Sundowner II log – 2001


Beaucette-St Peter Port-Beaucette 9/6/01
Crew: Dennis, Sandra & Brambles
Weather: NW F4
Miles 12.5
Oops wind over tide preparing for trip to Weymouth next week. Very choppy decided to sail to town under main and genoa instead of sailing towards Alderney in open sea. Breezed into St Peter Port our friend on the water taxi was rushing to help as he knew of our limited experience at docking (which was none). But we had already sussed it headed up wind to allow us to be gently blown onto the pontoon and Sandra could just step off to secure the lines. Lunch and pint sailed with tide back home.

Beaucette-Braye. 18/6/01
Crew: Dennis, Sandra
Weather: Fair light winds
Miles 19.5
Early start 0435 high water motor sailed. Puffins in Swinge. Arrived for breakfast still excited as on first real trip tomorrow the channel.

Braye - Weymouth 19/6/01
Crew: Dennis, Sandra
Weather: Fair light winds E S/E
Miles: 54.5
Motor sailing cockpit speakers working well arrived at 20:00hrs after leaving Braye at 0730. Visibility good for the shipping lanes. Berthed headed straight for sailors return.

Weymouth-Braye 28/6/01
Crew: Dennis, Sandra
Weather: SW 6/7 Rough/rain
Miles: 61
Fuelled up 0730. Weather forecast - fair rising wind rain. Town bridge 0800 passed Portland bill then very rough close to the shambles spent four hours at helm surfing the waves seemed the rougher it got the more Sundowner enjoyed it but was very difficult peeing over the dodgers with one hand on the wheel. Later got in serious trouble when on a collision with a large tanker went to tack behind totally messed up and we hadn’t started the engine panicked and did not use the pre heat enough amazingly the tanker altered course with us dead in the water we then checked the engine and filled the sails and with a feeling of great relief continued on our way. The weather was still wet and blowing up to 30 Knots and as darkness fell we were not looking forward to the prospect of our first solo night at sea as from our previous passage we knew the entrance to Braye was difficult with the leading lights hard to distinguish from the street and car lights. It was then I jokingly said don’t worry these clouds will part and the moon will guide us in and sure enough they and it did and at 1130 we were on a very welcome buoy. To see that path of moonlight shining straight out the harbour between the lighthouse and break water even illuminating the buoys was awe inspiring. Slept.

Braye-Beaucette 29/6/01
Crew Dennis & Sandra
Weather: SSW 4/5 Mod
Miles: 18
Bit of a rush to get home although the tide was right for the Swinge we fought wind and tide over the six-hour journey. Average speed 3 kts. Having to lassoo the swinging radar reflector after a bolt sheared did not help (hats on).

Beaucette- St Peter Port 13/7/01
Crew: Dennis, Sandra & Brambles
Weather: SW 6/7 Rough
Miles: 4.5
23/28 kts of wind, 1 reef in genoa no main. Moored alongside Castle Cornet on small local boats pontoon. Saw Shakespeare within Castle grounds wine and cheese, fireworks (to celebrate the Queen’s visit to Guernsey) above boat with lots of visitors. In certain tides this pontoon will dry out but with our draught we are able to use it regularly and being just outside the yacht club is quite satisfying. (Tend not to use yacht clubs)

St Peter Port-Gorey, Jersey 14/7/01
Crew: Dennis & Sandra
Weather: Light winds fair with showers
Miles: 31.25
Fought lack of wind lots of sail configurations finally got wind on the north coast of Jersey and sailed round to Gorey. Managed to over run the buoy and had to go around again. Very helpful harbour master no charge nice pubs and pizzas.

Gorey-Beaucette 15/7/01
Crew: Dennis & Sandra
Weather: 4 NW fair
Miles 37.5
Overslept and left at 05.30 with just 1.3 metres of water and had to reverse away from shore due to falling tide disturbing a lot of seaweed on the way. Whilst practising with sails messed another tack up on the north coast and reversed and caught a lobster pot bobber around our prop. This immediately meant another dip for Dennis and a chance to try out his new knife recently purchased in Reels and Deals, Weymouth. We still have nightmares of poor Larry the Lobster outgrowing his pot on the seabed. Maybe by now he has got big enough to pincer his way out. Struggled with the wind direction and ended up south of Sark in conditions everyone says you must avoid. Saw our first waterspout funnelling it’s way to the heavens. Dennis went to sleep for 2 hours while Sandra enjoyed sailing back to Jersey so we could eventually tack back towards St Martins Point and up the Little Russell to home.