Window for moving West!

benw

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Looks like Weds will be our day to head for Guernsey - fingers crossed!
Looks like weather back on the Orwell is similar to here. Hired a car for a couple of days taking in Mon St Michel and today out to Cap de la Hague wind across tide looked fierce. But - good to show the crew the overfalls we do not intend to go through. Not sure it worked!
 
Think we saw you in Brighton. We were hold up there for a few days, getting west this year is a big challenge! Currently enjoying Chichester harbour area taking the sun when it comes. Thurs and Fri look good potential for westing.
 
Think our plans of the channel islands or further are scuppered. We were battered into Brighton two days ago and we are looking at a run back to Dover/Ramsgit Wednesday but who knows? Might be able to get a cpl of days on the Deben or Ore before back to Ipswich. What a wipe out?

Hope you other East coasters have a bit more luck.

All the best, Col.
 
Interesting watching different forecasts. We have passage weather, meteo consult and windfinder agreeing! Having spent three days with winds gusting up to F6 arriving in Brightom on Monday with a crossing to Cherbourg overnight weds thurs i feeling a little bit like the early
Momentum has been lost! But at least we are afloat and able to enjoy a bit a cheese and wine! Weds is defo looking like we will head for Guernsey but there are plenty of other folk having the same idea here too. Full main and no 2 should see us near the fromto of the queue in St P P!
 
First means another two rafted on you, all those Crews tromping over the foredeck, well mostly the foredeck...... Check out the St Peter port webcams...

If you have to wait for the sill, then you could be last in even though you've arrived first, at least then you're rafted on the outside :ambivalence:
 
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Think our plans of the channel islands or further are scuppered. We were battered into Brighton two days ago and we are looking at a run back to Dover/Ramsgit Wednesday but who knows? Might be able to get a cpl of days on the Deben or Ore before back to Ipswich. What a wipe out?

Hope you other East coasters have a bit more luck.

All the best, Col.

Nope. It's a pile of poo. We were supposed to leave for Ramsgate last Saturday, the day the storm struck. It's all very iffy.
 
We draw 2m so unlikely to get one of the few berths in the Victoria marina. Have been advised that the harbour staff will advise. We are resigned to being in the pool.
Re charging batteries via the engine may see a few boats off.
F5 W on Weds forecast now which is more than was forecasted yesterday. But it is coming down gradually from the gale !
 
we are holed-up in Oranjeplaats well sheltered from the wind that is howling.
this is a superb club marina, we were made most welcome in the bar yesterday & we think its the most friendly place we have been to in the past 5 weeks & only £13.50 a night all in
bar prices
bier €0.80 for 250ml
wine €1.75 a glass
 
We draw 2m so unlikely to get one of the few berths in the Victoria marina. Have been advised that the harbour staff will advise. We are resigned to being in the pool.

I'm a bit of a fraud here really as I'm sat in Fambridge listening to the wind howling, but I'm following, on Marine Traffic, a good friend who is trying to get to the Med. (He's stuck in L'Aber Wrach at the moment)

I watched the process at Victoria Marina via a webcam. If there is insufficient water over the sill all the boats sit on the waiting pontoons until called forward by the Marina Staff operating in two ribs. First all the MoBos charged in followed by the yachts. My mate was on the pontoon nearest the facilities just inside the entrance. He is a Bavaria 38 and draws two metres, so you should be OK. Apparently they have made a few improvements in the marina with regard to customer care and the WiFi worked very well.

But Guernsey ain't what it was in the old days, when booze was cheap and duty free was available.
 
The depth varies within the marina so there are only a limited number of spots suitable for boats with deep draft (there is a picture of a boat heeled over in one if the cruising guides)

The visitors marina at St Helier suffers a similar problem but has a silty bottom so apparently no harm in going aground, which is what happened when we there at the beginning of July
 
The depth varies within the marina so there are only a limited number of spots suitable for boats with deep draft (there is a picture of a boat heeled over in one if the cruising guides)

The visitors marina at St Helier suffers a similar problem but has a silty bottom so apparently no harm in going aground, which is what happened when we there at the beginning of July
If you're in one of the finger berths, try passing the time by doing a bit of fishing. A friend's ensign staff blew out of its socket, complete with ensign, in a gale while we were there last summer. It must still be on the bottom.
 
we are holed-up in Oranjeplaats well sheltered from the wind that is howling.
this is a superb club marina, we were made most welcome in the bar yesterday & we think its the most friendly place we have been to in the past 5 weeks & only £13.50 a night all in
bar prices
bier €0.80 for 250ml
wine €1.75 a glass

Just looked up Oranjeplaats. No wonder its sheltered; talk about 'indoor sailing' :)
 
Well today the sun is out in Brighton and I may be wrong but it feels like the wind has dropped a knot or two? Certainly not getting any spray from the waves breaking on the breakwater., we have collected so much salt on deck that I am going to get junior to wash us down before we do a Mary Rose.
Looks like a run East to Ramsgit Thursday and across the Thames Friday you never know SWMBO may let me pop into the Ore or Deben or even Southwold (will have to check how busy anyone know?) for a day or so before we head back to Ipswich. Is anyone else on the move soon?

Cheers, Col.
 
We are in Bruinisse watching the grand daughters compete in the Tera dinghy championship.
As the kiddiewinks are brave enough to venture out, we thought we should too, but it isn't pleasant! 35 knots and short steep seas. I don't think it has dropped below force 6 since Friday.
Happy hols everybods!
 
I was in Southwold yesterday. The stagings looked very empty, but the entrance as dodgy as ever. 8 x Dover sole for £14 :)
 
I was in Southwold yesterday. The stagings looked very empty, but the entrance as dodgy as ever. 8 x Dover sole for £14 :)
Surprised you say the entrance is dodgy as ever. As regards depth, there's been far more water at the entrance this year and last. Still dodgy in onshore winds, of course.
 
Chichester harbour has been good fun today, lots of sun and buckets of wind but the beach is good and the anchoring is free. We have to go west come what may on Thursday, picking up crew in Southampton (TransEurope ;)) then I dooooo declare that Friday is the day to go west proper and get to Studland Bay.
 
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