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Sally and Mark left for Gosport from Lowestoft and conditions were not favourable..it was not a problem for our Hardy 50 and we arrived at 4pm and tied up in Haslar Marina. Teresa and Malcolm Pannell then joined us and whilst the boys went off for a well earned pint (apparently)! Teresa and Sally set about making the boat look ship shape. We were joined by Colin, Ros and Chris on ‘Ondine’ and Bernie and Hilary were already there on their boat ‘Dolphin’.
We then went for dinner at Strada in Gunwharf Quays. We were joined by Alvin and Jan Wilby (36, Eryri) and Simon and Kay Galley (42, Kayos). We were also joined by Stuart and Jennifer Wineberg (36, Enigma) who were not joining us on the cruise and their friends. The meal was lovely and the service was impeccable and we had various conversations but the main topic was the weather….
The wind was blowing at force 5 and 6 at times so upon this basis we decided to stay in Gosport another night. A party of us went to the Submarine Museum and others met for lunch or looked around the shops. Simon and Kay Galley decided to brave it in their 42 and they left at 6am! They had a good crossing and arrived safely at Honfleur before lunchtime and they contacted us to say they were having a well earned beer in a bar. Colin, Ros and Chris (36, Ondine) decided to go to Chichester for the night and moored up there.
We met up with Larry and Pat (36, Jalina) in the evening and went to dinner with Bernie and Hilary at the Lightship in Haslar Marina (not far to travel but the food was lovely)! We then went back to our boats ready for the next day ahead.
Lysithea (Hardy 50) and Dolphin (Hardy 50) set off at 10am and after a diesel stop made their way to Honfleur. Paul & Moyra Marshall made their way to Cowes from Fowey. We joined Simon and Kay (42, Kayos) on board their boat in the beautiful old harbour of Honfleur for a few drinks and then went out to dinner. We found a bar and it was said that ‘when in Rome do what the Romans do’ and we decided to drink Calvados (heavily led by Mark) and then head back to Bernie’s boat for more drinks!!
Larry & Pat (36, Jalina), Paul & Moyra (42, Namaste), Colin & Ros (36, Ondine) and ‘Spike’ and Jos (36, Cassandra Jay) all joined us in Honfleur in the afternoon after the bridge lift. The boats looked spectacular moored together and drew a lot of admiring attention from the locals. Some of us went to explore the area or had a nice long lunch over looking the boats. We managed to squeeze 19 of us into a Restaurant and a good evening was has by all. Alvin and Jan Wilby decided to head straight onto Ouistreham to look at the Bayeaux Tapestry and then head to Caen and miss out Honfleur.
It was an awful day. The weather was really wet and miserable, so we pottered about and did some jobs on the boats. We finally went for a quick walk round the town avoiding the showers and decided the right thing to do was have a beer. We then went to dinner and had an early night.
We all left Honfleur on the 10.30 lock and made our way back down the Seine and along the coast to Ouistreham. After a short delay we all headed through the huge small boat lock and continued up the canal to Caen. It was a real picturesque scene going up the river especially passing under the famous Pegasus Bridge. After another two swing bridges we completed the 7 mile passage from Ouistreham and arrived in the town centre of Caen around 5pm. There was a music festival on so we decided to have a wander and have a look. We had no idea what they were singing about but the crowd seemed to like it! Alvin and Jan had kindly booked a table for us all at a Restaurant for 21 of us!! The food was lovely and the waiter looked after us very well.
Simon and Jos had decided to head straight to St Vaast from Honfleur. Unfortunately they had the bad luck to pick up a discarded fishing net around one propeller that was floating under the surface. With only one engine and a reduced speed they decided to carry on to Cherbourg. Having arrived safely Cassandra Jay was lifted the next morning and the net removed. Fortunately no damage was done and they now have a souvenir of some French fishing net.
Because of lock times we did not have long in Caen and had to leave on the first bridge opening. After another beautiful trip down the canal, we all decided to stop just below the Pegasus Bridge and explore the excellent Pegasus Bridge Museum. The museum was very nostalgic and very interesting with an insight into the bridges importance during the Normandy landings.
Once through the lock at Ouistreham, we headed to St Vaast and the weather was glorious again. St Vaast is a very pretty marina and town, but no visit to St Vaast would be the same without a visit to Monsieur Gosselin to stock up on some fine food and wine all of which he happily delivers to the boat for you. We were joined in St Vaast by Richard and Ingrid Long (36, Icarus) and Mark & Jan Gill (42, Grace). A few of us met up in a bar which was half way around the marina and after a few drinks we decided to eat there. We had a lovely meal which Sally booked for the next evening for all of us and went to our berths.
We headed to the lIe de Tatihou via ferry which took about 40 minutes from St Vaast. The weather was glorious and it was another lovely day again. Some of the group went for a picnic whilst the rest of us went to explore the Island. We looked around an old fort and around an observatory tower which had some excellent views. We then headed back to our boats. It was the last night that we would be spending together so we invited everyone aboard Lysithea (Hardy 50) to sample the wine we had bought. It all went down very well and we headed to dinner. Mark was on true form and gave one of his famous speeches and I think everyone enjoyed it, even the people at the next table joined in who were not part of our group!
Colin and Ros Osmer (36, Ondine) left for the Hamble, Bernie and Hilary (50, Dolphin) left for Cherbourg and Mark and Jan Gill (42, Grace) decided to stay another day in St Vaast.
Lory and Barbara Cordall (42, Miss Molly) joined us in Alderney along with Larry & Pat Iveson (36, Jalina), Paul and Moyra Marshall (42, Namaste) Richard and Ingrid Long (36, Icarus). They left early in the morning to get out of the gate from St Vaast but Lysithea decided to leave on the later gate and arrived in Braye Harbour mid afternoon.
We went ashore in the water taxi and we all met up in the Harbour Lights for another excellent meal which Ingrid had kindly booked.
Mark stayed on the boat to do some jobs whilst Sally, Teresa and Malcolm went for a lovely walk around the Island. We got back to the boat and then headed to Guernsey. Another good passage! We met up with Simon and Jos Craven Wilkinson in the evening for a lovely curry which we were all looking forward to all week and it didn’t disappoint! The other owners decided to spend more time in Alderney and those with more time headed onto the other Channel Islands, Brittany and then the West country.
Mark, Sally, Teresa and Malcolm unfortunately had to start heading back, so we left St Peter Port for Gosport at lunchtime which took about 4 hours and in good conditions. Mark and Sally then headed to Ramsgate and arrived tied up around 10.30pm and the next day made their way back to Lowestoft
It is some years since we last visited the beautiful ports of Normandy on the previous cruises. This year was no exception in that a great time was had by all and it was good to meet up with everyone again including some new owners which is the whole point of the cruise each year. The weather only stopped us for one day in all which is a first for the cruise. We are making plans for next year (2011) and after a short experience on the Seine, a popular choice is Paris but we are open to suggestions!
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