Lady Martina - 2017

Normandy Coast Cruises 2017

2017-05-30T10:06:35+00:00

Section III Normandy Coast - 20th June to 13th July; (23 days incl 6 days shore-leave):

We are planning a slow and measured progress along the Normandy Bay, taking in as many of the drying coastal ports as possible and then taking the canal to Caen, via Ouistrehem, where we could take the ferry home to England for a family wedding. The whole leg, has us visiting some lesser-seen villages and towns and enjoying the markets, cuisine and reflective culture.

Part 1. Monday 19th June Cherbourg to St Vaast le Hougue see Cherbourg to St Vaast le Hougue 2017

Part 2. Wednesday 21st St Vaast le Hougue to Grand Camp Maisy see St Vaast le Hougue to Grandcamp Maisy 2017

Part 3. Thursday 22nd June Grand Camp Maisy to Port-en-Basin see Grandcamp Maisy to Port-en-Bessin-2017

Part 4. Monday 26th June Port-en-Basin via Ouistrehem Pegasus Bridge, Ranville) see Port-en-Bessin to Pegasus-2017

Part 5. Tuesday 27th June Pegasus Bridge, Ranville via Orme Canal to Caen see Pegasus to Caen 2017Ouistrehem to Deauville/Trouville 2017

Part 6. Thursday 29th/ Friday 30 June Caen to Pegasus Bridge, Ranville and on to Ouistrehem Marina Caen to Ouistrehem via Pegasus Bridge 2017

(Shore leave Sat 1st July Ferry Caen to Portsmouth depart 08.30 arriving 13.15: Returning Thurs/Fri 6th/7th July Portsmouth to Caen depart 22.45 arriving 0740)

Part 7. Saturday 8th July Ouistrehem (Caen) to Deaville/Trouville see Ouistrehem to Deauville/Trouville 2017

Part 9. Sunday 9th July Deaville/Trouville to Honfleur see Deauville to Honfleur 2017

Part 10. Thursday 13th Honfleur to Le Havre see Honfleur to Le Havre 2017

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Cherbourg to St Vaast le Hougue

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Monday 19th June Ref: 2017/10

The departure arrangements went well, although it is always a tense situation when you leave later in the day as the time ticks by. The wind was as expected and was against the prevailing and helpful tide but the sea state was smooth to slight for the most part and only moderate for a short while. As we cruised the following 3 knot tide was quite a boon but it was dragging fishing marks under and we had pull the throttles into neutral on one occasion as we had no option but to pass right over one of them and ‘freewheel’ past it.

{gallery}2017/Cherbourg-StVaast{/gallery}

I always monitor the real wind and tide states on board as we cruise and I became curious as the following tide started petering out too early. These tidal times are always just predictions and skippers have to be aware that climatic and meteorological factors can change them but with the breeze from the north-east against the tides I would not have expected the high water to have been earlier than predicted.

A glance at my tide tables revealed all. I had forgotten that the Almanacs give tide times for France in French Time rather than UTC and that a further hour had to be deducted and so we were nor running late! My plan was always to arrive at St Vaast a half hour before High Water and we had left 15mins earlier than that but I still increased speed to 10 knots from 8 knots for the final hour or so of the cruise such that we arrived at High Water anyway. We followed a host of other boats in across the drying approach and had a good 5m or so depth at all times. Not being able to raise the harbourmaster, we came alongside a large Dutch-owned vessel, a Princess 53 at hammerhead C and tied up without problem, taking our own lines ashore in addition to those securing us to the other vessel.

The weather had remained hot and sunny throughout and we had to deploy our sun canopy and air conditioning to stay comfortable as we prepared for a few days’ stayas stronger winds were now predicted

Temp 22>32 degC, RH 64>32%, Pressure 1017>1015 fallingy, fair/mod viz down to 3-4 nm at times, smooth/calm seas \(occ mod)with wind less than 11 knots north-easterly

St Vaast le Hougue to Grandcamp Maisy

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Wednesday 21st June Ref: 2017/11

This was an amazing day from many points of view; for us it was a day basking in the sunshine on the Isle de Tatihou and then the cruise to Grandcamp Maisy as fellow English and French people alike suffered a swelteringly hot day here and back in England. The cruise was very straightforward with smooth to slight seas with a very small swell but the visibility was not very good meaning that we saw little of the coast and the famous Utah beaches until our arrival on the other side of The Carentan Estuary.

