John & Julia

Summer Cruise, Channel Islands and Cherbourg Peninsula 11 - 24 July 2014

Set off at 0339 NE 4/5 forecast, but Misty and dark and light. Motored round Bembridge ledge dodging military exercises ended up motor sailing as it never came on strong. Weather became glorious and we had the tide under us for a whizz into Alderney.

We took the water taxi ashore and had dinner in the First and Last which was really good. Saturday we had a walk around the western end of the island and discovered St.Vignalis garden where we had a picnic lunch - hot and sunny as the day wore on.

Sunday, we headed for Jersey, but had a spring tide and a lovely F5 on the beam, and glorious weather, so we sailed all the way to Granville, taking the tide all the way. We met up with Richard and Helen in High Spirits and we had dinner together - moules frites, of course.

We stayed in Granville until Thursday and the weather was lovely. Went to St Helier on Thursday - motored in no wind and sunny. Ate on board on arrival

Went shopping and sunbathed on Friday, and ate at the Little Thai that night. Saturday, we took the bus to Gorey and had lunch at Sumas on the balcony - superb! Sunday we took the bus to St Aubin and had drinks at the Yacht Club, and a picnic lunch. Evening we watched the Grand Prix and the golf and I cooked a seafood BBQ. We had gone out to the outside pontoon to give us flexibility on Monday

So Monday we were able to get away as we wished and had a fabulous sail from Jersey to Dielette. We had never been there before and we liked it. The weather was also hot and sunny which helped! On Tuesday, we went on a tourist trip in the morning and then left at 1400 and motored in glorious sunshint to Cherbourg. Just after we tied up, Opus J with the other Richard and Helen ( Richard and I went to Hampton together ) tied up two pontoons away in their HR. We went and ate Galette and were invited for drinks aboard theirs after.

Wednesday was Carrefour, our bar, and sunbathing - then Pantagruel for our wedding anniversary dinner,which was superb, and then on our return we had drinks aboard opus J.

Thursday we crossed back and went into Haslar, ready for the wedding on Friday. Motor-sailed back. Friday we went over to Gunwharf and joined the gang for wedding of Andy and Jen. Great night.