Parlez Vous Francais, mate? – The Cherbourg Dash

The signs were good. After a fair start to the season weather-wise, the promised summer was finally coming. Brighton had been great, Round the Island superb (eventually) The Scillies excellent, now the weather just had to hold for three days so I could finally get Sumprezi across The Channel.

It was too much to ask. The Scillies mob had obviously had more than their fair share of sunshine and flat seas, so when it came to Cherbourg – torrential rain and F5-6’s.

In the lead up to the weekend we unfortunately lost two boats. Pendragon - lost documentation, Dragonfly - urgent work requirements. Still that left three boats: Abraxis, Rafiki and Sumprezi.

It had been previously decided that to get the most favourable tides we would have to leave on the Friday afternoon. This would also give us the benefit of two nights in Cherbourg, rather than the usual rush of: getting there, meal, sleep, get up, and run back. So on a rather blustery Friday midday the three crews met at Eastlands to decide what we should do. The forecast for Friday was acceptable with a North-Westerly F3, Saturday was better, but Sunday was the aforementioned F5-6 and heavy rain. We considered going Friday and returning Saturday, but ultimately decided that as all three boats were due to cross again in three weeks on the Summer Cruise, we’d leave it until then. Instead we’d go to Eastbourne.

Preparations were made, the boatyard owner proudly told ‘We’re off to Cherbourg’ and we left mid afternoon. We managed about ten minutes before the first breakdown – things weren’t looking good. Fortunately it was just fuel starvation on Rafiki and was quickly dealt with.

As we entered The Solent we experienced a bit of chop, but nothing serious, and with the forecast wind NW we should be relatively sheltered along to Eastbourne. However as we passed the eastern end of the Island, it became apparent that the wind was actually southerly and the journey started to get uncomfortable. After a short stop to assess the situation, we mutually decided to return to Port Solent.

We entered Port Solent lock after an amusing display of pointless circular sailing by a yacht in the lock queue. The dockmaster arranged berthing for us all together on a pontoon just inside the lock, a bit of a hike across the lock to the facilities, but no real problem providing there was no free flow – otherwise it was a major trek round the long way. Friday night saw us in Weatherspoons rather than a more salubrious French restaurant, but nevertheless we had a good evening rounded off with a beer or two onboard Abraxis.

Saturday brought pleasant weather. After a late breakfast the general feeling was to have a lazy day around the marina. Port Solent has a variety of outlets, so while the women went looking at fluffy things, for us men there was real shopping to do. So we went to the chandlery instead, and that £2 packet of screws that would come in handy ended up costing £80 for all the other essentials. We had a really relaxed lunch at Café Uno, before returning to the boat for a much needed afternoon snooze, en-route bumping into the boatyard owner, somewhat amused to see how far we’d really got. In the evening we met up with old friend Tina Harris and all went to the Indian Palace for a curry.

Overnight the wind could be heard rising and the rain started. Sunday morning was dreadful. I even considered (note, considered) returning with my covers up. About midday the rain abated and we left Port Solent on free flow into a rather confused Solent. The short run back to Southampton Water was wet and lumpy, but we soon arrived back at Eastlands safely.

Paul