Mirage

 

A sulphurous sunrise heralds the start of a new day. 

Stargazer left Granville whilst constellations shone bright, in a clear night sky.

At dawn we are off the Lilliputian kingdom of the Iles Chausey, with a fair tide beneath us.

The breeze is light, but with sails well eased, sufficient to make progress.

Slowly, as the morning progresses, the wind fades. The sea breeze, driven by the heat of the land, is cancelling out the barometric breeze. The sea turns glassy. A shimmering heat haze forms. We hold station off the south east tip of Jersey. Had St Helier been accepting visiting boats, we could have let the tide carry us in. This strange year, that option is not open to us.

I start the engine. Perhaps as well, we are still on the tank of diesel we set out with - and its getting old. It needs using. The calm conditions allow us to cut some corners, as we thread our way through the reefs and past Les Ecrehou.

We make for Cartaret, our nearest available port. Stargazer anchors beneath the Cap de Cartaret. . . .

. . . .whilst the tide rises sufficiently for us to get in. (The red topped pole, behind the part submerged fisherman in waders, is the port hand channel marker). We have only an hour and a half to wait, such is the scale of the tidal range in these waters.