The Further Perils of Pelagian!

Or Ashdown summer cruise, Part 2

It was going to be our first cruise on Pelagian and after the long winter months of work installing the new engine and varnishing, scrubbing and painting we were really looking forward to getting away, with Gerry and his son, Sean, as crew. We invested in a new chart of the Channel and one for the Channel Islands, just in case.

After a sail/motor to Lymington on Saturday we were ready to slip at 0400 on Sunday. It was a perfect summer morning as we motored out behind Fizzgig, Summer Song and Layla to the Needles Channel and turned south towards Cherbourg. A breeze sprang up and we felt a sail coming on. On Pelagian we not only have a self-furling headsail but in-mast reefing on the main too so it only takes a couple of minutes to get the sails up. The engine went off and we savoured that perfect moment of peace that always follows. We sailed for almost two hours before the wind died completely and we had to resort to the engine again. By this time the other three boats were out of sight. We didn't see them again until we were about two miles out of Cherbourg and spotted Layla off to the west of us. Fizzgig and Summer Song were of course already snugged up in the marina by this time but it was a great feeling as we came in and tied up - we had completed our maiden voyage across the Channel from the Needles in 14 hours - just in time for a G&T before supper! And we later found out that we were the only ones to have managed any sailing at all that day.

Next day it was on to Braye where we picked up buoys in the harbour. It is peaceful and unspoilt and one of our favourite spots and we had high hopes of a day's rest there. However, it was quite rightly decided that the fleshpots of St. Peter Port would have a broader appeal so, following a group navigation exercise, lunchtime on Tuesday saw us slipping our moorings. With Fizzgig leading and Summer Song bringing up the rear we motorsailed down the Swinge in convoy and then we were on our own again. Engine off and a cracking sail down to the top of the Little Russell where Fizzgig and Summer Song were waiting to escort us down to St Peter Port. We felt really elated and couldn't quite believe we were there. Although we had bought the chart we had never really believed we would get to use it!

A very pleasant day was passed in St Peter Port where we bought copious amounts of well-priced alcohol (our favourite Beefeater gin was 47% @ £8.50 per litre instead of 40% @ £16.99 in Sainsburys). Fog was forecast for late in the day and overnight and we fully expected to be stranded for a further day but it didn't come to much and we were able to leave as planned at 0830 on the return leg to Cherbourg through the Alderney Race.

Although the visibility was pretty murky we were enjoying a good sail with the wind in the southwest. The other three boats were within sight and we were, as usual, a little behind when Alderney suddenly disappeared in a veil of mist. We quickly plotted our position, only to find that we were much further west that we had intended and in danger of being swept up the Swinge by the tide. Turn right, engine on, motor due east for half an hour or so and it all came right in the end. And as Cherbourg came in sight, so too did Summer Song. "Sailing in company" is amazing - you all set off together, don't see each other all day, and all arrive together in the evening! Fizzgig was waiting and sounded the horn as we crossed a line of John's imagining and made our way to the marina.

There we were hailed by David Bennett who was sailing with David Crossan on his Sadler 32. Now, as you may know, Gerry is buying a Sadler 32 and, after taking the opportunity to indulge in real French food ashore, we returned to Diamond Lives for the guided tour.

Then back for the skippers' meeting for the cross-channel return. Should we leave at 0400 or 0900? Not many were keen on the early start so we decided on 0900. Sean had been suffering from seasickness all week so, in order to give him a faster passage home, we arranged for him to travel back on Fizzgig, which - as things turned out - was a good thing. Being experienced cross-Channel sailors (having done it once and got it more or less right) we allowed ourselves to be a bit blasé about the return trip. We set a course too far east (we blame Sean!) and when the eastgoing tide swept us up the Channel we didn't fret this time (after all, it was all right coming over and at least we wouldn't get caught under the Isle of Wight). We've heard Littlehampton is very nice but it was getting dark by then and we didn't really get a very good look at it as we fought the tide back to Haslar to join the others. We tied up at 0330, just as dawn was breaking. By then the other crews were fast asleep, except for those two creatures of the night, Alan Waller and John Futcher, who, unknown to us, watched us come in. For our part, we opened the gin and over-indulged, finally pouring ourselves into our bunks at 0430, just as the Round-the-Islanders were getting ready to leave.

If there's one thing we pride ourselves on aboard Pelagian (after our alcoholic content); it's our first aid box - which consists largely of Resolve. Or it did - stocks are now sadly diminished. As we sailed home on Saturday (Sean having rejoined us) and the hangover threatened to re-establish itself, Gerry produced the ultimate cure - a bottle of champagne! We toasted Pelagian for taking care of us on our maiden cruise to foreign shores (she, of course, has been to the Channel Islands many times with her previous owners) and we toasted ourselves for having learned from our mistakes and knowing we'll do it better next time.

We had a great week - thank you John for looking out for us and for leading us where we would certainly otherwise have feared to tread.

Ian & Doh Williams