Our intended departure date of the 1st of June met with gales and a prudent delay until Wednesday the 3rd. This was not the only change of plan because Bob who was intending to crew, had a heart op which has counted him out until the August leg to the Canaries. This just left Dave Cooke and even Dave’s involvement was in doubt as his wife’s father died a couple of days before departure. Anyway, the two of us met up in Port Solent, Dave by train from Deal and I was grateful for a lift from Tim and Jacqueline Julnes. Our initial intention to cross and run down the French coast was abandoned as the course would have been tight on the wind and we did not relish the sea state left over from the gales. In the event we left at 10am and carried the tide through the Solent, inside the Shingles and across Christchurch Bay to pick up a mooring buoy in Swanage. A good night’s sleep prepared us for a 4am departure with dawn helping us to spot the multitude of lobster pot marker buoys around Peveril and St. Alban’s Ledges.
So far the crossing has gone according to plan and we hope to maintain a cruising speed of 6.5 knots to arrive at the top of the Chenal du Four inside Ushant at 6am on Friday morning just as the tide turns in our favour to hopefully also flush us through the Raz de Sein as well. Having done an overnight passage, we will be looking to moor for the night and a decent sleep but our destination will be subject to tiredness and progress.
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