Fri 21/06 Moulin Huet to Sark
Distance: 10 Nm
After a peaceful night in Moulin Huet, we sail to Sark. The crossing is calm and with the wind at our back. We round the rocky eastern tip of the island and head to Grève de la Ville, where several mooring buoys are available. From Grève de la Ville, a steep climb along the rock wall leads to a scenic view over the bay and hike on Sark.
In the evening, the wind picks up again, and at high tide, a large swell develops, making sleep difficult, if not impossible.
Sat 22/06 Grève de la Ville to St. Catherine Bay
Distance: 20 Nm
After a terrible night, the decision to head to Jersey, 20 miles southeast, is quickly made. The weather is sunny with light winds. We sail Turadh along the northern side of the island to Bonne Nuit Bay. Despite its promising name, the changing wind forecast makes this bay less sheltered. Although we anchor, we decide to move on.
The next location, St. Catherine Bay, has mixed reviews but turns out to be a good choice. We inflate the SUP, and Mick takes a tour. The water is still very cold, and he falls in twice.
Sun 23/06 St. Catherine Bay
The bay proves to be well-sheltered, and there is no swell at night. Despite a cloudy start, it turns into a sunny day. Our search for oysters and shells on a large expanse of exposed rocky beach is unsuccessful. We resort to more paddleboarding, this time without any falls. Turadh also gets a bottom cleaning.
Mon 24/06 St. Catherine Bay to St. Aubin Bay
Distance: 10 Nm
Departure is delayed until after lunch to enjoy a meal at “The Breakwater Cafe,” a terrace restaurant on the pier with a beautiful view of the bay. The food is delicious, and the terrace is sunny.
However, this delays our trip to St. Aubin Bay, which messes up our tidal plan. When we round the southern tip of Jersey and head west, we encounter a 3-knot current against us, making the last 5 miles take nearly twice as long as expected. We skip St. Helier for now and anchor next to the Sya in St. Aubin Bay. Though it’s quite deep, Turadh has plenty of anchor chain. As usual, the wind dies down in the evening, ensuring a peaceful night.
Tue 25/06 St. Aubin Bay to St. Brelade Bay
Distance: 3 Nm
A short distance from St. Aubin Bay lies St. Brelade Bay, with its expansive sandy beach. It’s surprisingly quiet, with few boats anchored. The village exudes a Saint-Tropez vibe, being hyper-clean and somewhat blasé.
After some paddleboarding, Mick embarks on a steep hike to the store, which proves challenging. The weather has been fairly good for a few days. It’s not particularly warm, but the sun is out, allowing for a swim.
Wed 26/06: St. Brelade Bay to St. Helier
Distance: 5 Nm
Needing showers, laundry, and a shopping trip, we sail to St. Helier in the morning. After a short wait at the holding pontoon, we are assigned a berth. The marina staff, as usual, are welcoming.
Jersey has one the biggest tidal ranges worldwide. The difference between low and hight tide can be up to 10 meters. At low tide, it is a steep clime to the showers! Because of this tidal range, boats can also by dried out to be cleaned.
Jersey and St. Helier are known as a tax haven, with no corporate and profit taxes or VAT, evident by the numerous banks in the city. The city also has two major shopping streets and several charming squares with terraces. We choose a cozy corner for dinner in the evening sun.
After the debacle with our previous shopping cart in Lymington, we finally find a new one in a quirky DIY shop in the covered market, called “The Red Triangle Stores“, where time seems to have stood still. Now, we can shop freely again.
Thu 27/06: St. Helier
Queen’s Reservoir is touted as a highlight in the brochures. We take public transport to visit. Upon arrival, Queen’s Reservoir resembles the “Domein van Hofstade” more than a major attraction, as it is an artificial reservoir supplying the island’s drinking water. Despite this, we enjoy a pleasant walk.
After an unsuccessful search for a tax free summer dress in Queens Street, the day ends. The weather has turned again, and it’s considerably cooler.
Fri 28/06: St. Helier to Île-de-Bréhat
Distance: 49 Nm
We have to wait for enough water over the sill before we can depart. It’s jacket weather again. Our visit to the Channel Islands is over, and the next stop is the French coast. With a broad reach, we have an easy crossing to Île-de-Bréhat, a small island at the northernmost tip of Brittany.
We find a perfect anchorage just east of Port Clos. The sun breaks through, and we get our first stunning view of this truly beautiful island. We launch the dinghy for a first excursion through the high-tide-filled inlets.
Sat 29/06: Île-de-Bréhat
We continue exploring the inlets. The surroundings are equally beautiful and rugged. We pull the dinghy onto the beach and walk to the village. Motorized traffic is not allowed on Île-de-Bréhat. It wouldn’t be possible anyway because the roads are simply too narrow. No traffic means tranquility. Peoples gardens are filled with flowers and magnificant trees. We are both very impressed with this island.
At the small beach near our anchorage, there’s an oyster bar where we want to eat. Tough luck, the bar is booked for a wedding that evening, and we are not welcome. There are no oysters to be found in the village either. We’re left with our craving.
In the next episode we sail to Roscoff, where we end up stuck for a while due to bad weather and some physical discomforts.
When we were near Guernsey, my camera broke. As a result, all the photos in this episode are taken with my iPhone and are of different quality. I intended to have the camera repaired, but given the model, it was no longer feasible. In the meantime, I have purchased a new mirrorless camera.