Enjoying ourselves in Guernsey.

Wednesday 11th September 2013

Today - Alan and Marlene drove their hire car over to St. Peter port to see us - they found free (3 hour) parking on the harbour and met up with us for a bite of lunch on Blazer.

A walk around town - an ice cream - and a pleasant hour watching the harbour activities.

To avoid driving back to Cobo Bay in the dark - they decided to head back before the rush hour - if there is one on Guernsey !

Thursday 12th September 2013.

This morning we moved Blazer to her winter berth in the QE11 marina and did a big load of laundry early so that we were free for the annual Guernsey air show today.

Alan and Marlene arrived by bus at 10.00 and we were set up comfy on the sea wall with a portable radio tuned to BBC Guernsey for the commentary - a great spot overlooking the display area over the Little Russell channel between Guernsey and Herm.

It was a bit overcast at first which limited the kind of air display the aircraft put on but altogether - fabulous!!

World war 2 aircraft - aerobatic displays - wing walkers - an F16 Jet fighter and to finish - the red arrows - WOW !!

Two hours of wonderful entertainment !!

We had a great lunch in a harbour side Brasserie  with a view over the marina - then back to blazer for desert and a few beers thanks to Alan for a case of the local ale !!

Our last day of the trip and a great day all round.

Friday 13th September 2013.

All tidy on Blazer - sails off - all winter covers on - all secure.

We met with Spike Whitaker - he operates a Guardianage service - he is going to visit Blazer through the winter and check that the mooring ropes are OK - especially after a period of high wind - then send a report by email - wonderful !!

Then it was off to the airport on the bus - lugging as much stuff as we could manage - to find the airport fog bound !!

Luckily it cleared quickly and we took off for East Midlands only 30 minutes late !!

We will have to make a trip down to North Fambridge this weekend to collect the car because - try as we might the ferries and trains didn't work out to travel home that way.

So it's back to work for now - we will look for the bargains on the ferries to visit Blazer through the winter
and plan the next leg of our trip for next year.

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.

Preparing to leave Blazer.

Monday 9th September 2013

Lots of jobs today - mainly dismantling the solid fuel stove and the brass surround.
The brass sheet has become stained by sea water (somehow !!! ) - way beyond cleaning with Brasso or Brillo pads. - I took it all out and sanded it back to bright clean brass with 180 grit wet and dry paper.

When I reassembled it, I gave the brass a coat of yacht varnish to keep the water off - we will see if it's better - looks good for now - but I have measured all the pieces so that I can replace the brass with 316 grade stainless steel when funds allow.

We have considered our options regarding where to keep Blazer.

We have travelled about 360 miles from North Fambridge this trip and it would take a week to ten days to go back.

Our annual mooring fee is due for renewal at North Fambridge  - so it could be an opportunity to do something different.

We have decided to leave Blazer here in Guernsey !!
We have signed a winter contract with the harbour authorities for 3 to 6 months afloat starting 15th of September.

We have booked flights back to East Midlands on Friday this week  - we couldn't find a good way to get the car back from North Fambridge on the way - I will have to go down on Sunday to get it.

This gives us a great place to start next years cruise - going further south - perhaps as far as La Rochell - who knows!!

We can visit Blazer a couple of times through the winter - maybe a week after Christmas?
We could come by car and bring lots of stuff to fit her out for next year.

Tuesday 10th September 2013.

We bought a family day ticket for the buses today - so that we can go to Cobo Bay and meet our friends when they arrive at tea time.

We set off early - got off the bus at Vasson Bay and had a long walk.
We visited a restored wartime bunker with a big gun defending the bay - very interesting.

Our friends, Alan and Marlene arrived and we had a meal in the pub next door to their hotel - lovely to see them.

The last bus was due at 21.20 and we were very cold and wind blown waiting in the pitch dark for it to arrive - but it did arrive - a few minutes late and soon we were back on board - all cosy.

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.

Preparation for our visitors.

Sunday 8th September 2013

A mainly overcast - warm - rainy day.

