Les Parapluies de Cherbourg

Our gap in the weather turned out to be just that.  A gap!  Following our arrival in Cherbourg the elements turned.  Strong winds complemented with rain.  We didn’t care.  It gave us a chance to sort ourselves out and get a few things crossed off our “to do” list.

The bad weather continued for what seemed like an eternity.  The only yachts doing anything were those crewed by keen-as-mustard wannabee yacht masters who seem to go out in anything short of a force 9.  We were not at all envious of them as they arrived cold and soaking with the thought of a night ahead in a damp bunk.

Finally on Wednesday we received a weather forecast promising another gap in the weather but a Westerly wind would be on the nose the entire journey.  We don’t usually ‘do upwind’, far too wet and cold at this time of year! Nevertheless, we had spent far too long sheltering in Cherbourg and had itchy feet!  We made plans for a passage to Alderney, which lies to the West of Cherbourg about twenty-five miles away, around Cap de l’Hague.  This headland probably does not compare with Cape Horn, but it does suffer fierce tides, which we could use to our advantage to suck us along.