It was time to set sail after two days of sitting on a mooring buoy. Jersey has a rugged coastline and very congested marina in the main port of St Helier. So the options are very limited in strong westerlies. Perhaps Bouley Bay would provide enough protection.
We left our sheltered spot and weaved between the jagged rocks. In safe waters it was time to set sail by raising only the headsail. It acts like a large flat pan lid with the strong wind (16kts) coming over the starboard quarter and pushing the yacht forward.
The Jersey coastline is unfriendly. A mass of rocks to the right and to the left. Strong tides challenged the helmsman as cliffs on the shoreline made the destination difficult to see. Finally the anchorage became clear and we sailed into Bouley Bay.
Alas there was not enough protection from the wind as it blew around the headland and through the valley of the shoreline (katabatic winds). Time to find another more sheltered anchorage.
Our course is now best to windward and the sail pattern was adjusted to head northwards. Tidal flows were checked again and our route back kept us clear of the outlying rocks.
Liquid Asset cut through the waves with a boat speed of 7kts and 4.2kts of tide against; slow progress at first. Then safely past the mass of rocks, we set a course towards Sark.
19:00 Arrived at Greve de la Ville and picked up a mooring buoy next to our last one from this morning.
The anchorage was busy now and yachts were swinging together on their mooring buoys. We should all swing in unison however not all boats swing together. A 46′ yacht needs room and our new buoy felt restricted.
21:30 Dropped the line and headed to the outer fringe. Better here with plenty of swinging room but our neighbour felt differently.
22:00 We decided to ‘get out of Dodge City’ and leave the pack. Dropped the line again and headed to the shipping buoy. The pickup line was massive and too heavy to get on board. However we fed a line through the loop and returned to the cabin exhausted. No one else will bother us now. Zzzzz
Experience Sailing 