Phase one of The Big Adventure complete

From St Peter Port, we sailed North-East up the east coast of Guernsey, timing the transit through the fast-flowing Little Russel Channel and Alderney Race perfectly (even though I do say so myself, the navigator). In both these stretches of water the tide can run at up to 6 knots so you definitely don't want to be going against it. Regrettably the wind was 'on the nose' so we had to rely on our trusty Yanmar engine (hoping this comment does not tempt fate ... it seems that as soon as a fault in one area gets fixed, another raises its head somewhere else) to get us through until we turned the corner of Cap de la Hague and could sail again. Although Cherbourg is a huge and impersonal Marina, arriving there in the dark was - almost - a piece of cake as there was plenty of space and lights by which to manoeuvre. So we were safely moored by 00:30, and able to sleep in on Saturday morning. It had been a satisfying passage.

A provisioning run was required on Saturday. Making for what we assumed to be the building housing the 'hypermarket', since the word "Carrefour" was inscribed in large letters on the outside, we had nearly walked round the entire large building without finding an entrance before we realised one had first to go inside the entrance to the modern American-style 'mall' before one can access the simple supermarket. As seen below, the French really like to dress up their hypermarkets with some style.

Very early Sunday, in the dark again, we slipped from our mooring and headed north across the English Channel. Motor-sailing to start with, the wind had backed (from NW to W) by midday, after which a cracking beam reach sail was enjoyed, despite it being rather tiring with the boat heeling over and bouncing a bit in the cross-swell. In fact we did so well, we arrived just outside Poole Harbour too early to get in on the flood tide. What else to do but drop the anchor in beautiful Studland Bay and have a cup of tea ... Poole Harbour was duly achieved on Sunday evening, as planned, with Follyfin safely berthed by 20:30.

There was one further task to achieve before Phase One of our Big Adventure could be said to be properly complete, and that was to retrieve our car which had been languishing in Redon in southern Brittany since we left her there on 3 May. Armed with only a small rucksack and the car keys, Fiona set off at 08:15 Tuesday morning. The project involved various modes of transport as follows: Shanks' Pony, train, plane, bus, Metro, train, Shanks' Pony, own car, car ferry, car. Arrived back at boat at 08:45 today, a mere 24.5 hours later. Whew, mission accomplished!

Back to cleaning duties today, this time attacking the white GRP, only torn away briefly by urgent phone call ... but now ready for bed!