1st to 3rd July - Jersey (CI) to St. Quay Portieux (France)

Posted at 5:02 PM, Friday, July 3, 2009

Seems the freebie wifi is compliments of St Helier Marina, another improvement since we came here  in our old Swagman back in 2003.  It’s not the only change, as the whole place has a more affluent feel to it despite the recession.  Lots of new trendy bars, hotels and coffee houses.  Lots of well dressed people scurrying about their business. But not lots of tourists.

We took a day out and grabbed a bus to revisit Durrells Wildlife park.  They do not call them zoos any more.  But it was here in 2003 Sue fell in love with the great apes so we went back see how they had got on.

The biggest lady gorilla could not even remember seeing us back in 03.  She laid back and tried to recll seeing us before .................

............but ended up apologising.  Said sorry, but we all kind of look alike.

He big mate was even less impressed.

The notices say he gets grumpy when stared at – as you can see.  He's definately the daddy.

Weather for our two day stay was warm but showery.  Good to feel a hot deck under our feet once more and to enjoy a light lunch prepped for the cockpit.

Thursday midday saw us lock out over the sill early afternoon to head for France.  Absolutely zero wind so what with our motoring from mid-channel to Alderney then onward to Jersey – we topped up the fuel tank before we exited the harbour mouth.  Took on 70 litres – cost £45.  

Mirror like sea with black complex cloud shapes all around – but spookily empty as we rolled over at 7.5 knots to cover the 48 miles in a dead straight line to St Quay.  St Quay Portrieux is one of only two 24/7 entry ports on the N. Brittany coast so we fully expected to find it crowded on arrival.  Not so.  Only half a dozen visitors tied up in the huge complex which also holds hundreds of local smaller boats.

Trevor (English Harbourmaster) chatted on about how bad trade has been so far and how worried he is about this coming season.  But he mentioned that the next few days should see them busy as the  Tour de France a la Voile race fleet of Mumm 30’s is due to arrive later Friday.  This is sure to create a good party atmosphere ashore for the evenings.

This round France race is a big event and at each port the construct a canvas ‘village’ which we watched them erecting as we enjoyed our first lunch of Moule Frite midday today.  Bit skinny but sweet as.  For sure first of many.  Suns out.  Hot as.  Lovely.

Cheers

Sue and John

28th to 30th June 2009 - Lymington (UK) to Jersey (CI)

Posted at 3:37 PM, Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Sunday mid afternoon saw us slipping our lines from the fuel dock at Lymington Haven as we waved farewell to Rob, Louse and pal Judith who’d all come down for a kiss and a hug, and we then promptly chugged for only four miles over to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight - where we picked up a buoy for the evening / night! 

Not a huge first leg on our 2009 summer vacation - but a pre-planned one to get an early start.

The tidal tables showed a strong ebb from the Solent early Monday and we wanted to be well placed to take maximum advantage of that to help us cross to the Channel Islands in speedy fashion.   Plus - there’s something nice about just sitting in the late afternoon sun off Yarmouth's pretty little harbour - watching just about everyone else having to head back to home / work and knowing you’re not doing the same thing!  Blissful relaxed afternoon.

So this is it.

Our chance to break out one more time heading for the summer sun which we hope to find this year for two months in N Spain and Portugal, with some exploring along the N and S Brittany coasts en-route.

A few years back when we spend a summer in N Brittany all we found was chilly fog weather, whilst only ten miles inland France fried through one of its hottest summers.  So no soddin about this time. 

If we find that same fog it will be bye-bye Brittany in short order and off we’ll head hotfooting for Spain.

The Monday morning was crisp and clear for our start from Yarmouth and Swagman really shouldered aside the seas as she creamed away at 9 knots leaving the Isle of Wight to fall back over the horizon in the early morning sun.  Fortunately the good breeze lasted until midday when we ghosting into fog banks, so it was sails down and motor on as we picked our way across the shipping lanes with radar pinging and fog horn blasting.  Lots of big boat traffic in these waters.