We didn't venture out much today - a walk around town this morning - no shops open - only paper shops selling a few groceries.

We tidied up Blazer and Jackie cooked a chicken with veg and Yorkshire pudding for our main meal - wonderful !

I had a walk around the harbour - now with 4 westerly boats in + a Konsort for sale - I had a good look over her from the outside - good order - some novel, home made davits worth consideration.

We are considering leaving Blazer here in Guernsey - they offer some reduced rates at this time of year.
Our annual mooring fee expires this month in Fambridge and the winter rate here is only 33 % more per month.

Ferries to the UK are good from here - ( just round the corner in fact ).

We could drive down after Christmas for a week to sort out the heavy stuff.

Security looks good here - the harbour staff are on duty 24 / 7 and they can see Blazer from their cabin.

We will look at ferry costs.

Our visitors - Alan and Marlene arrive on Tuesday - they are staying at Cobo Bay on the other side of the island.

We might look to leave on Thursday after we help them to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.

Exploring Guernsey - by Bus.

                                                      Blazer at her berth in Guernsey.

Saturday 7th September 2013

Showers forecast for today but no sign of them in the morning - boats from the Royal Guernsey Yacht Club were coming into the marina and rafting up with stern facing the quay where the Prom concert was being staged.
They were all dressing ship and Blazer felt a bit left out - so we did our best - if you click on the photo above you will see that we dressed Blazer for the first time ever with bunting!!

I have been looking for a full set of signal flags to dress ship formally but they are so expensive ( £80 )
So up went the bunting - not bad - colourful anyway.

We then set off to see Guernsey - bought a family day ticket and jumped on the bus that goes right round the coast of the island.

It took 1 1/2 hours and was great - with photo stops thrown in.

We got off early at The Bridge and shopped then had wonderful fish and chips + tea in a cafe near the island power station.

A number 11 bus took us back to Blazer to dump the shopping then off again.
This time we took a bus to an Iceland supermarket not far out of town and stocked up a bit.
Then we got on the same bus route and went to the terminus across the island before it came back to town.

This meant that we went past the airport a total of three times in the day - quite nice?

We were tired out and still full from lunch so only a light tea tonight.

The orchestra had set up by late afternoon and gradually all 500 seats filled up by about 8pm.
A chilly evening - overcast but no rain to spoil all the parties going off around the concert.

BBC TV were there and a big screen to watch the end of the proms at the Albert Hall.
A big beer tent plus food outlets were also busy,
Lots of Union Jack flags waving going on - lovely to see.

Jackie was feeling a bit under the weather so we didn't join the crowds and we had an early night instead - until the fireworks started at about 11 pm !!!

It sounded like another invasion!!

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.

Exploring St. Peter Port - Guernsey

                                              Castle overlooking St Peter Port Harbour.

Friday 6th September 2013

A cool morning - overcast but clearing - I lit the coal stove - Toasty !!

Our first look around town today - Very busy with all the shops open - a typical British town centre - even a Marks and Spencer !

Cars drive on the proper side of the road and it is English money but notes are Guernsey currency -
Pound notes !!

It's not as cheap here as you might think - even wine costs more than the UK.

We found that we can buy a day pass for both of us on all the buses for £9.00 - we plan to do that soon.

The Harbour is very busy with ferries in and out all day and today there was an Italian cruise ship anchored out off the harbour with passengers coming ashore in shuttle boats.

Because of the massive rise of tide here - 8 metres today - lots of local boats moor to buoys outside the marina so that they don't get locked in by the sill that keeps 2 metres of water in the marina when the tide goes out.

We did find a beach for Jackie - one that is covered at high tide in a lovely bay near the harbour - there are boats anchored there in the sheltered bay - lovely clear water.

We discovered that it is the last night of the proms tomorrow night - Saturday - and there is music and fireworks near the castle - must go to that!

Lots of boats in and out of the marina when the tide is in - all shepherded by the harbour control boats -
a Westerly Merlin next to us now!!

