Ad Lib 155

 

The sun rises with a scowl. As if sorry to see Stargazer bound north, leaving the French shore. Disappointed at this confirmation that summer is definitively over.

In the lee of the Cotentin peninsula, the breeze is yet light. Eight to ten knots, unexpectedly from the north west. But, with the help of a racing east-going spring tide, Stargazer lopes along at a comfortable five to six knots over the ground.

Keeping a wary eye out, for vessels leaving the Baie de la Seine anchorage, without recourse to the shipping lanes.

The breeze builds with every mile we put between ourselves and the lee of the land. Veering south west, onto Stargazer's quarter. Back in accordance with the forecasts. More to our liking, for swift and relaxed passage-making purposes.

By noon, the first turn of the tide has run. Setting Stargazer well to the east. Although she has been steering twelve degrees off north. Bringing us to the brink of the shipping lanes (purple dotted lines). We shape a suitable course to cross them at as near to ninety degrees as is practical.  

For, if Stargazer steers too heavily into the (now west-going) flow, her speed will be scrubbed off. Which would make finding a gap, between the fast moving (twenty five knots, on average) merchantmen, all the more taxing. 

Technically, in the east-bound lane Stargazer is 'stand-on' vessel. It is unwise to presume upon this priority too heavily. However, a gap is usually easier to find than in the west-bound lane. Where we are 'give-way' vessel. With less quarter given by watch officers.

The wind has risen to twenty knots gusting twenty five. With two reefs in her main, Stargazer has power aplenty to play with. As she slaloms around the sterns of a close-knit cargo quartet. Before clearing the bows, of a chasing pack, by around a mile.

Such is Stargazer's speed, that it is clear that we shall ground upon the cliffs of the Isle of Wight. If we maintain our heading, whilst waiting for the tide to turn east-going once more. As was our plan. Stargazer must turn to fight the tide. (Yellow circled area). 

 Her skipper's careful tidal-triangle calculations are unpicked! Making six to seven knots through the water, Stargazer steers northeast. The tide sloughing away that speed, reducing it to three or four knots over the ground.

Through the afternoon, Stargazer stoically reels in the southern shore of The Island. Green fields and white cliffs resolve out of a grey silhouette. As the tide slowly slackens. Turning fully fair off the Nab Tower.

It sweeps us past the West Pole. Stargazer making six to seven knots, as she skims over Chichester bar, with a metre to spare. Dusk is fast falling. Her skipper keen to negotiate the Northney channel, before nightfall. Up the deserted harbour we race. The water smooth. The air filled with birdsong.

Picture Credits

Stargazer Channel crossing ground track; courtesy of MarineTraffic.com / Kpler

Ad Lib 154

 

Black skies by morning. . . . . .

. . . .give way to more benign conditions for the afternoon. The west wind moderating all the while.

In the shade of a pink painted courtyard, on Rue Don Pedro, a patient PaF officer wrestles with his keyboard. Succesfully unpicking Stargazer's skipper's technical EES 'overstay.' And confirming that the system should not be used by visa holders. But taking the whole matter phlegmatically.

Leaving a most relieved Englishman free to wander the streets of Cherbourg. Gathering up baguette and camembert supplies for tomorrow's intended passage.

Pausing to feast his eyes upon the grand hall of the Gare Maritime. For, if all goes to plan, Stargazer will leave several hours before dawn twilight.

Ad Lib 153

 

For reasons which will later become clear, skipper elects to tackle some 'indoor jobs.' Primarily the renewal of our Meteo Consult (weather forecasting) subscription. Which seldom runs smoothly. Fortunately my French pen-pal Karine, on the help desk, is swiftly able to restore service. The better to monitor an emerging weather window for Thursday.

A day on which, during a sixteen hour crossing to Chichester, Stargazer would experience two runs of east going tide, to one west going. Which, with springs approaching, buys ten to fifteen miles of easting for free. Leaving Stargazer to take care of the northing, under sail. Task number two, is to calculate a course to steer, to achieve this end. Using the time honoured method of drawing out a 'tide triangle' on a paper chart. Before transferring the resulting waypoints to the plotter.

A trip to the Police au Frontiers (PaF) headquarters, in Rue Dom Pedro, will be required before departure. To sort out, what could prove to be, a sticky situation. That of a UK citizen, booked into Schengen under the new EES system (which automatically counts off against the standard 90 day stay allowance), but holding a French 6 month Visa de Long Sejour. PaF officers have previously had authority to authorise this apparent anomally. Hopefully, they will still have the final word. Even if an EES computer alogrithm says "Non." Task number three, is to book a PaF appointment.

