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Part 1 – Sailing to Jersey
On Saturday, we had a northwest wind of around 30 knots. We could have crossed the English Channel, but we would not have had enough time to return. So, we decided to sail to Jersey.
We started relatively early, with the staysail and two reefs in the mainsail. For the first two hours, we sailed against the wind. It was a bumpy ride, but we were still making more than 8 knots.
Then we reached the Race of Alderney. The current was in our favour, but the wind was still against us. This created very steep waves. At one point, a wave lifted the boat so much that I briefly felt weightless inside!
After passing the Race, the conditions improved. We changed to the Solent sail and reduced the reef in the mainsail. We were soon sailing at more than 10 knots towards Jersey.
We reached St Helier in time for high water and tied up for the night.
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Part 2 – An Early Start from Jersey
During the night, we discovered that we had misjudged the depth at our berth. As the tide went out, the yacht touched the bottom.
For Sunday, we checked the wind and tides and calculated when we needed to leave to get back to Cherbourg in time. The decision was clear: we had to start at 7 a.m. After the previous evening, getting up that early was not easy!
Once we rounded the eastern end of Jersey, we set the spinnaker and sailed back towards France./p> -
Part 3 – Against the Current
On the way back, we reached the Race of Alderney about 30 minutes too late. This time, we had to deal with a strong current against us.
T The current was running at around 11 knots against the wind. We were sailing at 13 knots through the water, but our speed over the ground was only 1–2 knots. The waves slowed us down even more.
T This is a good example of how much the tides can affect your progress. Even when the boat is moving fast through the water, you may make very little progress towards your destination.
T Eventually, we passed Cap de la Hague and continued towards Cherbourg.
To be a confident skipper in normal conditions, I also need to train in difficult conditions. That is why I regularly join experienced racer and navigator Marc Lepesqueux for training on his Class40 yacht #26, Jumbo40.
During these weekends, we sail in tidal waters, practise sail changes, and use different sails, including the spinnaker and Code 0. We learn how to handle the boat and how to deal with changing weather and strong currents.
This time, we spent a weekend sailing in the English Channel. The wind and tides gave us plenty of things to practise.
To complement this report, we have also created some videos capturing some of our favorite impressions from the journey.