Tag Archives: shaun rankin

Holidays

Meeting Woolly Mammoth – again

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Graham and Frances beloved Woolly Mammoth
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We had three clear days in Jersey during which I can report that we came, we saw, we attempted to conquer, we left.

Mind you, the sun was hot and shone brightly the whole time we were there. How brilliant was that as our summer cruise drew to a close?

Graham, Frances, and us

Having last seen Graham and Frances in May 2013 for Piers’ birthday celebrations, it was just perfect having time with them again, and, of course, their beloved yacht, Woolly Mammoth.

As ever, we talked, laughed, carried out our threat to terrorise the local restaurants, ate good food whilst attempting, unsuccessfully, to drink them dry of good wine.

But hey, what’s retirement for?

The Royal Yacht Hotel’s ‘super’ homemade burger
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The first evening, we were all treated to three of Lin’s signature dishes onboard Play d’eau. Stuffed Coeur de Boeuf tomatoes on croutons, Fettuccini with asparagus and toasted pumpkin seeds drizzled with lemon olive oil, and raspberry sorbet with raspberry coulis.

The next, we ate at Shaun Rankin’s new Ormer restaurant which, as we write, has just been granted its first Michelin star.

The last day saw us at the Royal Yacht Hotel having lunch on the terrace under a red hot sun. We chose lunch rather than dinner since we had an early start the next day to return to Beaucette.

Woolly Mammoth’s vital statistics

Woolly was conceived and designed by Graham, architected by Bill Dixon and built in steel by Slot Yachtbau of Monnickendam, Holland. At 53′ loa and an airdraft of 71′, she’s impressive.

Woolly Mammoth owned by Graham and Frances
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Over-engineered for circumnavigation and ice breaking, she has a 14.5′ beam, 7′ draught and displaces over 30 tons fully laden. The first 14′ is behind a watertight bulkhead and door.

Cutter rigged, the working sail area is a colossal 1,300 sq ft.

With 150 imperial gallons (680 ltrs) of water in 3 tanks and 450 imperial gallons (2,050 ltrs) of diesel in 5 tanks plus a 26 imperial gallon (120 ltrs) day tank, she has an under power cruising range of some 2,500 nms.

We left

Leaving St Helier marina for Beaucette, we knew we’d had a brilliant time.

Yet there was one burning question in our minds. ‘Who said Woolly Mammoths were extinct?’

Piers and Lin
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

Cruising

Leg 25 – St Helier to Beaucette – 26 September 2013

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It was still dark when we awoke
and we had to wait for the sill to open
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We didn’t want to go home.

Having spent three months and six days of cruising to new and exciting places, the explorer bug had set in. Yet, we both knew the time was right to be back home in peaceful Beaucette, Guernsey.

The three days in Jersey were a ball. With our friends Graham and Frances of Woolly Mammoth, we ate on Play d’eau the first evening (Piers head hurt the next morning), we ate at Shaun Rankin’s new Ormer restaurant the next evening (Piers head didn’t hurt the next morning), and we’d had lunch at the Royal Yacht Hotel, in the sun, on our last day.

Learned fact: Life revolves around eating and drinking, interrupted with elements of work.

The weather

There were bursts of bright sun when the cloud allowed it through
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A whispering easterly F1/2 was all the wind could muster whilst grey clouds were interspersed with short bursts of bright sunlight. You could smell the dampness in the air which reduced visibility to just over a mile. Yet it was warm enough for shorts and T-shirts.

Pinch points

St Helier marina’s sill time was the limiting factor, but if we left as soon as it opened our time on passage would allow us to motor straight into Beaucette without having to wait at St Peter Port or hang onto one of Beaucette’s visitor’s buoys.

The nav plan

The tide would be against us for the short time from St Helier until nearing Corbière, after which it would help by pushing us along.

The journey

We left St Helier’s marina as soon as we could
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We were awake well before the alarm went off, full of anticipation.

Once out of the harbour, we turned west, passed Noirmont and close to Corbière before turning NNW for Guernsey. With no wind, the sea was glassy flat calm, even in the Little Russel where we took the inner route from St Sampson to Beaucette where the current gave us extra 3kts.

Arriving

Ricky, the marina manager, always likes Play d’eau to give a good blast on her Kahlenbergs when we enter of leave Beaucette. Today was to be no exception. Shortly before entering through the quarry walls, the Kahlenbergs let rip. The echoes seemed to reverberate around the old quarry for ages. Yes!

