Channel Cruise: Part 1 - Southampton to Cherbourg

The crew assembled on Friday 27th July. Toucando had been victualled and prepared for the voyage. Roger of Southampton Sailing Club, and Colin who had sailed on Toucando recently both came to Shamrock Quay in the afternoon.

We set off shortly after 1700 towards Yarmouth, our chosen first night destination. Our voyage was to take us across the English Channel and to last nine days... Toucando's longest trip since her passage from Dublin last year. The cruise was in company with several other Southampton Sailing Club boats, led by Four Seasons.

We were able to sail some of the way down to Yarmouth, but needed the engine as well. We found a mooring buoy outside the harbour before darkness fell. We ate a Mediterranean chicken stew on board and got ready for an early start the following morning.

Our mooring buoy off Yarmouth

To get the best of the tide through the Needles Channel we aimed to leave at 0515 on Saturday 28th July. We actually slipped our mooring ten minutes later. We soon got the sails raised and were able to sail down the last few miles of the Solent, past the Needles before turning left and steering 185 degrees for Cherbourg.

We were on a pleasant starboard tack, with just the right amount of wind... an unusual experience. Toucando made a decent speed and we progressed steadily, making one (probably unnecessary) deviation for large shipping. As planned we arrived uptide of Cherbourg and were able to slide into the Western Entrance of the Grande Rade diagonally, to the astonishment of the crew who were slightly alarmed that we appeared to be heading straight for the harbour wall.

At 1703 we were the first to arrive, and had made an excellent time. It took slightly longer than we had expected to get the mainsail down. The wind had got a fair bit stronger in the final hours of the crossing. When we entered La Chantereyne Marina we had expected to be greeted by a lady in a red dory... but she was nowhere to be seen. We did a quick circuit before retreatring to the Petit Rade to await the arrival of Four Seasons. It seemed that the marina had not reserved places for us, so we wnded up distributed all over. Toucando finished up on the waiting pontoon... not connected to dry land (but we are used to that). We had a bolognese aboard.

Toucando in the sunset at Cherbourg

Sunday was a free day. We had established in a morning trip ashore that nothing much happens in Cherbourg on Sunday, and unfortunately the convenient Carrefour supermarket just by the harbour is being rebuilt, making any significant shopping difficult.

In the afternoon the skipper took advantage of visiting the Cite de la Mer, a major tourist attraction. Although it was only a frw hundred metres from where Toucando was moored it was a long (but not unpleasant) walk round the harbour to get there. It is based in the old liner terminal and one of the first rooms you go in is the baggage hall... quite impressive, I thought.

Liner baggage hall in cherbourg, now part of the Cite de la Mer museum

That room told the story of French emigration to America. Other parts of the museum were devoted to the Titanic (which stopped in Cherbourg for one and a half hours en route to Queenstown, and thence to its nemesis); diving and submarines (including a decommissioned nuclear sub), and a rather atmospheric aquarium.

Jellyfish

(I could post a few more like this.)

Nuclear submarine

I would recommend Cite de la Mer to anybody with a day to spare in Cherbourg. In the evening the whole Southampton Sailing Club part gathered in the Yacht Club restaurant where we enjoyed some French Cuisine... a duck and anchovy salad, a salmon steak, and creme caramel in my case. The following day we would be setting off towards St Peter Port Guernsey. (To be continued.)

Home again

Toucando is back on the Itchen after a nine day cruise to Cherbourg, Guernsey, Alderney, Poole and Yarmouth. A detailed account will appear in the next few days.

Isle d'Aurigny

We spent two days in St Peter Port, Guernsey, and are now in Braye Harbour on Alderney. The Swinge was quite exciting with standing waves and confused seas.

Toucando est arriveé

We left Southampton on Friday and moored overnight outside Yarmouth. We set off at 0525 on the falling tide. We had a nice channel crossing and entered Cherbourg at 1703. More details to follow. We'll be here fire a couple of nights.

English Summer (continued)

June was terrible... the wettest on record (since records began in 1902).  Not only did this make sailing unappealing, it was not conducive to external maintenance either.

