Sundowner II log – 2003


Beaucette-Herm 31/5/03
Crew: Dennis, Sandra, Alex, Seb
Miles 5.5
Variable 11/15
Made 6 knots under main and genoa, beached on Shell beach. Great time with the boys and met up with Dave and Claire in the Mermaid. Had thunder and lightening over France throughout the night. Boys had rowing lessons. Walked around the island and chilled on the beach.


Shell Beach – Beaucette 1/6/03
Crew: Dennis, Sandra, Alex, Seb
Miles 5.5
Variable 11/15
Lunch at the Ship, departed shell beach 18.00, Corbette passage, Little Russell, Beaucette 19.15.


Beaucette - Gorey 27/6/03
Crew: Dennis & Sandra
Miles 26
Variable 6/15 showers
Departed Beaucette 09.45 arrived Gorey at 17.00, usual speed along N coast of Jersey – speed over ground 7.3. Sailed half journey, sunshine and 15 knots of wind when we arrived. France tomorrow!

Gorey - Granville 28/6/03
Crew: Dennis & Sandra
Miles 25
N 0/5 glassy sea
Departed Gorey 09.00, engine didn’t start 1st time, cup of tea, checked ignition connection, fired up lovely. Strange currents on journey, saw Iles Chausey, entered Granville along with a yacht race, complete chaos, took very small hammerhead at far end of marina while it quietened down. Sandra checked in as Dennis renewed alternator belt, only to look up later and were find that 6 small boats had rafted alongside! One a small wooden sailing school yacht with 12 crew. The marina staff could not quite believe that we had moored on this pontoon and suggested that we move later – no chance! Had a nice late meal along with a hen night, which was good fun, song sheets and all.

Granville - Carteret 29/6/03
Crew: Dennis & Sandra
Miles 39
SE 11/25 small chop, fair
7.30 departure, managed to release ourselves from mooring which involved Sandra holding 6 small craft and then re-attaching them to pontoon as Dennis came alongside the nearby pontoon which meant a long walk up and back down for Sandra. Some sailing and dolphins as we approached Carteret in 25 knots of wind with a very old pilot book, just making our course with all marks lined up when we noticed the new breakwater across the entrance. This meant heading up into the strong wind and we just managed the turn and then up into the marina. The manager cleared a space only for Dennis to stall the engine as a small local yacht under sail expertly changed course and passed. Time for a shower, very friendly club, lots of beer and no shower.

Cartetet - Beaucette 30/6/03
Crew: Dennis & Sandra
Miles 34
SW/W 11/15 Heavy chop
Departed 9.30, very rough on leaving harbour entrance due to shallow seabed, with the wind and tide pushing us towards the headland and on a lee shore the engine was used as we then headed due south to clear the land. Hard going sailing and motor sailing, also renewing yet another alternator belt en route, fought tide around Sark then ran before approaching huge storm into the bay at Shell Beach and anchored using Sandra’s unique style of letting go of everything all at once, so we tried that again - perfect timing perfect haven. The sea was flat as mayhem ensued all around. The alternative if we had not made the bay would have been going south with 7 knots of current and ending up at St Martin’s point – if we had missed the mass of rocks between the islands. Left an hour later and were caught by a similar storm, this time with the tide in our favour as we headed up the Little Russell, our friend John commented later on how Sundowner just appeared out of the black wall and into the fairway. Home at last.