The tecky details

Back at our berth in Beaucette where even the pigeons were there to welcome us
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Departed St helier – 0731
Arrived Beaucette – 1105
Time on passage – 3hr 36min
Total planned distance – 30.2nm
Tide: Half way from springs to neaps
Longest leg 19.3nm from Corbière to east of St Peter Port

Tech issues – nil

Incidents – nil

Navigational info: The Little Russel can be avoided by taking the inside route from St Sampson to Beaucette which avoids the angry and sometimes tumultuous seas the Little Russell can throw up. But, it’s a route not to be attempted without local knowledge.

The end of our summer cruise

Well, we started cruising on 17 June, and finished on 25 September. The longest we’ve ever had together on holiday, let alone on the sea and in our boat.

It’s been brilliant. We’ve learned a great deal about each other, we’ve eaten well, we’ve enjoyed cooking, we’ve met some wonderful people, we’ve so enjoyed exploring and can’t wait until next year.

Now, do we go to the Baltic, or head back down to the west coast of France again to explore the areas we missed this time? Who knows? Maybe we’ll just exit Beaucette and make the decision then. North or south? That’ll be the question.

Piers and Lin
From the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

We passed close to Corbière lighthouse
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The sea was glassy calm
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Marina specifics

Paimpol – our extended stay

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Play d’eau
waking up as dawn is about to break
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Although we’ve loved being in Paimpol, a weather window is opening to allow us to escape to St Helier, Jersey, after 9 days here.

We had wanted to visit Binic first, but given the delay from high winds we’ve had to miss that part of our plan.

Paimpol

Paimpol is such a beautiful, small old Brittany town, built around its original granite harbour from which many sailing trawlers crossed the Atlantic to fish for cod off the Newfoundland’s Grand Banks.

The harbour remains a fishing port yet today’s trawlers have swapped sails for engines, salt for refrigerators, and only venture a few miles out to sea. In addition, the Port de Plaisance accommodates over 330 yachts, with more available in Basin 1.

The marina’s wi-fi didn’t reach the corner of Bassin 1 where we were moored. So we picked up our ‘ordinateurs’ and walked along the line of many cafés and restaurants on the harbour front, all advertising free wi-fi.

A line of trawlers stretched out behind us
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One told us we could use their wi-fi if we ordered a meal. ‘Non,’ I replied. The next, Quai Quest, welcomed us, gave us their access code and found us a good place. With no demand for us to order anything, we ordered deux chocolat chaud – grand.

Having to cope with a large back log of emails we went on to order lunch – and what a great meal. The first course was slices of goat’s cheese on small crispy bread, served on shreds of lettuce with a honey dressing and walnut pieces. Sheer delight. We were so pleased we didn’t give our patronage to the previous restaurant.

We used their wi-fi so often, we had dinner there one evening. Again, it was excellent food and at a very reasonable price. Not a tourist in site – that said something.

Farmers’ market

Yes, there’s a regular farmers’ market on Tuesdays, and as with others we’ve seen, it’s vast. The selection of foods let alone the varieties on offer, sparks the imagination and makes shopping such a joy.

The tide recedes for over three miles leaving soft mud. The channel is narrow and you need to stay on the centreline
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Makes you wonder how well a market stall full of pre-packaged, pre-prepared, pre-cooked, chemically enhanced, food reconstructed, GM modified ‘meals’ would survive.

In contrast, how great it was to buy unpasteurised cream, spooned out of an open large tub from the dairy farmer’s stall.

The tides

Paimpol is approached along a long, narrowing channel, and until you’ve seen what happens to the sea after the tide’s drained it all away, it’s hard to imagine just how dry and narrow it becomes.

Looking back along the channel from the shore at low water makes you realise how vital it is to stay between the markers for the last half mile especially, unless you want to feature in the next edition of the local paper – and the UK magazine Motor Boats Monthly!

Play d’eau’s Departure from Paimpol

Looking from the lock gates to the harbour entrance
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The plan is to leave Paimpol on Saturday 21 September for St Helier, Jersey, where we’ll meet Graham and Frances of Woolly Mammoth and have a meal at Shaun Rankin’s new restaurant, Ormer.

Needing to be back in Guernsey for 29 September, we’ll probably leave on the 26th, weather dependent.

Piers and Lin
From the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.