. An old walled corsair town virtually flattened in the war: interesting comparison with Plymouth which pre War was a fine timbered town I believe. Similarly flattened by bombing; difference was the French rebuilt St Malo exactly as it was, Plymouth was rebuilt by East European lunatics!!
Wind resolutely in the NW, grey skies, so no chance to put the kids on the beach, so we enjoy the town and its restaurants courtesy of our on board nanny.
After 3 days we go back to Guernsey and watch with interest as the Brittany ferry cuts the west Minkies reef very close...well east of the NW Minkies cardinal and about a mile east of us . Will clock that next time I am down that way. northbound he leaves the SW Cardinal to starboard and the NW well to port. Lots of water but very close to the reef.
Its blowing top of a F4 into 5 as we get back to Guernsey and its mad again outside STPP. We get alongside a Princess who is outside an Aquastar and we get a Grand Banks outside us. I am 25 tonnes on my own so its shore lines out fellas.
Again no chance of going in so the HM sends us to the QE marina next door and we berth alongside a Trader 53. If he is in here thank you. we came and went quietly without fuss and i greatly admire your deck ladders...where did you get them from?
Left after a day for Alderney but first filled up at St sampson from the road tanker. 800 litres at 47p. It is by appointment only but well worth booking if you are down that way. Ferocious cross tide coming into St sampson so watch out...we were flying sideways very quickly so be on your toes as reefs abound there.
Went up to Alderney via the Swinge with careful avoidance of Pierre Vraic in the main track to Alderney from Guernsey...why isnt it bouyed?? HM put us in the SE corner which is to be avoided as a nasty swell runs in there and we rolled like a pig. Mate has a house on the island so we stayed overnight there....I dont think a night on the boat would have been pleasant.
Next morning...the boom of the foghorn!! Great! we had a couple of miles viz by 0900 so we go. Running at 1800 revs but a nasty rolling cross sea makes the kids and wife throw up...crank up to 2100 revs and we flatten out a bit but still a roll in the NW 4. Shipping lanes busier than I have seen for a long while....probably 30 ships eastbound and we have a policy of ducking round the stern if in doubt. Marpa a great help but I'm always glad to get those big mothers astern of me.
Kids and wife not having a great time so we opt to run into Salcombe for the night. Get to Salcombe about 1430 and go up the top of the Bag onto a bouy. HM takes our lines , very helpful. We have a house there so we decamp for land.
Next morning my mate and I take the boat back to Plymouth, leaving the family in Salcombe. My car is at the marina so I can go back to get them later.
Good trip but weather could have been kinder ....and hotter! Its a tough call between slowing right down to get fuel efficiency and speeding up to flatten out the ride and get the family there quicker. We opt for the latter. I am considering flying the family to Guernsey next year and crossing with just my mate and I.
Saw virtually no mobos on the crossing but did bump into the Mobo rally in St PP. I wonder if the fuel price has kept us all on the UK side of the Channel. I enquired about berthing permanently in Guernsey but was told of a 5 year waiting list for off islanders....is that true???
Will sign off now but happy to expand on areas of interest if asked.
The Bishop
Jules Verne
Trader 50
Crossed on Saturday from Plymouth to St Peter port. Took on 1100 litres at Plymouth Yacht Haven at a cost from memory of 87p?? Left Plmouth at 1230 got to St PP around 2000. Boat is a Trader 50 cruising at 2000revs: SOG around 11kts. Crossing uneventful, F3/4 from NW. Plenty of commercial shipping but radar and MARPA takes care of uncertainty.
STPP a complete zoo. Rafted up outside alongside a big Squaddie but inner marina full to overflowing. Next morning a daughter of a friend of mine flew in from the UK to act as nanny, we picked up 1100 litres at the St PP Fuel berth at a cost of 54p. The StPP HarbourMaster told me that he had never had as many big motorboats in and wondered why? Mmmm...87p plays 54p....go figure.
Ran down to St Malo leaving Guernsey around 1100 and got there in time for the first lock at around 1430. Another zoo as a big freighter went in followed by a gnats swarm of small boats jamming up the lock. we tucked in behind the freighter with a yacht hanging off us. Utter mayhem for 10 minutes but managed well by the lock staff. The water levels change slowly but you have to man your lines as its a long way up.
Sat in my favourite spot alongside the quay outside the walls. Water and electricity and the guinea seats for promenaders. St Malo is quite my favourite place on this coast. Great restaurants, bars, shopping. An old walled corsair town virtually flattened in the war: interesting comparison with Plymouth which pre War was a fine timbered town I believe. Similarly flattened by bombing; difference was the French rebuilt St Malo exactly as it was, Plymouth was rebuilt by East European lunatics!!
Wind resolutely in the NW, grey skies, so no chance to put the kids on the beach, so we enjoy the town and its restaurants courtesy of our on board nanny.
After 3 days we go back to Guernsey and watch with interest as the Brittany ferry cuts the west Minkies reef very close...well east of the NW Minkies cardinal and about a mile east of us . Will clock that next time I am down that way. northbound he leaves the SW Cardinal to starboard and the NW well to port. Lots of water but very close to the reef.
Its blowing top of a F4 into 5 as we get back to Guernsey and its mad again outside STPP. We get alongside a Princess who is outside an Aquastar and we get a Grand Banks outside us. I am 25 tonnes on my own so its shore lines out fellas.
Again no chance of going in so the HM sends us to the QE marina next door and we berth alongside a Trader 53. If he is in here thank you. we came and went quietly without fuss and i greatly admire your deck ladders...where did you get them from?
Left after a day for Alderney but first filled up at St sampson from the road tanker. 800 litres at 47p. It is by appointment only but well worth booking if you are down that way. Ferocious cross tide coming into St sampson so watch out...we were flying sideways very quickly so be on your toes as reefs abound there.
Went up to Alderney via the Swinge with careful avoidance of Pierre Vraic in the main track to Alderney from Guernsey...why isnt it bouyed?? HM put us in the SE corner which is to be avoided as a nasty swell runs in there and we rolled like a pig. Mate has a house on the island so we stayed overnight there....I dont think a night on the boat would have been pleasant.
Next morning...the boom of the foghorn!! Great! we had a couple of miles viz by 0900 so we go. Running at 1800 revs but a nasty rolling cross sea makes the kids and wife throw up...crank up to 2100 revs and we flatten out a bit but still a roll in the NW 4. Shipping lanes busier than I have seen for a long while....probably 30 ships eastbound and we have a policy of ducking round the stern if in doubt. Marpa a great help but I'm always glad to get those big mothers astern of me.
Kids and wife not having a great time so we opt to run into Salcombe for the night. Get to Salcombe about 1430 and go up the top of the Bag onto a bouy. HM takes our lines , very helpful. We have a house there so we decamp for land.
Next morning my mate and I take the boat back to Plymouth, leaving the family in Salcombe. My car is at the marina so I can go back to get them later.
Good trip but weather could have been kinder ....and hotter! Its a tough call between slowing right down to get fuel efficiency and speeding up to flatten out the ride and get the family there quicker. We opt for the latter. I am considering flying the family to Guernsey next year and crossing with just my mate and I.
Saw virtually no mobos on the crossing but did bump into the Mobo rally in St PP. I wonder if the fuel price has kept us all on the UK side of the Channel. I enquired about berthing permanently in Guernsey but was told of a 5 year waiting list for off islanders....is that true???
Will sign off now but happy to expand on areas of interest if asked.
The Bishop
Jules Verne
Trader 50
