En France 41

 

The presence, of the Landes Missile Range, adds a certain piquancy, to the planning process for Stargazer's next passage. Firing information is, seemingly, only available verbally. By vhf or telephone. Linguistic slip ups, during the conversation, to be avoided at all costs!

The range (white box)  lies on the rhumb line, between the mouth of the Gironde and Stargazer's three most probable ports of arrival, on the north coast of Spain: Bilbao, Laredo or Santander. Chosen for offering all weather access whilst lying within a manageable distance.

Thus far, in 2022 (both on our Shakedown and En France cruises) we have hopped our way gently down the coast. Stargazer's longest passage that between Northney and Cherbourg. During which she averaged just over six knots, to cover the eighty nautical miles in thirteen hours.

 South of here, the French ports run out. The remainder being shoal, with constrained entrances.

Stargazer will therefore need to make a one hundred and eighty nautical mile passage, to reach Spain. That is thirty six hours at five knots, which is the speed I generally plan against. Or thirty at Stargazer's long term average speed, of five point seven knots. The distance is similar to that we sailed, from Scilly to Ireland, during the 2013 Into the Mystic Cruise. 

As well as the usual considerations of wind and tide, on this occasion, we must also factor in La Houle (particularly for our exit from the Gironde) and, of course, the Landes Range live firing schedule.

This is now the height of the northern European cruising season.

 Martyn and Hilly are, once more, anchored in Scilly. Aboard Styria, their trusty Hallberg-Rassy Rasumus Ketch. 

Recipe, the deceptively long legged, Dutch Norfolk Smuggler, which Stargazer cruised the Baie de la Seine with in 2020, has sailed north. She is currently in Soreide, Norway (just south of Bergen).

Whilst Daryl and Shirley, aboard the Bavaria 42 Dream Catcher, have arrived in A Coruna. At the feet of the iconic Tower of Hercules.

Picture Credits

Missile Firing courtesy of Defense News (sic)

Tower of Hercules courtesy of  Oleg

Maps courtesy of Google