The cross involves 2 tide changes, so that's essentially a wash, except that the French side has a great deal more current around Cherbourg, where we were headed for.
And the plan would have worked perfectly if we had gotten the dinghy deflated the night before...
My main plan this time was to come close to the separation zone between Cherbourg and the Isle of Wight as the ships have to enter and leave lanes (5 nm wide), so they are concentrated and easier to “deal” with.
Plus there is a 5 nm strip between the lanes where you can catch your breath and get ready for the next line of ships (East bound in this case).
I took a picture of the chart plotter screen that shows (little) Severance in between the lanes, the red arrows are all the ships entering and leaving the zone (I was staying just on the West edge of it).
The picture was taken at night...so I didn't quite achieve the daylight crossing goal.
Anyway, this route took some extra miles, but I liked the strategy enough to pay that price.
After getting through the traffic tide was starting to go against us and we ducked into Alderney and dropped the hook for the night to await the next tide.
One more successful cross!!!
P.S. I'm leaving out the fact that our autopilot wasn't working, it was colder than hell out, I wrapped myself in a sleeping bag when I steered, perhaps late September isn't the best time to be making a cross, but at least we were headed South!
Anyway, this route took some extra miles, but I liked the strategy enough to pay that price.
After getting through the traffic tide was starting to go against us and we ducked into Alderney and dropped the hook for the night to await the next tide.
One more successful cross!!!
P.S. I'm leaving out the fact that our autopilot wasn't working, it was colder than hell out, I wrapped myself in a sleeping bag when I steered, perhaps late September isn't the best time to be making a cross, but at least we were headed South!
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