Saturday 28th July.
Storm !!
After 3 nights in St Vast got up at 03.30 on Friday and prepared for the trip to Cherbourg - 36 miles - and really strong tides to deal with around the top of the Cherbourg peninsular.
The previous afternoon I worked out that if I left at high tide St Vast, or a bit earlier, the tide would be going with us all the way.
At 04.15 there were flashes of lightning in the clouds but no thunder and the wind was blowing force 4.
I waited until the flashes had passed to the South and set off at 06.00 in company with a fine Swedish boat about the same size as Blazer.
When we got out into St Vast Bay - WOW - the wind had picked up to force 6 and the waves were Huge.
Blazer seemed to be coping fine and I Reasoned that it would calm down now the storm had passed.
I pressed on.
About an hour later the sky went dark the wind picked to almost force 7 and we were crashing into each big wave - then the fork lightning started way off to the West.
It started to rain really hard then the fork lightning was ahead of us - massive streaks from clouds to sea.
I'm sure I could smell burnt air.
Then there was a much closer flash off to the East of us with a terrific crack!
All it needed was the stereo playing the Ride of the Valkyries to complete the Epic.
Then it stopped lightning and gradually the wind dropped - by the time we reached the top corner we were much more comfortable.
The rest of the trip was straight forward engine on and genoa helping we were doing 9.5 knots over the ground at one stage - we got the tide right.
Lots of gannets around.
Into Cherbourg at midday - Great.
Cherbourg is a massive port - Thousands of berths - 300 visitors berths - lots of British boats.
Now I've been working out what to do next - the channel islands are just round the corner and I would like to visit them and take my time - maybe 2 weeks.
Cherbourg would be a good place to leave Blazer for 3 or 4 weeks if it was economical -
There is a fast ferry to Poole from here.
I checked, and they give a big discount for a months stay - I paid up.
I plan to go home on Monday 30th July - ferry and train.
Today - Saturday - is warm and sunny so I got the bike out and explored.
It's not really a holiday destination but it a nice city.
There is a huge grand building on one quay that was the old transatlantic terminal were Titanic set off from.
I cycled through town to the monster Carefoure supermarket and bought an umbrella - (The Umbrella's of Cherbourg) a garden one that now forms a sun shade in the cockpit - It fits through a new hole in the table and works well.
All that's left now, is to clean up and pack - End of Phase One.
Approximately 261 miles travelled - Great.
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