5 May 2024 New log entry: Back to Beaucette ↙ Report?
- Boat Exeat
- By Anna Pocock
- Route Alderney ··· Beaucette marina, Guernsey
- Underway 01:12
4 May 2024 New log entry: First stop: Alderney ↙ Report?
- Boat Exeat
- By Anna Pocock
- Route Studland Bay ··· Alderney
- Underway 09:47
- Weather Sunny with a light easterly wind
With very light, easterly winds forecast, we feared we might end up motoring all the way across the Channel. But after a brief spell motoring out of our anchorage, we shook out the sails and found they happily drove us along with no fossil fuels required!
After a smooth 9.5-hour sail, under cloudless blue skies, Alderney rose into sight. Well, to be completely accurate, we saw mainland France before we spotted Alderney, on account of it being so low-lying – and indeed Alderney is the nearest Channel Island to France, being just 8 miles off the coast of Normandy.
We entered Braye harbour with a cheery wave from the harbour master, who seemed delighted that we would be anchoring rather than taking one of the buoys, as a rally was due to come in that evening. Once we were safely anchored, he came over to collect the modest £10 fee for staying in the harbour but, as the office was about to shut, he brushed off our queries about checking in to the Bailiwick; we could do it in the morning, or when we reached Guernsey the following afternoon.
After taking Buddy ashore for a run on the land, we toasted our arrival in the Channel Islands with some refreshments at the Braye Beach Hotel, before repairing to Exeat for the first boat barbecue of the season.
3 May 2024 New log entry: The summer migration begins! ↙ Report?
- Boat Exeat
- By Anna Pocock
- Route Newtown Creek ··· Studland Bay
- Underway 05:59
For the past two summers, we’ve sailed to Brittany and taken Exeat down the French coast from Roscoff to La Rochelle and its nearby islands of Île de Re and Île d’Oléron. I could happily repeat this journey every year ad infinitum – and no doubt we’ll end up in La Rochelle again at some point this year. But with a limited window before we have to return to the UK for family commitments, we decided to start our French exodus with exploring a different region of our closest European neighbour: Normandy.
Last year, we found out the hard way that sailing from Europe to the Channel Islands is nigh impossible with a dog, so we thought we’d call in on the CI before heading on to France. We were particularly keen to revisit Alderney, and as it’s the nearest Channel Island to the UK, this would be our first port of call.
With friends joining us for the Channel crossing, we sailed from the Isle of Wight to Studland Bay, waiting in this lovely anchorage until early evening so we could nip briefly into Poole harbour and pick up our crew. We then planned to return to Studland to stay overnight, ready for a dawn dash to Alderney the following morning.
2 May 2024 Crew wanted for Keelboat racing
- Boat Tiente Forte
- What Keelboat racing
- When Weekend
- Dates 1 May - 31 October
We are always looking for some extra crew Ideally with some basic or intermediate sailing and or racing experience on yachts mainly for local club races, but sometimes also for races further afield as we like to compete in some EAORA races.
Ideally fit, healthy, strong (loads are quite high) good communicator (English).
We have a core team who will help you learn the boat fast.
2 May 2024 New log entry: I have uploaded a copy of my GMAIL Mileage Spreadsheet as of 02052024 showing what i have done its 4850+ miles > 7m yachts ↙ Report?
- By Simon Farren
a copy of my GMAIL Mileage Spreadsheet showing what i have done its 4850+ miles > 7m yachts attached from 02052024
I don’t use this system on here sorry, i will upload a copy also here.