My parents, Donald and Audrey, visited at the beginning of July.  Although we didn't sail anywhere we had a few evenings aboard Toucando.  We also visited Cowes where we saw the classic yacht fleet in the Yacht Haven, and Southampton's new Sea City Museum, which focusses on the city's links with the Titanic... most importantly the 500 crew who lost their lives.

The jet stream which had been causing all the weather trouble moved north in time for the weekend of 21st/2nd July, which was just in time for some planned day sailing.

On Saturday we were joined by Colin, Michele and Steve P for the RYA's "Push the Boat Out Day" - an attempt to get as many people on the water as possible.  We had a pleasant time tacking down Southampton Water, before getting out into the Solent, circumnavigating the Bramble Bank and returning under engine.

We particularly enjoyed seeing the Jubilee Sailing Trusts's "Tenacious" coming up Southampton Water under sail.

On Sunday the crew comprised Hugh, Jane, Michele and Steve P and the main event of the day was going down to the Solent to meet and greet the returning Round the World Clipper Race.  Toucando had seen the fleet go out last summer (http://toucando.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/round-world-racing.html) so it seemed appropriate to see them come back.  We motored down to the rallying point and joined the flotilla.

(More details on the Clipper Race: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-18904550).

After a lunch under way we spent the afternoon sailing round Southampton Water and the Docks.

On Monday Michele and Roger helped take Toucando over to Cowes for a lift, wash and change of anodes.  I think she was going about a knot faster (maybe more) on the way home.

Three good days sailing in pleasant weather!   This is what the summer is supposed to be like.  Toucando is now getting ready for her cruise to Cherbourg and the Channel Islands, due to start on Friday.  I plan to post a few brief blogs en route, and a longer account when we get back.  I hope the jet stream stays where it belongs and we continue to enjoy a proper summer.



English Summer 2012

I was just getting ready to set off for Southampton when I heard a rumble like a large trolley being wheeled down the road.  The rumble continued, and was soon accompanied by a lot of banging and crashing.  The lights flickered.  One of the summer storms had arrived in Leicester.  I opened the front door and stood looking out as the torrential rain beat down.  Some of it was hail "as big as 50 pence pieces" they said on the news: more like the size of hazel nuts in their shells.  It couldn't really rain any harder.  Next, the drain right by my door decided to become a geyser... water from two directions.  It lasted about half an hour.  It seemed to make sense to be on a boat, so as soon as it subsided I was off.  (I was just slightly concerned later on to see on the city council webside that the main road by my house was flooded, with a nice photograph to prove it.)

Fiftey miles south and th roads were dry.  When I arrived at Toucando it was a pleasant afternoon.  The bucket I leave in the cockpit only had a little water in it: so it hadn't been raining much in the South.  I had a day to get ready for the weekend crew, which involved a few chores around the boat, and some victualling.

On Saturday Jackie and John arrived.  I ferried them out to the pontoon.  We discussed our plans.  It was Round the Island weekend, so the Solent would be very busy and it was unlikely that there would be space in the Cowes or Hamble marinas.  And the forecast was for fairly strong winds and rain... so we decided to stay local.  We put a double reef in the main on the pontoon and had some fun springing off against the wind, leaving a rope behind in the process.  Then we were off motoring down the Itchen.  We sailed a bit on the staysail to begin with, at a very moderate pace.  Having rolled it up we then raised the main off Weston and sailed on the reefed main and the full jib.  We practised tacking with Jackie and John at the helm, sailing down to the Hamble oil terminal twice, and up to the docks once.  We were pleased to see the Lord Nelson at her berth and her sister ship Tenacious come in under engine.  There were a few liners and container ships around as well.  The wind was pretty brisk... Force 6 and we took advantage of the wind shadow of the bigger ships to furl the staysail and jib and lower the main before returning to Shamrock Quay for the evening.

Getting off the pontoon at Shamrock in the morning was another challenge.  A ferro-concrete yacht with a hole in her hull came and moored close behind us, and a motor super yacht with her wrapping still on moored opposite.  The narrow gap that remained had to be navigated in reverse gear (not Toucando's strongest point).  After several attempts we got through, attached T's stern line to the opposite pontoon, and warped round her bows so they were pointing the way we wanted.