Mike And Jackie Smethurst

Preparation for the next leg

Wednesday 4th September 2013

Another sunny and very hot day !!

Much of today was spent looking at weather and getting set for the next leg of the trip.

Our neighbours - Alan and Dag were doing the same - Alan had to be back in Portsmouth at the weekend for work but crossing the channel in fog was not what he wanted to do.

Dag has decided to pay up and leave his boat in Cherbourg for the winter ( 5 months on the hard standing ) - he will go back to Norway and ride his motor bike back to Cherbourg to check all is well then head off to Spain on the bike. Something about a mid life crisis!!

More woodwork scraping and Jackie oiling everything in sight in the sunshine.

Passage planning in detail for the next leg through the fastest tides in the Northern hemisphere!!

2 days to spring tides of 8 meters range !!

After tea - Alan suggested we all go up to the Yacht Club for a farewell drink and we had a great night chatting and putting the world right - then swapping email contact details - GREAT.

Thursday 5th September 2013

Not a bad morning in the marina but fog forecast with light winds.

We decided to go anyway before the rain and very high winds coming soon.

Off at 09.15 with good visibility until we left the outer harbour then it slowly dropped to 100 yds!

We had to work as a team - Jackie scanning the radar  and me navigating.

Across the top of the Cherbourg peninsular we kept close inshore ( 1 mile ) to catch the inshore back eddy stream taking us West - here we had lots of radar contacts and we altered course to pass them safely - it's the first time I have had to rely on the radar and it was great to see even small boats through the fog.

The contacts didn't show up as AIS targets - they were not commercial craft - except the customs cutter and he didn't want people to know he was comming!!

We put up all sail in the light wind and fished - Jackie caught the biggest Mackerel of the holiday !!

Then the wind shot up to 27 knots in no time !! - all sail down - QUICK.

The timing was to be at Cap De La Hague at slack water at 12 .00 - we were there spot on.

The tide then gradually built up speed to push us along at 3 knots plus the engine which gave us 8 knots over the ground !

The waves were quite manageable and our course led us around the overfalls.

The visibility came and went for most of the trip and then the sun came out and the visibility cleared as we approached the Channel Islands - we didn't see Alderney at all but just when we entered the little Russell channel with it's testing pilotage we had great visibility.

The tide ran very fast past the Rousell tower - 6 knots - and we were off the entrance to St. Peter Port harbour soon after.

As we were entering and trying to sort out the route in - with Jackie reading the instructions from the pilot book - a small boat came to meet us - handing us customs forms and saying follow me please - wonderful !!

We were too early to enter the marina and had to tie up to the waiting pontoon with loads of other boats for about one and a half hours.

We got all tidied up and just after 5 - ( UK time now ) a small boat escorted us to our berth in the marina - very close to the walkway to the shower block and access to town - PERFECT !!

We had a walk around this lovely town - a pint in the seafront pub - thenJackie rustled up oven baked Mackerel with a Spanish omlete and French bread - just the job.

We are HERE !! - our holiday destination - in good time to meet our friends on Tuesday / Wednesday next week.

I haven't totted it up yet - but we must be 300 miles from our mooring in the river Crouch by now - fantastic!!

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.

Cherbourg

                                                            Big lobster at the Aquarium.

Tuesday 3rd September 2013.

Another sunny day !

We went shopping after a lazy start - due to the late night - no stamina these days.
Then it was off on the long walk to the Trans - Atlantic terminal to visit  -
La Cite' De La Mer.

It was a wonderful day -

First the aquarium with tropical and cold water fish galore.

                                             Spiny lobster - Langouste in French - very tasty.

                                                                      Sea horses

Then we took the tour of the nuclear submarine - massive!
A good tour with commentary in English.

Then we did the Titanic experience tour - very moving - it was housed in the transatlantic building where it set off from on its ill fated maiden voyage.

Quite a day - again.

