Holland - at last!

It feels like we have been sailing along the coast of France forever.
After our last posting at Fecamp we Sailed to Dieppe. A nice town with echoes of the well to do English visitors of the early 20th century. Sisley stayed there and painted some pictures of the town and it's folk, and the "in" set of the era including Noel Coward frequented the town. Unfortunately we had to stay there for 3 rather than 2 days because our next port of call Boulogne was closed due to a Regatta! Can you imagine closing Fowey for visiting yachts during Fowey week, to say nothing of Falmouth? We considered Calais for about one minute because it is not a place that I would choose to visit in a yacht.
So finally on Sunday 27th May we left Dieppe for Boulogne, and down came the fog! Thank goodness for radar, a chart plotter and AIS because for 7 hours we had not more than 250 yards visibility. We used the chart plotter and the radar to enter Boulogne as we could only just see the light tower as we entered the harbour. Of course by the time we got to the marina the sun was shining!
Boulogne is not a place we will return to in a hurry, a scruffy little marina right alongside one of Europe's biggest fishing ports with a smell to match.
On Monday May 28th we sailed for Dunkirk, a distance of about 50nm, ( all the legs in this part of the cruise are between 40 and 55nm, a comfortable days sailing).
Fog again, and this was a real concern because we had to pass Calais and enter Dunkirk, both harbours being ferry terminals with ships entering and leaving all the time. Fortunately the weather cleared by the time we rounded Cap Gris Nez so we had visual contact with the ships as well as via radar and AIS.
Both ports have a traffic control system which is very good at Calais. A very nice lady told us to "attend" until the Spirit of Normandy ( high speed ferry) had left. And then we could scuttle across the shipping lane like Miss Marples crossing the M25.
Dunkirk was a big disappointment. We had planned to stay at the Yacht Club de Mer du Nord marina as it is close to the centre of town and the yacht club has a nice restaurant, but we had not counted on Monday being a French bank holiday and the marina was full. We were obliged to stay at the new Marina Grand Large in the outer port. Large the marina is but definitely not grand. Set in an industrial estate half an hour brisk walk from the town and badly managed, it has nothing to recommend it.
Rather than stay for more than one night, we decided to push on and get to Holland so we sailed on Tuesday 29th for Vlissingen (Flushing), with possible stopping places at Ostend, Zeebrugge or Breskens if we got too tired.
There is a big shipping lane just offshore along this part of the coast so we stayed well inshore, in about 10m water depth to keep well away from the behemoths and to cheat the foul tide which runs at anything up to 3 knots along the coast. Once agin we had to play dodge the shipping across Zeebrugge entrance and waited for permission from Port Control.
The shipping along this part of the coast and into the Westerschelde ( which leads eventually to Antwerp via Vlissingen) has to be seen to be believed. A line of ships going East and West stretching as far as you can see. No wonder the French, Belgians and Dutch have such a sophisticated jointly controlled radar and shipping control system. They say you can be fined for crossing the shipping lane without calling them up!
Finally at 6 pm a very tired crew made the Michael de Ruyter marina in Vlissingen, and were treated to the best supper we could find.

Fecamp

An eventful few days.
Sailed to St Vaast la Hogue on Monday 21st after waiting an extra day in Cherbourg while a force 7 front went through. We finally had some sun there after nearly a week of grey skies. St Vaast is one of those typical channel harbours that dries out to miles of sand when the tide is out. The harbour has a lock which means that timing the entry and exit is critical.
Next day, Tuesday 22nd was also sunny and we sailed to Ouistreham. A nice days sailing under our twin jib system with the wind behind us, and another day of sunshine. We were even accompanied by a school of dolphins who got quickly bored at our speed after about fifteen minutes. Just after we entered the outer harbour at Ouistreham the Brittany Ferries " Normandie" arrived he filled the channel, good job we were out of the way!
Today Wednesday 23rd we left early and sailed to Fecamp with no wind but a big swell which is the leftover of the continuing Strong North West winds. Fecamp has one claim to fame, it is the home of the liquor Benedictine which is distilled in a very baroque palace. We visited drank Benedictine and were impressed.
Still not able to get the blog to accept photos from my photo album on the IPad, will keep trying so watch this space.

Dartmouth to Cherbourg

An eventful trip.
Friday
Left Darthaven marina at 5 am Friday 18th May, and motored into a big big sea with little wind and what there was from 30 to 40 degrees off the bow.
For the first time in years Peter was violently sick for about 3 hours, ( he swears it had nothing to do with the large portion of fish, chips and mushy peas he had the night before!). On we motored sailed playing dodge the freighter through the shipping lanes where we finally got some breeze and could start close reaching under sail. 85 miles on a close reach for 14 hours, not our idea of fun!
To cap it all, we got very strange noises while reversing at Cherbourg marina, and we could see the green polypropylene around the folding prop.
Saturday.
Full English breakfast French style at the marina cafe, followed by a stroll around the old part of Cherbourg and a visit to the abbey. The crew gave Cherbourg a top rating, nice town nice people.
When we returned, the marina captain towed to the fuel pontoon and then to a nice quiet berth where Pete could don wetsuit and snorkelling gear and clear the prop, (2 plus metres of heavy fishing net). He wouldn't take payment for the tow, said it was part of the service! So the marina gets AAA rating.
Currently (5 pm) waiting on the latest weather forecast to decide whether we move on tomorrow. Could be force 7 which means we stay here!
Still unable to import photos from the iPad photos folder to this app called blogspot. Anyone got any ideas?

Location:Cherbourg marina

17th May - In Dartmouth

Nice sail from Falmouth, clear skies and a good wind by lunchtime, but cold! The temperature was more like March than May.
Currently at Darthaven marina waiting for a low to blow through, and completing a couple of jobs that didn't get done in time.
Hopefully off tomorrow at 5 o'clock to make Cherbourg (85 NM) by the evening.
Still trying to upload photos onto this blog - keep getting a message that there is a problem even though the photos are just being transferred from the photos App on this IPad to this blog!

We're off, - well nearly!

Leaving the mooring and planning to clear Pendennis light at Falmouth harbour entrance at early o'clock on Wednesday 16th May. Then to Dartmouth and either Alderney or Cherbourg depending on the wind.
We managed to get most of the house and boat chores completed, and think that we have got everything we need on board.
At the last minute Keren decided that there will be a shortage of tonic water for the G and T in parts foreign so we have stocked up with Schweppes. Jomora must be floating at least an inch below her designed depth.
Fellow club member Dianne Webster has joined us for the up channel leg. She sails a Folkboat cross channel, so to her a Sadler 34 is luxury. Just hope she doesn't get to sail in other member's bigger boats and get spoilt.