What better way of starting the Centenary year than a quick Channel crossing? Mild, stable weather with a bit of wind and good visibility meant that Friday was an ideal day for a sail, and there was enough wind once the day got under way to get the cruising chute up and push on quite quickly, to arrive in Cherbourg with enough daylight to check tidal drift on the approach to Passe de l'Est as a fierce ebb set in.
Friday night in the club bar is a good time to catch up on the news, and I learned that a new boat had arrived, a consortium-owned Tripp 36 called 'Tryptyche'; impressed by the lengths YCC are prepared to go to, knowing that WSC are coming, I went round to the yard on Saturday afternoon to inspect the new venture, sitting on the hard next to the local Figaro 2, Groupe Fiva, strongly sailed by Alexis Loison, another major contender in their fleet. As with any boat out of the water at this time of year, everything was in bits inside, with an implausible number of tools scattered around, but the proud owners reckon to be ready for the YCC Transmanche near the beginning of the season. They of course assumed I was there to spy on their preparations, but allowed me to take some photos.
On the way back on Sunday, motor-sailing just north of the traffic, I was joined by six dolphins, who stayed with the boat for some time - I guess even they find the Channel a bit grey and empty at this time of year! I went to sit on the dinghy on the foredeck to see them better, which they seemed to appreciate, so I lay down and looked out over the port bow, upon which they came and swam right alongside, surfacing right below me, sometimes four together. This went on for half an hour, long enough for me to be able to distinguish them one from another - two were bigger than the others, with grey snouts, one with a pronounced white cicatrice next to its blowhole, and these two seemed most comfortable with the proximity to a human. Occasionally one would turn a bit on one side and seemed to be inspecting me; at one point one reappeared with a fish lodged across its mouth, which it managed to devour without losing any speed. Not wanting to disturb this contact, I didn't go to get the camera - it would probably have got soaked anyway. When I finally moved because of cold and cramp (and before I fell in and joined them!) they stayed around the boat, even while I went below for lunch, and finally left me a few miles off Portland wondering what they would have done if I had fallen in...
Herodotus tells the story of the famous musician Arion, who, after a successful tour in Italy, chartered a Corinthian ship to return to Greece. The crew decided to kill him for his money, but allowed him to play his harp one last time, which he did "dressed in the full costume of his calling", choosing a lively and high-pitched tune, and then jumped into the sea. Rescued by a dolphin, doubtless attracted by the music, he arrived back in Corinth before the ship, and was able to confront the amazed crew on their return! This may say something about the perils of chartering, but knowing what music to play around dolphins is clearly worthwhile.
Submitted on 7th January 2013