With lots of sightings but no dramas we ended up motoring in brilliant sunshine but no wind, into Alderney at 4pm and picking up a buoy in Bray Harbour.  Took all of five seconds to then decide it was a definitely G&T time to celebrate the successful crossing.  I find the WWII bunkers and fortifications added by the Germans when they occupied this island give the place a concretey grim apperance to it all, but the locals are super friendly and make up any shortfall anytime we've stopped here before.

A short evening run ashore saw us climb the hill up to the city of St Anne’s where ‘The Buffs’ Thai Restaurant exerted a kind of magic pull by 7 pm.  Flopped in to enjoy excellent grub, which we partly worked off when caught out by a loud and flashing thunderstorm on the walk / run back down the hill at 9pm.  Absolutely soaked by the time the water taxi found us waiting on the dockside and finally dumped us back on board. 

Nice snuggling down to the patter of rain on the cabin top – bit like camping on the water really.

Today (Tuesday) saw us slide out of Bray Harbour with zero wind at 0600 - but lots of tide to once again take advantage of.  Engine revs for 6 knots saw us doing 12.6 knots (wow) at one stage as we were swept through the Swinge (the channel on the west side of Alderney) and pushed off southward for Jersey - under engine the whole way.  Great boat speed kept up for the complete route, compliments of the huge tidal movements one finds around this coastline.

Our oilskins got their first true use since we last wore them crossing the Atlantic in 2007, and we needed them for this leg.  Pissed down BIG time.

Made it over the tidal sill into St Helier Marina at 1200.  Still raining, but found this freebie unsecured wifi link, so thought I’d update the blog.  Another win!

Cheers

JOHN  and SUE xx 

Last Minute Packing and off tomorrow

Posted at 7:45 AM, Saturday, June 27, 2009

Have just recovered from last weekend.  Someone remind us we are not 25 any more!  The Round The Island Race was tiring enough, but the bike ride rounded it all off. 

Monday and Tuesday I felt like the walking dead.  Although we did complete both OK.

Had a great boat race but not so good results. 

Leg one down to the Needles saw some brilliant navigation from pal Derek put us in all the right spots to pick up tidaly streams and arrive there as one of the first in our 'black' fleet.  Busy as it always is, we suprisingly found ourselves usually with clear air, so popped out around the Needles to hoist a kite a run off before a medium westerly breeze.

A couple of gybes to get us into the southern coast saw us open a big rip along the spinnaker foot so Rob laboured down below taping it all up and once repacekd by Karen and Rob in double quick time, off we went doing still quite nicely.

St Catherines and the run up to Bembridge Ledge saw the wind softening but both Tom (the younger) and Steve ground away on the winches to allow Matt and Tom (the elder) to get the most from the sails.and as we closed the rounding mark we found the whole of the earlier fleets parked up drifting in zero breeze. 

We slid towards them gently but ourselves came to a stop and then watched the rest of the combined fleets - which we'd worked so hard to get away from earlier in the day - slide down towards us on a brand new breeze.  Very frustrating - but the race started all over again from that spot - meaning we all knew the result was going to be a lottery.

Lotsa fun with 1,000 yachts all trying to round Bendridge Ledge buoy at the same time and in a drifting wind.  Fortunately most saw it for what is was and there were more smiles and apologies than cursing and shouting - but eventually we got round and beat our way up to the Horse Sands Fort and our entry back into the eastern Solent. 

It was here close tacking inshore we really lost our race.  Swagman is not a nimble boat to throw around and with the whole race fleet together including hundereds of smaller boats able to spin on a dime, we seemed to spend nearly an hour clearing the point and getting in over Ryde Sands and out of the ebb tide.  Phew.

Good close reach up to the finish line saw us crossing in company with other bigger and indeed some much raceir yachts, but we all knew already that the silverware was going to the smaller boats in the fleet. 

We finished half way down our 'black' division 125 boats so not as good as last year, however was placed close to 130th in the full fleet so did achieve our top 10% goal.

