Across the Channel

After an uneventful trip to Brixham, we set off early the next morning to cross the Channel. Perfect weather for the crossing the Channel – flat calm seas and blue skies. Unfortunately, this didn’t prevent Katie from getting seasick 

Thankfully, a visit from a friendly pod of dolphins helped to lift the mood, as did a comical encounter with a gannet.

‘Give In’, as Kate named him (because he wouldn’t!) kept flying to catch up with the boat, then landing head-first in the sea alongside, before drifting back and repeating the manoeuvre. He did this at least twenty times before he finally did give in.

Another highlight of the passage was the discovery of the long-lost sugar bowl. Last seen months ago on a friend’s wedding trip, we assumed it must have somehow rolled off the deck. But when I got down the sea-safe drinks holder, lo and behold, there ‘twas!

Dave and Reuben dolphin-spotting mid-Channel

We arrived in Guernsey about teatime and anchored off a beautiful beach on the south coast. Katie was fully recovered by now and the children were soon happily playing on the beach and jumping in the rock pools. We spent a happy couple of days here exploring the bay in the rowboats and clambering and paddling on its various beaches.

Land ahoy

Katie rowing and Reuben steering!

Looking down over Petit Port Bay, Guernsey

We then sailed over to Sark, and anchored in Dixcart Bay. Despite our initial disappointment that the ‘sandy’ beach was actually crunchy stone, we managed a proper sea swim (brrr!) and a walk around the rugged island. We found a surprising number of grapevines (a new enterprise according to sceptical locals) and ‘Sark-henge’ – a mini stone circle dating from the island’s granting of independence, 450 years ago this year.

swimming in Sark

Katie with antlers! Overlooking Dixcart Bay, Sark

Reuben admiring the growing grapes

Katie with a Jersey Tiger Moth

Horse-drawn carriages in Sark

Dave exploring Sark

Katie and Reuben at Sark-henge

Today we pottered over to France in the drizzle, to Paimpol harbour. As soon as we were moored up, Dave wasted no time rushing to the shops to buy crepes and the children have been practising their ‘bonjours’ on every passing stranger! We are enjoying the relative peace for a day or two, as from Thursday the harbour will start to fill up with classic boats for the Maritime Festival, which starts on Friday. Au revoir for now!