Alderney - Cherbourg Leg 10

Michael Lithgow

We overnighted on a buoy in Alderney. It was unusually calm although the slapping of wavelets at the stern prompted me at 0200 to shift my berth to the saloon. We left the buoy around 0900 as the tide was turning East to take it down to Cherbourg. Wind was light 5-6kts which was just about enough to sail but the strength of the tide coming up the Alderney race was pushing us too far north so we ended up motor sailing. Even thought the sea state was calm the effects of the tide and the whirlpool like conditions off Cap de La Hague could be felt 2 miles out. It was quite a short trip and we made Cherbourg in under 4 hours. Port Chatereyne was pack with the J-199 European Cup but we did find a good berth and settled down for a pleasant few days in hot weather in Cherbourg.