By mid afternoon,  all below decks tasks are complete. Whilst Stargazer still reels to the squalls of a mournfully whistling wind, the heavy rain has cleared. Enabling Stargazer's skipper to stretch his legs ashore. Yesterday’s Cherbourg street scene pictures, set aside after our unexpected audience with RKJ and Suhaili (see Ad Lib 152), have been repurposed for today’s post.

Ad Lib 152

 

RKJ (in red) and Suhaili are the stuff of sailing folklore. It is therefore a source of some surprise, to Stargazer's skipper (stepping out to source a breakfast baguette) that they are Cherbourg berth neighbours. 

The pair won the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Out of nine starters (in the solo round the world event - the first of its kind) Robin Knox-Johnston and his trusty canoe sterned ketch were the sole finishers.

For which feat RKJ was knighted. Fifty years later, his achievement inspired Australian adventurer Don McIntyre to create a retro solo round the world race. Which he named the GGR, in honour of the original event. It is sailed, every four years, in long keeled craft, navigated by sextant. Post 1968 electronic aids, including autopilots, are outlawed.

A favourite, with GGR skippers, is the Rustler 36. A design which Jean Luc Van Den Heede sailed to victory in the inaugural 2018 race. The fleet, for this year's start, was forming up whilst Stargazer was in Les Sables d'Olonne (see Ad Lib 93).

RKJ had set off from Dartmouth, over the Bank Holiday weekend, to give the GGR boats an inspirational send off. From Suhaili's hallowed decks. But the westerly gales, which pinned Stargazer in St Peter Port, prevented progress. Sir Robin demonstrates his accumulated seafaring wisdom, by modifying Suhaili's passage plan in light of conditions. 

Picture Credits

RKJ Sunday Times Golden Globe Race pictures; courtesy of  Bill Rowntree / PPL

Jean Luc Van Den Heede winning the 2018 McIntyre GGR; courtesy of  Christophe Favreu / GGR

Ad Lib 151

 On a monochrome morning, Stargazer slowly overhauls the crazily tilting Roustel Tower. Which sits (nowadays at a somewhat jaunty angle) atop a submerged pinnacle. The outcrop creating a bottleneck in the channel between Guernsey and Herm. Accelerating a flow that is presently against us.

Sixteen knots of easterly breeze allow Stargazer to overcome this adversity. To sail clear into a favourable current. Which runs east across the top of Guernsey, Herm and Sark. Alderney is already visible to our north west.

Abruptly the wind builds to twenty five knots. Beneath a towering thundercloud which has silently crept up from astern. Catching Stargazer's skipper unawares as he prepares lunch below.

Two reefs are swiftly, if untidily taken. As Stargazer rockets past Alderney. Propelled by the wind and the force of the Raz Blanchard. Just turned north-going.

Together they deliver us, to the Cap de la Hague, in short order. The squall is now past, Stargazer's reefs shaken out. The sea-state unusually calm. Enabling us to cut this unpredictable corner well inside our 'safe clearance' waypoints. Laid down in light of past harsh treatment.

A conveyor belt of Channel tide carries Stargazer to Cherbourg's door. 

Stargazer secures in front of the ornate Gare Maritime. With its long green copper roof, and the golden facades of its lofty mullioned galleries, glinting in the evening sunlight. A memento of the grand age of ocean liners, before the coming of the jet plane. Still in use by their modern day successors.

Ad Lib 150

 

Stargazer slips into the St Peter Port outer harbour. Once there is water over the cill and a rush of French boats, bound south, has cleared. The breeze northerly today and advantageous to them.

A horn blast from the fast ferry announces the giant catamaran's departure. The port control lights turn red. The harbour echoes to tannoy calls. Seeking to restrain over-eager departing small craft, oblivious to their peril. Out in the Little Russel a cruise liner swings to her anchor. Disgorging a stream of passengers to see the Guernsey sights.

Whilst a coaster offloads containers on the quay beyond. Working the weekend. Perhaps to make up for time lost to a tempestuous week.

Aboard Stargazer, fingers are firmly crossed that the forecast holds fair for a ride through the Raz Blanchard (Alderney Race) tomorrow.

Ad Lib 149

 

By midday the low cloud and mizzle clears. Umbrellas are stowed. Barometers and spirits rise.

White cotton-wool clouds float in blue skies. Above the ornate golden sun of the St James' church windvane. Which points resolutely west. 

Stargazer's favoured wind direction. Her course lying north (three quarters) and east (one quarter). Tomorrow the breeze is forecast to fall light. Before filling in, from the east, to passage-making proportions on Sunday.

Stargazer's plan is to move into the outer harbour tomorrow. Before sailing through the Raz Blanchard (Alderney Race) on Sunday. Expecting a fair wind north to Cap de la Hague. With a tide-assisted beat beyond.