Arrived back in Cherbourg after a week in UK and about to set off on Leg 2 of our adventures. Weather permitting we plan to leave Cherbourg Thurs 21 or Fri 22 May for Alderney – just Helen and me on board this time so we’ll be very busy, esp doing the navigation to deal with the tides and rocks around Alderney – pilot books are quite alarming re rate of tide in the Alderney Race (channel between Alderney and the Cherbourg peninsula) and the Swinge (channel to the west of Alderney). We hope to arrive just north of Cap de La Hague (NW corner of Cherbourg peninsula) just before tide turns so we can cross over to Alderney (about 10M) at slack(ish) tide and then get into Braye harbour in Alderney before tide becomes too strong in the Swinge. Helpfully it won’t have reached full spring tides (last quarter of moon is on 17^th and new moon on 24^th). Will be happy when we’re safely moored up in Alderney.

Plan to explore the island for 2 or 3 days then set off for Guernsey – earlier the better before its spring tide but on departure from Alderney it should be easier to time the passage to get out of the Swinge at slackish tide then have favourable tide all the way to Guernsey (25M). Around the Channel Islands it seems all our schedules will be dictated by the tides – huge tidal range here (can be 10 metres rise/fall – yes 10m!!). Plan to spend a week or so in Guernsey (also visiting Sark if weather settled). Friends from the UK, Geoff and Shirley, are with us for most of the time in Guernsey then we set off for Jersey for another few days then on to St Malo where our friends Steve and Peta plan to join us to explore North Brittany. Should be a seafood paradise!

Life as you’ll gather is dominated by weather and tides – but better than worrying about the economy/markets or reading about MP’s expenses (I’m getting upset already just mentioning these!).

Next update hope to report on Alderney/Guernsey.

Best wishes

Iain and Helen