Jersey

We had dinner with our daughter Clare in Poole, then made a passage plan for Jersey, with a Plan B for Alderney, and a Plan C for Guernsey.  We left at midnight in order to catch the tide in the Alderney Race.

It was one of the best night sails we have done - a clear starry night, big bright moon and 10 to 12kts breeze for the first 60 miles.  All went according to plan until we got to The Race - no problems with the tide, but no sooner had we committed to continuing on to Jersey when the wind dropped, and kept on dropping.  There was hardly a ripple in The Race, we motored for 5 hours, the excitement only just keeping us awake after a night of virtually no sleep!  The wind finally picked up as we rounded the Corbiere Lighthouse, but by then the engine seemed the way forward!

The Alderney Race

We arrived in St Helier Harbour just as the sun was setting.

The tide on the Passage Cardinal, just outside St Helier.

St Helier Breakwater.

The sun melts into the sea off Jersey.

Our first mooring in Jersey, in St Helier Marina - until the Harbour Master noticed we had a dog with us!  In the nicest possible way - we had to leave!  Luckily a space was found for us in the Elizabeth (No Visitors) Marina, and we were instructed that Zilla was not allowed to place her feet (or anything else) on the pontoons.  Luckily she's not a St Bernard!

Elizabeth Marina is very high spec, with immaculate pontoons and excellent facilities and also just as convenient for the town.

Jersey has not managed to escape the 'Dodgy Art' that seems to exist in many harbours - this Steam Clock, a full scale replica of the central section of a Paddle Steamboat, occupies rather a prime location and would appear to be universally despised by  visitors and locals alike.

We preferred the bronze Freedom Tree - 'planted' by the Queen in 2005 and marking the 60th anniversary of the Liberation from the German Occupation.


There was also the interesting interpretation of the Beaufort Wind Scale, carved in Granite and set into the pavements round the harbour.

Just outside the harbour - Elizabeth Castle - construction began in 1594 - although you can walk there at low tide, you can also go on the 'Wading Vehicle' in order to visit the Jersey Royal Militia Museum in the castle.

Both harbours have tidal cills  with a holding pontoon outside. The cill makes an impressive sight with the 12m tidal range in the Channel Islands


The old drying harbour was a study of interesting old dinghies

With the #1 Place definitely going to this one:

We spent a lovely few days on the island, dragged my sister Rose Anne out for a sail.

Caught up with the family:

Rose Anne was all ready to get her own back and take us surfing but the weather had other ideas - with 30 to 45kt gusts forecast for the next few days we decided to head North across the channel whilst we still could.

All was calm and peaceful as we went outside the  Corbiere Lighthouse on its rocks - having heard my Mother's story about how she and my Father won a sailing race having interpreted the Rule prohibiting the use of the Corbiere Inner passage by using the Inner Inner Passage, the next photo is for her!

A gentle sail which then turned into yet another motor through the Alderney Race followed - arriving off Alderney at sunset.

They do a good line in Sunsets in the Islands

We arrived in Braye Harbour well after dark, pumped up the dinghy to take Zilla ashore and saw nothing of the island.  Oh well - having waited over 50yrs to visit Alderney, I'll just have to wait for another year to actually see the place!


We left Alderney at 0400 and headed back to England - the sailing was worth the early start:  we hoisted the Spinnaker at first light, and took it down as we got to the Needles - must be our longest ever Spinnaker leg!

And now we are in Lymington - re visiting destinations for the first time in 6 months - only a couple more weeks and it really will be time to go home.  And plan our next adventure.

Lymington Harbour in the background - in the foreground - the alternative view of Lymington!