When our path was clear we headed out towards Southampton water.  We raised the main, unfurled the jib, and half the staysail and raced down Southampton Water.  This time we continued into the Solent proper.  It was a steady Force 6, gusting 7... with the wind exceeding 30 knots for some of the time.  Jackie helmed across the Solent towards Osborne Bay, where the wind dropped a little in the lee of the Island (and the waves were smaller too).  We waited for a small ship to pass and John took the helm on the way back.  If anything the wind was even stronger.  Toucando heeled over and we sped back over Ryde Middle towards Hillhead, before steering for Southampton Water.  Again, we took advantage of a passing ship to furl the sails in relative calm, before heading up the Itchen back to Toucando's home berth.  The rain which had been threatened by the forecast never really arrived.  It was certainly Toucando's most lively sail of the year so far, and everything had gone well.  Thanks to Jackie and John for picking up the basics of the gaff rig so quickly.

Jackie and John went home, Hugh arrived.  We planned  to go to Poole on Monday morning: then tides were near perfect.  However in the morning it was wet, windy and very murky.  We motored down to dockhead to have a look at Southampton Water and could see relatively little of it.  The prospect of three and a half days sailing in unpleasant conditions with limited visibility didn't appeal, so we turned round and went back home, which was disappointing but prudent.

The Met Office have announced that June 2012 was the wettest on record... and that the first half of July doesn't look a lot better.  In other words this is the fifth poor summer in succession.  Hopefully the jetstream (which is causing all the trouble) will return to its proper latitude before long.  We've had enough rain and strong wind on land and sea for a bit.

Maintenance month

Since her return from Yarmouth the main focus on Toucando has been maintenance.  Andy, my sanding consultant came down for the long bank holiday weekend.  We took Toucando over to Shamrock Quay, where there would be a supply of electricity and water, as well as ready access to a chandlery.  Andy quickly identifid that the taff rail was delaminating on the starboard side and that the bowsprit needed some repairs.  There were some also some patches on the gaff which needed attention.  Glass fibre filler and various clamps were procured and put into action.

The process of sanding cleaned up the deteriorating woodwork.  Any holes or splits were filled. Coelan "yellowish" primer was used in accordance with Toucando's original colour scheme.  (I like the Coelan colour range: there is a choice between yellowish and reddish!).  After a suitable interval it was possible to apply the clear topcoat which dried to form a durable but flexible plastic skin.  Whilst Andy did the woodwork I did a number of smaller tasks, such as installing a new seal on the aft perspex hatch to stop rainwater ingress.  By the time the weekend was over Toucando was already beginning to look smarter.

Andy's work and some dreary commitments meant a return to the midlands, but at the end of the week i was back south, stopping at KJ Howells in Poole to acquire some more Coelan berfore applying another couple of coats.  A whole week of public duties kept me in the midlands before I was able to come down on Saturday 16th.  On Sunday crew members Colin and John came to Toucando, who relocated to Shamrock Quay again.  They were very helpful in sanding the rest of the taff rail and the tiller.

On Monday Rob the engineer arrived.  He sorted out the intermittent fault on the freshwater pump, which means that water now reliably comes out of the tap when it is turned on.  He connected up the electric bilge pump, sorted out a leak in the salt water hose, cleaned the fuel tank, replaced some of the fuel lines which had degraded quite badly and which were leaking very slightly, and realigned the engine so that it does not judder at slow speeds.  Roger I dropped by and helped with yet more sanding.  I was able to complete the application of the Coelan.  The weather forecast had not been good, but in fact the sun shone for four days and quite a lot was achieved.  There are still lots more jobs to be done, mainly treating other parts of the woodwork, but I am hopeful that this will be possible in the near future.

I am very grateful to Andy, Colin, John and Roger for dropping by to help out.

Toucando is looking forward to sailing again soon.  Her programme is visible at toucando.net under the Calendar 2012 tab.