At this time of year dawn is late at sea, and dusk seems to start around teatime; it seemed a good idea to return from Cherbourg via Alderney, in order to get some cheap diesel for what promised to be a long motorsail back to Weymouth.
It turned out to be even longer than I’d hoped, and the diesel was the most expensive I have ever bought - £1.77 a litre! Being a bit further west meant I profited from the combination of the flood tide and a light SE breeze to arrive south of St Alban’s to take the ebb along the coast as the wind died away, but the whole trip, from Cherbourg with a minimal stop on a buoy at Braye, still took 14hrs – not quick.
As I came up into the bay with the last of the light, the wind started to turn more to the south-west; by midday the following day it was gusting 28 knots off Portland, which made me a bit happier about having crossed when I did.
I do like being in Cherbourg for September – a great month for racing, though this year the weather was rather more ‘equinoctial’ than usual - we did have some splendid days and evenings on the water nevertheless. I arrived in time to spend the following day on the water helping with crew transfers for the last day of the Ligue nationale regatta, which Cherbourg (of course) won. The following Saturday Georges and I won a race at Saint-Vaast, for which I actually got a Saint-Vaast T-shirt!
We sailed the Melges on a long Saturday afternoon race in 15-20 knots, out of the rade and down across the baie des Becquets, which was bracing to say the least, though the last evening race of the season proved to be idyllic, in a moderate northerly, which meant we got round the course just before it got dark. As guest helm I was happy with the second on the water and fourth on corrected – one of our better results. Then back here to continue racing till Christmas!
We are lucky to have the opportunity to sail out of Weymouth, and people seem to be making the most of this end of the season – well done particularly Iain and Celia for managing to get to Portsmouth in a Squib! Paul Burger’s trip to the IOW produced some exciting footage to enjoy as well as some calmer shots of the return voyage.
And it’s suddenly time for us all to vote for those fellow members who will do their best on our behalf to ensure that the club is run so as to promote the best in sailing, and support all members as they seek to benefit from the variety of opportunities the waters of Weymouth offer. We all ought to take the chance to vote - who will you vote for?
Steve Fraser
Submitted on 14th October 2022