We are looking closely at the weather now and we have high winds forecast for early next week and fog patches this week so we will press on to Guernsey as soon as we can - maybe Thursday.

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.

Exploring Cherbourg

S

                                                            Cherbourg Marina

Monday 2nd September 2013

Today we set off on foot to explore the city centre which was a bit premature because most of the shops were closed being Monday !

Hot and sunny - lovely - by mid morning we had covered the main city centre and then we arrived at the new shopping centre that includes the very big Carrefour supermarket.

We found a shop similar to the B M shops in England and similar low prices.
We bought glass tumblers, a travel rug and some tupperware type boxes.

Then on to Carrefour - we bought all sorts of nice groceries and wine ( 2 Euros) - too much for us to carry back to Blazer - so we took up the offer stated in the Channel pilot book - we took a trolley all the way to the marina!!
There are a few trolleys there and the supermarket collects them from there.

In the afternoon we met two other boat skippers for drinks and nibbles - Alan from Portsmouth and Dag from Norway.
We chatted for hours and Jackie rustled up a wonderful meal for us all - eaten in the cockpit in the last of the sunshine - wonderful.

Almost 11.00 pm when we did the washing up !

Quite a day.

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.

St. Vaast - Continued.

Friday 30th August 2013

There were a lot of yachts leaving and arriving today - another lovely sunny day - after a few more jobs on Blazer we had lunch at a different restaurant - GREAT.

                                                 

Jackie had - rabbit terrine with salad to start and an omelet with chips as main course.

I had fish soup to start and mussels in cream with chips as main course.

We had white house wine with it and posh ice creams for afters.

We met a family that spoke English and one of the children took our photo - the dad came from Sheffield !

We didn't have any dinner - we were still full !

On a neighbouring boat - Angele' - we met Mike and Catherine.

We invited them to come on Blazer for drinks and nibbles in the afternoon.

We had a good chat - comparing our sailing experiences - lovely people.

Another big boat pulled in as we had company and Mike explained that their flag was for the
Royal Yacht Squadron !!

All very posh.

Saturday 31st August 2013

A bit dull in the morning but we were on a mission - the market !

It stretched from the fishing boat quay right into town - a true local market - lots of tiny stalls with people selling produce from their own plot - lovely.

We bought live whelks for the starter tonight - then spicy sausage, green beans and potatoes.

Lots of salad including some expensive sausage shaped beetroot - just to try it.

We were looking for a stall that we were told sold hot roast chicken but it wasn't there - but we did find a butchers that sold them - at 15 Euros each ! - not on our budget thank you.

Then it was a mission of packing all our bikes and cockpit canopy away ready for an early departure in the morning.

We have a pretty good routine now for preparation - so it doesn't take too long.

Sunday 1st September 2013

       Blazer in her berth in Cherbourg - looking spic and span with her cleaned and oiled wood trim.

On to Cherbourg !

We were the first out of the marina when they opened the gate at 06.16  - still very dark and blowing 15 knots.

Jackie was tucked up in the sea berth all cosy while I got Blazer well on our way.

It was quite lumpy at first with wind against tide motoring straight into the wind.

I chose to take a course about 5 miles off at the top corner of the Cherbourg peninsular to miss any really rough water if things go wrong - all the other yachts were very close in shore - dangerous with an on shore wind like today - besides I love being well out at sea.

We timed the trip to give us no tide at Barfleur - were it is notorious for very fierce tides - and we put up both sails and turned off the engine when Jackie joined me in the cockpit.

After coffee Jackie started fishing and caught 8 fish in no time - lovely Mackerel for tea !!

As the sun came out and the wind dropped the tide changed in our favour and started pushing us towards Cherbourg at 3 knots ! - that gave us 8 knots over the ground with the sails up !!

Soon we could see Cherbourg and put the sails away as the wind died - we were tied up on N pontoon by 2pm - spot on - 38 miles run.

We ate the fish with the fresh green beans - potatoes and white wine - a fine meal.

A great day and a joy to be out at sea again.

Mike and Jackie Smethurst.