{gallery}2017/StVaast-PortEnBessin{/gallery}

The barrier out of St Vaast was opened a little early but we failed to take advantage of this as Kathleen got the forward rope stuck in the pontoon and we had to return and let her off to free it! I cruised dead along the 146deg leading line towards the harbour entrance and my accuracy was proved desirable by scores of fishing marks being located on either side but not on the channel. Also by the two fishing boats leaving and bearing down on me on the reverse bearing!

Upon arrival at Port en Bessin, the harbour office was closed and nobody was answering the VHF until quite late and so we moored up at the end of the visitors’ pontoon C and made ourselves secure and then washed down the boat and filled up the water tanks. I was amazed by the number and activity of the fishing vessels. Grandcamp Maisy has always been a busy fishing port but seems even more so now with up to four large vessels unloading fish and crustaceans at a time into the purpose-built refrigerated warehouses along one quay and all of the other quays fully-occupied by 20+ other vessels.

I took a little walk around to check the harbour office, its display of weather and tides (tout dans Francais seulement) and then came back to help dry off Lady Martina and put her to bed for the night so that we could relax, eat and take stock at the end of what had been a very hot and exhausting but productive day. Seemingly the hottest for some 30 years.

Temp 36>28 degC, RH 29>50%, Pressure 1013>1011>1012 mb, fair/mod viz, smooth/slight seas with slight swell and wind less than 9 knots north-north-easterly

Grandcamp Maisy to Port En Bessin

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Wednesday 21st June Ref: 2017/11

I planned our route to Port de Bessin late in the day and got our Grandcamp Maisy harbourmaster to find the phone number to the tourist office there and we called it and they confirmed that the visitors’ pontoon in Port en Bessin was completely free this afternoon and so we should have every chance of finding a space. The trip was made in slightly more wind than of late at up to 11 knots but its direction was following both us and the 1-2 knot tide and so the sea was only slight/moderate and the swell not an issue

{gallery}2017/GrandcampMaisy-PortEnBessin{/gallery}

We passed Pointe du Hoc and the poignant Omaha Beach and foreshore, the site of so many young Americans losing their lives on the 6th of this month in 1944 and the wrecks of their landing craft, amphibious tanks, landing craft and support vessels were under our hull and all round us on our charts and visible on our sonar and echo sounder as we cruised on. Most of these young men remain in the cemeteries on the cliffs overlooking these beaches but for some this stretch of the Channel is their only resting place. If the weather was as kind then as it was today, then many more of them would have survived.

The approach to Port en Bessin across the bay was a straightforward one and it just needed some careful work at the helm to turn across the following tide and hold the correct course transit into the outer and then the inner harbours. I called port control on VHF Ch 18 and they held me there until two fishing boats exited and then I came in after them to find the visitor’s pontoon clear as predicted and the basin calm enough to enable an easy mooring, bow to the lock in an alongside mooring.

It took a while to figure out the electricity as it is one of those supply sockets where the plug has to be twisted after insertion. This was not before I had deployed a very long lead and found the second box no more cooperative than the first to just having the plug inserted! I then found an SFR ‘Fon’ internet service, which is affiliated to my home account with BT Fon in England and the KPN Fon in Holland and has served me well with fast and efficient connections during my travels and that was a welcome alternative to the use of my 4G phone data allowance of 20GByte monthly.

Unfortunately, as before when we visited, there is no water but I had anticipated that and filled up before we left Grandcamp Maisy.

Temp 27>29>27 deg C, RH 51>45%, Pressure 1015 mb steady, good viz, slight occ mod seas and wind less than 11 knots westerly

Port En Bessin to Pegasus Bridge

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Monday 26th June Ref: 2017/12a

I took a walk to the Port-en-Bessin harbour wall to see the ‘lie of the land’ at low water so as to judge the best course to take out of the place should the gates have opened earlier than the published time for at 10.35am this morning, which is often the case. In fact it was just after the published time that the gates opened and then later still before we could edge ourselves into the queue of fishing boats all anxious to get out and start working. I had noted the times we were due at various waypoints and this told me that we kept falling behind our schedule to arrive at 1.15pm, the time that I believed that we had to be at Ouistrehem Lock. I cut as many corners as I could do safely to keep on schedule and then accelerated several times to ensure we arrived on time.

