St Helier & the race build-up

Plans to go for a spot of last minute training were scuppered as the raft of yachts grew. We were 3rd out on Fri aftie but by pub chuck out there were 5 other yachts out from us. On Sat more arrived and the only way to leave wouldn't have made us many friends so plan B was activated. St Helier is a small place that is remarkable for the small no of pubs and bars - so few I decided I could do a survey of WiFi coverage at each one!! By the time we returned to the yacht the raft was huge - approx 10 rafts each 10 yacht deep - impressive. Equally impressive was the race welcoming reception at the St H Raddisson - canapés and free flow vin! The speech went over our heads but we met the Prime Minister of Jersey in the post speech mingling! The rest of the night was spent in Pizza Hut networking with the Jersey 'lecy team & their the Brizzel born boss.

Dhobi Day...

Tradition says Fri is fish day but for me it was shower day and as water is a precious commodity on Guernsey - I thought I'd do my dhobi in the shower!? Afterwards some coffee & pastries set the crew up for the rigours of a tough passage to Jersey - 30 miles, calm sea, blu sky, sun, diesel in the tank(!) For once (or maybe at last...) the day went without drama! We rocked at St Helier and rafted up to some other yachts in the race. After some tidying and a beer, we set off for a more beer (this is a holiday!?) eventually we found a nice bar and we sat outside under a shady tree - such a pleasant spot, a pigeon thought it would be great place to see who it could hit... Now, it's supposed to be lucky if a bird craps on you, so tomorrow I'm off to buy a lottery ticket but tonight, i'm off to the gents for some more dhobi?!? :-)

Lies, Damn Lies & The Fuel Gauge

Well, after our fun in the fog we decided to hi-tail it to Guernsey at the earliest opportunity - so after 3 hrs kip we we away again to make the most of the (in)famous Alderney Race (Google it...) Progress was rapid and pleasant in the sun - only lacking wind - but hey we have a big diesel engine so roll on St Peter Port... The only snag with big (or small) diesel engines is their dependency on diesel!?! Yachts don't tend to have a fuel gauge but that means you run the risk of running out - which always happens at the worst time... So to mitigate this - we have a precise digital fuel gauge fitted. Now hands up all those of you who think precise means accurate???? Quite - accuracy and precise can be a million light years apart - I mean how could a tank with 4% fuel remaining be empty?!?!?! So you've prob guessed - our pleasant trip was 'interrupted' when the engine died?!?! Tools out change everything then check tank... Eventually after some drifting and a close eye on some rocks, a Samaritan came but and we acquired 5 gallon of diesel in exch for a bottle of malt! The rest was easy and the beer on the sundeck in St Peter Port tasted oh soooooo good ! :-)

Je suis au France

Question - Is there anything better than a cold beer at 5am? Answer - No!!!! A plan to head for Weymouth got binned at les Needles in favour of Alderney. Alderney got binned about oh-very-earlier o'clock when fog with 50m viz rocked up. Now fog in a yacht ain't fun - fog in a radar equipped yacht still ain't fun but at least you can see the other ships before they hit you... Its also good idea to go for a big port in fog rather than country backwater that is Braye, so Cherbourg it was - and at 5 am we were moored up beer in hand!! :-)

We're all going on a summer holiday...

OK so it's a yacht not a red London double decker but we are all going on a summer holiday, therefore right on queue, after weeks of sun that's split every paving slab south of the Watford Gap, I go on holiday and I wake to grey skies and wind from the south - the direction Jersey is... The plan for the day has yet to be decided - first bacon butties!!

Prime Evil

Prime Evil is my home and trusty companion for the next few days. For yacht geeks, she is a Sigma 400 who is 40 ft long - no idea why she's not a Sigma 40 - she just isn't!  I've sailed approx 2500 NM in Prime so I know her quite well and and she's an excellent yacht - just too much string...!

The Prologue

OK - so what is Tour des Ports de la Manche? Well, it's a series of yacht races - 7 days, 7 ports! The map above sums it up but for those who are geographically challenged it starts in Jersey - then across to Granville, Carteret, Guernsey, Port Dielette, Cherbourg & St Vaast.  Each day is a different race with a party each night to reflect, review and kick a*$e!!!!!