fleet move to St Peter Port, Guernsey
49° 27.13 N 002° 32.07 W
Victoria Marina, St Peter Port. Guernsey
Friday 24th August
It was a grey and breezy start to the day in Cherbourg. Time Flies, with Michelle and Jon aboard, departed Port de Chantereyne at 0745 hrs. Their mission was to report back on the conditions outside the harbour and off the Cap. With a north-easterly wind blowing Jon reported that conditions were a little choppy, but once around the Cap the sea flattened considerably.
Calm Voyager, with Claire and Neale aboard, was the last boat to depart Cherbourg at 1100 hrs. They were waved off by four boats from the cruise that decided to stay put in Cherbourg, and not make the final dash to Guernsey. Extasea, Amore, Corona Mia and Jogalong will cross the channel and head home tomorrow. As Time Flies reported earlier, Calm Voyager found the sea state a little bumpy and confused at first on the starboard beam. However, once the fleet had rounded the Cap and entered the Alderney Race, where the tide was running at an average of four knots, they were greeted with brilliant sunshine and their first glimpse of Alderney and beyond.
As boats began to enter the Little Russel towards St Peter Port, Time Flies was ready to receive them. The sill for Victoria Marina wasn’t quite at the right depth of tide to enter, so the fleet were asked to fuel and then proceed to a holding pontoon outside the harbour wall.
With 2.5 metres over the sill at 1500 hrs Neale called the boats, one by one, into the marina. Some people were keen to explore their new, picturesque surroundings, while others basked in the afternoon sunshine on flybridges.
Neale checked the weather prior to the planned pontoon party and briefing at 1830 hrs that evening. After much deliberation, Cruise Leader Neale decided to air on the side of caution regarding the trip home. He told the fleet that if the weather forecast changed overnight for Sunday, there was possibility that the fleet would have to go home tomorrow. Neale asked everyone to be awake for a radio update at 0630 hrs. If the weather takes a turn for the worse the fleet will have until 0730 hrs to clear the sill, and then everyone can get ready to prepare their boats for sea on the holding pontoons.
Photo Captions:
Bénéteau Antares 9.80 Amillie
Corvette 32 Celtic Twilight
MBM Fleet in Victoria Marina, St Peter Port
Pontoon Party