{gallery}2017/PortEnBessin-Pegasus{/gallery}

I did this only to find out that that the time specified was for the exit lock to the sea and the one to go inland was 30 mins later, such that we could have relaxed and gone in our own time after all! Nevertheless, it was nice to open up the engines again and have a fast end to the passage and so we just moored up at the pontoon to wait. The wind and tide had strengthened as we locked through Ouistrehem as the only boat and then started making our way up the Orme Canal. The next ‘convoy’ for going through the bridges was not due to start at Pegasus bridge until 4.30pm and so we had two hours and so I stopped at my favourite mooring downstream of that bridge and we visited the Pegasus Bridge memorial museum.

We had a very good tour hosted by long-term guide Margaret who told the story with true respect and fondness for she has started her working career here and then came back later and has never left since. She had met all of the Veterans of the Airborne Division who had since passed away, we think, and she related very many of the stories that they had told her. Also those of one of the two German soldiers who were guarding the bridge when we attacked, the other 20 sleeping in a nearby block-house after a birthday celebration that night. Aged only 18, he ran and saved himself at the time, hiding in a tree of two days before surrendering. The most poignant anecdote she told us was of a 97-year-old who confessed to having shot three surrendering German soldiers on another occasion after having his close friend shot through the eye next to him and the poor chap had sought her forgiveness and understanding after 70 years of guilt, which she found to be a very humbling experience.

We were so taken with the visit that we followed the guide to see the Horsa replica glider and the grounds and so stayed much later than would have been in time for that bridge convoy and therefore decided to stay the night at those moorings. After our museum visit, we walked over to the Pegasus Bridge café for refreshment. The daughter of the original owner who was there on June 6th 1944 when it was the first hosue liberated still runs the place and, after she had served another couple, I said ‘You are still here then?’ and she replied, ‘I hope so’ and the couple said, ‘ have you been here a long time?’ and she said, ‘quite a while’ and I said to them, ‘She was here as a young girl when they all arrived on D day’ and she asserted, ‘I am still a young girl now!’ and of course I agreed.

Unfortunately, as before when we visited, there is no water (just like at Port-en-Bessin) but I had anticipated that and filled up before we left Grandcamp Maisy and our large water tank still delivered our showers daily and all of our needs. The new domestic battery bank also coped admirably to providing 230v electricity in the absence of shore-power and used the new TV and DVD to watch the 'D-day' film, 'the Longest Day' as it seemed to be the appropriate thing to do....

Temp 24>29 deg C, RH 64>42%, Pressure 1013>1011 mb falling slowly, rain,, good viz, smooth/slight seas and wind less than 11 knots NNEly

Pegasus Bridge to Caen

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Tuesday 27th June Ref: 2017/12b

It had been showering off and on and looked as if it might stop but then it started drizzling and that developed into heavy rain that lasted for the rest of the day. We therefore decided to cast off and join the convoy of three yachts that were massing for the first convoy of the day; starting just where we were moored at Pegasus Bridge at 10.10am.

{gallery}2017/Pegasus-Caen{/gallery}

I headed for the opening bridge, reckoning that we had been moored and waiting so they would not mind me leading the convoy. One large yacht seemed to think otherwise and, as I held back waiting for the others to make it a tight fleet for the bridges, he stormed ahead at 6 Knots (despite the publicised speed for the Orme Canal convoys being 5) and I tried signalling and addressing him on my loud hailer but he was arguing and not taking the point. It did him absolutely no good at all, as I still held back until the other two yachts joined me and he had to wait at the next bridge as the bridge-keeper was always going to wait for the yachts to be together before letting us through! After that, he slowed down and tried to get me close to him but I slowed too until I was in touch with the other two and he learnt his lesson and held back. Once we were through the town bridge into the Caen Basin, he quickly moored and shot off no doubt from embarrassment and I chatted to the other two skippers.

Despite the rain, we connected up our water hose and washed and rinsed Lady Martina and then started topping up the water tank but Kathleen noticed a funny noise behind the microwave and I saw the aft bilge pump running far too often so our next saga began. I first stripped the saloon of all of our furnishing and delved into the area close to my port shaft to look at the stern gland. It was dripping regularly but nothing much more than it had been and so that was not the cause. I did try tightening it but could not move the large nuts anyway.

