Monday, April 16, 2007

Cherbourg trip

The forcast was 3-4 rising to fives and we left at 08.35 on friday the thirteenth (tee hee) the wind was threes directly on our stern with the sea state calm ( wierd) by the time we had reached half way, about two hours plus , we were in fives but still with a fairly calm sea ( 18 inch waves) at 20 kts plus we still had about five knots of wind overtaking us. (a strange sensation) the wind reducd during the second part of the journey and when we were approximately a mile off Cherbourg we entered a fog bank and slowed towards the unseen Cherbourg eastern entrance. with still no sight of land, we came across some sailing boats and eventually the eastern entrance came into view. we entered and called the Marina who pointed us onto pontoon H where we tied up for the rest of the day! the boat behaved brilliantly with a max speed over the ground of 20.8 KPH the engines stayed at the working temperature and we used less than a half a tank, each engine, of diesel. The journey was 89 nautical miles and on a course of 210 ish degrees from Brighton! We spent a day at the marina and got the owners sorted out for their domicile in La belle France and then on Sunday we took the ferry to Poole arriving back at Brighton around 17.30! the owner and his wife stayed with me on my boat for the night and sorted out their situation here in the UK and will be staying again tonight and going back to Cherbourg and thier life in La Belle France on thursday! for which I wish them well. For me it was a good trip and a new experience to have such a clam crossing in such high winds, which reinforce that I was right to take the descision in spite of several attempts by a couple of sailors and their wives ( armed with the latest weather forcast, which I had) to dissuade the owners not to go because the winds were too high! Ho Hum! nobody likes a smart ass :o)) (or wa I just lucky)

5 comments:

Fuff said...

Naaa. Wind was light all weekend, but viz was a bit rubbish at times. Lovely to have had such a clam crossing :) Heeheee.

rob said...

I just love "clam" crossings, what an unusual trip? in all my days so far I have never experienced such a "clam" crossing, it was great! :o)) Just amazing that I couldn`t see France / Cherbourg until less than a mile off everything was in our favour! all I`ve got to do now is finish all my jobs at home! Eughhh! I also couldnt believe how much cheaper it is to keep a boat there less than 50% of what it is in Brighton and the customer service and staff attitude was so much better! Ho hum! I guess that the French won`t stand for it! Mind you diesel at 1.18 euros a litre Back to sail I think! ouch!!!

Fuff said...

It's amazing how many south coast bods use the ferry to get to their boats over there because of the costs involved. Back to sail isn't such a bad thing tho issit (tho the sofas on motorboats are ever so comfy)? Teehee :)

rob said...

Oh Yea and driving somebody elses is much more economical than driving ones own :o(( know what I mean? I must get back to sail Reallyyyyyyyyyyyy I nust!

rob said...

Nust I! :o))