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Camper and Nicholson’s marina at Gosport
7 June I went down to Gosport by train and walked to the boatyard where I found the dinghy just as I had left it. I rowed out to Sufiana and motored to the marina where I berthed to await the crew.
10 June Crew
Jeff Paterson, Ruth Kinnaird, Marian McKay
We spent the day tidying up and provisioning. After having trouble with the starboard tiller falling down and fouling the steering I decided to saw it off. There was not much wind and the batteries discharged. It cost £6.32 to charge the batteries to start the engine next morning.
11 June We set off at 08:30 with a forecast of wind variable 3-4 weather fair, visibility moderate with fog lifting round the Channel Islands. By evening the C I fog had moved North and we were caught in the middle of the channel sailing at 3 knots.
12 June In a break in the fog the moon appeared dead ahead and gave me a fright. I thought it was a light. The sextant gave an elevation of 8 deg 38 min. Then the for returned and we turned Northerly to avoid the Alderney race and the coast of Normandy. We decided that the fog would lift with the dawn and the turn of the tide bringing warmer water North. On channel 16 we heard a French fishing vessel calling the coast guard he was motoring at 11 knots and his radar was U S. Then “Merde visibilite zero”, I plotted his position to find where our fog ended. At 12:00 we sighted the lighthouse at Gros du Raz and headed for Braye where there were plenty of moorings for visitors. We were followed in by a French two master. Shops were a long way from the harbour but pubs were well worth a visit.
13 June After a good night’s sleep we sailed off the mooring, out of the harbour and towards the French coast The forecast was W 4 backing S and we started beating towards Jersey. At 16:00 we were a few miles N of Jersey so started the engine so we could arrive while the marina was open. Inter island hydrofoils passed several times. We reached St Hellier at 20:15 and filled in the customs form. We stayed for a few days dithering over the registration documents.
16 June 07:40 With a fine forecast and flat sea we were off. We were set westwards by the tide and arrived at St Malo about low water. We anchored near the harbour entrance waiting for the rising tide to cover the sill deep enough to cross at 16:55. In the harbour the visitors quay was near the entrance and subject to wash from the passing ferries. The weather was fine and this brought Marian out to bask. We found a hotel on the quayside and had great mussels.
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