It then became obvious that there was a leak from our pressurised domestic water system behind the galley cupboards and this needed the whole saloon contents to be changed so that I could get to the starboard side. First, I dismantled the cupboard under the hob and this took a while but at least Broom build their boats so that access exists, however difficult. Once we got behind there, we could see the problem leak and it was in the pressurised cold water system but at a junction behind the microwave! I had to remove the stairs alongside it and then eventually found out how this appliance was secured in and, by managing to remove the four screws securing the two special blocks at the top, I could free the microwave but then came the next problem. The mains supply cable was not long enough to enable it to be withdrawn from the cabinet and so the next thing was to lengthen it! With two 3-way terminal blocks safely housed in two plastic boxes, I completed that surgery and now the connected microwave could sit on the kitchen work surface. Phew!!

I next removed the back of the cupboard housing the microwave and its base and could then properly access a group of three ‘L’-shaped pipe unions, the middle one of which leaked a lot under pressure. I removed the offending fitting and was disappointed to find that the harbourmaster did not arrive to open his office at the time of 14.30pm, stated on his door, because I wanted to know where the nearest chandler or plumber was for I had planned to buy replacement unions to a much higher design or quality.

When he did appear later, he was of no assistance at all, saying that the nearest were at Ouistrehem and he knew even less English than I knew French. I decided to refit the offending union but to make a far better job of it this time and that I eventually did, the resulting job holding for the rest of the day at least. Kathleen had a shower and put the washing machine on to give it a good check and the system seemed to have settled down again.

Temp 21>24 deg C, RH 80>74%, Pressure 1005 mb steady, rain, good viz, smooth and little wind inland

Caen to Ouistrehem via Pegasus Bridge

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Thursday 29th and Friday 30th June Ref: 2017/13

On the first day, I filled the water tank again after we had completed two large washing machine cycles and then dropped off the marina electronic quay and we were ready to go. Lady Martina was moored in quite a confined space but I expertly used both engines and the bow thruster to extract us which attracted not only interest but obvious admiration from the men working on the marina electrics and a few other spectators. We were the only boat in this ‘convoy’ and so took our time and got all three bridges to open in sequence as we made our way down the Orne canal and eventually moored at the Pegasus Bridge in the same spot as a few days ago.

On day two, we set off from Pegasus Bridge after lunch and found the river as quiet as yesterday. There was not very far to go but we cruised at 5 knots and were just pleased that the overnight gusts and winds had stopped and we enjoyed the views and trip and then had no trouble in pulling into the Ouistrehem Marina and mooring up at the visitor’s pontoon as their first arrival today. Others arrived later but by that time we had commissioned our folding bikes, cycled off to check out the ferry terminal for our arrangements for tomorrow’s crossing and then cycled back and along to the commercial yards for a very good look around an excellent chandlery; the best I had found in France so far this trip.

{gallery}2017/Caen-Ouistrehem{/gallery}

Whilst at Pegasus Bridge, I was interested in the nearby Ranville wartime cemetery, which was the resting place of over 2,000 soldiers who perished in the Normandy landings and the aftermath, including the young pilot who was the first to die when his glider crash landed in the first assault and the Lieutenant who was shot on Pegasus bridge when leading his assault pontoon as the first victim shot in action. I found out where the cemetery was and I cycled there. It is a magnificent place and kept, as always by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission, in immaculate and beautiful condition. It is the resting place of over 2,000 soldiers who perished in the Normandy landings and the aftermath, including the young pilot who was the first to die when his glider crash landed in the first assault and the Lieutenant who was shot on Pegasus bridge when leading his assault pontoon as the first victim shot in action.

This day. we were offered a more protective mooring in a ‘box’ but I was quite happy alongside on the visitor’s pontoon and said I was quite happy if anyone needed to raft up against me during the week. We had another nice meal and I then prepared Lady Martina to be ready for her week of inactivity and also caught up with my writings, log-work and web sites before turning in for another very early morning’s journey!

Day 1: Temp 22>24 deg C, RH 60>35%, Pressure 996 mb steady, rain, good viz, smooth and little wind inland <6knots SSWly

Day 2: Temp 22>28 deg C, RH 73>57%, Pressure 1013 mb steady, rain, good viz, smooth and breezy by coast <10knots Nly

Ouistrehem to Deauville

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Saturday 8th July Ref: 2017/14

I had planned for us to make an early start and this was what exactly what we did today, starting the engines at 7.15am this morning and then leaving the moorings at Ouistrehem around 7.30am in order to be ready to enter the 8.00am lock for an exit to the sea. A good cruise from Ouistrehem to Deauville on a fine, warm and sunny day and then a good cycle ride around Deauville and Trouville before dinner on Lady Martina and then some rather last-minute cruise planning to Honfleur. The journey went well, with a good following tide and we arrived, as intended, a half hour before high water

{gallery}2017/Ouistrehem-Deauville{/gallery}

We were hardly alone in that 8am lock out from Ouistrehem to the sea as there were nearly 40 boats that joined us in the lock and then formed a huge echelon when the exit gates opened. Before this, we held our own, found a mooring in the lock and allowed another large Dutch boat to come alongside. Having dropped around 1.9m to sea level the other side, we left the lock and had lots of boats speeding past us; competing for the best fishing spots to the north-west of the port and they made plenty of wash whilst doing so, which made it quite exciting for Kathleen.