But it was a longish but super day out with some really lovely people.

Thanks go to Rob for calling most shots.  Derek for great navigation. Karen for so quick spinnaker packing and always wide awake to what was going on around us, Matt and Tom the elder who nursed our main (one of the deck fittings lifed half way out so full pressure could never be applied without risking it being ripped out completely), Steve and Tom the younger for super grinding work.  All did a great job, 

We dropped off Karen, Derek, Matt and Tom the elder into Cowes and sped back to Lymington under motor with Steve and young Tom and Rob.  Parked Swagman up by 9 pm and Rob and I streaked  eastward in the car to Brighton.

Got there by 11 pm feeling a tad jaded even after a cleansing ale.  Guess it was due to us being up at 5 to prep the boat and a later drinking night on Friday.

But up again Sunday at 4.30 to jump the bus to London took some effrot - then 60 miles later we all slid back into Brighton on our bikes! 

Was not all bad.  Two pals Madelaine and Will prepped a fabuous picnic hamper we all tucked into at Turners Hill (half way), but just about collapsed into my pudding once we'd shared an evening meal and a few bears later that night.

All in all a super packed weekend - but it has left us with a couple of jobs to re-sort on the boat before we leave. 

Aim to do that tomorrow on the early ebb tide - possibly slide straight down south to either Cherbourg or maybe Alderny.  But lots of packing still to do today so best end this now!

Cheers

John and Sue

Hi Guys

Posted at 9:34 AM, Monday, May 25, 2009

Gerry - no need to worry about leading the younger guys astray on the stag outing.  They already knew where to go and I went along for the ride!  Ouch.

Keith and Pam - enjoy the East Med.  Some of the Turkish and certainly Lebanese and Jordanian wines are just fine.  But don't ask us to recall any brand names.

Bob and Ami - great to learn you got back safely.  How was the run over from Africa to Brazil?  We may take the big silver bird later this year to your homeland - so God willing - may be able to share a glass or two with you both.

love to you all

Sue and John

May 2009 - the Summer Cruise is almost on us..........

Posted at 8:32 AM, Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Seems like ages since I found time to update the blog.  Guess we've not seen much value in continually adding notes about trips to Cowes etc.  But as our ETD end June is now fast approaching, it is time to maybe resume input.

We're still finishing off jobs of Swagman, but essentially she's good to go.  Had to rebuild the windlass dueto bent internal bits - all caused by too much finger action and too little attention to chain blockages late last year.  Had a chippie in to cut a bigger inspection hatch into engine room so changing things like impeller or starter just that tad easier now.  Have one bit of Raymarine kit off getting repairs and can;t believe how long that is taking - but hopeful it will be before we cast off heading south.

Plus got a blokey blokes stag weekend away on the boat next week, then Round the Island Race 21th June, before we turn south west and head off on the two month break.  Go see this event at http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk

Once we are away, weather dependent of course, we're planning to go some way south west down the UK coast to explore a few anchorages we've not visited before.  We'd then drop down across the Channel to Northern Brittany so we can enjoy some of their fabulous local music, cider, wine, moules and frits.  A week of so exploring the pink granite coastline will see us round Ushant and down to Southerm Brittany - which is going to be all new to us.

We're told it is great to island hop down this coastline and we're under instructions not to rush it.  We're going to take that advice this time round. 

But once we do get fed up and want more sun, we'll slide out and over Biscay to the Northern Spanish Rias and spend another month with pals hopefully flying out to stop over, and meander up every Ria and river we can find before dropping down the Portuguese Atlantic coast.  There are some lovely spots to hold up and scoff a grilled sardine so we'll pick and choose our way down to Cape St Vincent, and then bend eastward towards Lagos on the Algave coast.

With good fortune we should make it by late August and be on the big silver bird early September - but it;'s far too soon to be thinking about that now, isn't it?

I'll keep you posted from here on in.

Take Care  JOHN