During the cruise, one of my GPS sets lost signal and I had to rely upon the other one but that is why we have two and i got it working my re-making the connections whilst underway.

The entrance to Deaville/Trouville was fine and without difficulty and. On this occasion, I opted to cruise through Deauville basin and then enter Bassin Morny. Traditionally, the visitor moorings have involved rafting on the starboard side but there are now mooring boxes there and we were waved and directed to moor alongside on a long pontoon on the port side as we entered there and did so. It was a comfortable and well-serviced mooring but was also situated a huge building site. It seems that the older part of the dock, once the situation for the local fisherman, has not been taken over for a posh new development of riverside apartments which are being offered ‘either for dwellings or for investment purposes’.

We used the high water pressure here with our portable hose and gave Lady Martina its first thorough wash down since we left Grandcamp Maisy and then I walked over to the harbour office (after it had opened again after lunch) and paid for a day’s stay and got details of the internet connection. We put up the sun canopy, brought out and assembled the folding chairs and then unloaded the bikes and commissioned then ready for a long ride around this delightful port

Temp 20>28 deg C, RH 70>52%, Pressure 1018>1019 mb steady, fine, good/mod viz, smooth/slight seas with breeze mainly NWly <8knots

Deauville to Honfleur

2017-05-29T16:33:31+00:00

Saturday 8th July Ref: 2017/14

Another good cruise from Deauville to Honfleur on an even warmer and sunnier day, judging the gate opening times and tides perfectly at each end and arriving just in time for the bridge lift into the inner Vieux harbour. It was a late decision to leave Deauville today for the cruise to Honfleur and this meant lots of preparations under pressure which continued into this morning, first thing. However I overcame the difficulties, worked out exactly when to leave and how fast we should go in order to arrive at Honfleur after the sea locks had changed to ‘free-flow’ and in time for the last bridge lift before lunch and into the historic Vieux harbour in the very centre of this delightful place.

{gallery}2017/Deauville-Honfleur{/gallery}

The main problem that I faced was in calculating the high and low water times of both Deauville and Honfleur by their differences from the standard port, Le Havre. Depending upon whether the date is close to Neap or Spring tides, the differences vary and I was getting confused by conflicting information I was receiving. Furthermore, just like the Solent, there is a double high tide in these parts to add to the confusion. I was reasonably confident today that High Tide at Honfleur was around 10.45 UTC which meant 12.45 French summer time and so, given the today barrier was normally open around 2 hours before and after, I reckoned that we needed to leave as soon as possible from Deauville. Here the gates were open 2.5hrs before and after and by my calculations that meant we could exit the port around 9.30am LT. First thing this morning, I noticed the harbour office open and so made it my business to go and ask them (all in French) what time the gates opened this morning and it was 9.20am, just 10mins out from my calculation!

We were right ready for that and were just one of two boats exiting today in stark contrast to yesterday. This extra few minutes let me slow down to a more economical speed and I arrived at Honfleur at exactly the right time and so caught the open sluices and then the last of the bridge openings before the lunchtime break to arrive at the very attractive Vieux harbour where we could raft up against two Dutch boats and stay in the very centre of this great historic city.

It was another very hot and sunny day and so I switched the air-conditioning on, put up the sun canopy and then rested for ages reading my book on ‘Pegasus Bridge’ and relaxing. It had been a very smooth passage and I had judged everything correctly to arrive at a nice mooring and I was very pleased. Later on, when it was cooler, we ventured out for a walk around this stunning historical and artistic place, with its countless restaurants and tourist attractions that made us feel very fortunate to be here.

We ended the day very happy but also very tired and looking forward to some rest and recuperation after two successive days’ cruising.

Temp 32 deg C, RH 57>43%, Pressure 1013mb steady, good viz, smooth seas with breeze mainly NNEly <9knots