Mont St. Michel & Avranches estuary

GJ0KYZ · 08 September 2010, 20:31

I'll be going to Mont St. Michel again this Saturday (11th) if anyone wants to come along. I may stay overnight but will probably come back in the evening. I will also be doing a quick recce of the river Sée estaury on Friday (10th; returning on same tide with quick stop-off at Mont St. Michel). Again, all are welcome.

As a 'heads up' and weather permitting, I will be going to Mont St. Michel on Christmas Day. I may stay for a church service but more nearer the time.

GJ0KYZ · 09 September 2010, 21:15

It was decidedly choppy off Grosnez this evening so I think I will delay tomorrow's venture into the Sée estuary until Saturday morning when, weather permitting, I will also go to MSM. It looks likely that I will stay the day there and make a night sailing back to Jersey.

Erin · 10 September 2010, 11:23

What are your intended departure times? Shame the weather's still looking a bit lumpy.

GJ0KYZ · 10 September 2010, 17:15

Hi Erin,
clearly the weather's too rough for tomorrow but Sunday's looking better (West, F3-4). If I go Sunday morning I'll probably leave at 07:30 or there abouts. This will enable me to arrive at MStM 40min before HW so I can have an hour ashore.

Erin · 10 September 2010, 17:52

That's a pity. We're flying out on Sunday to the boatshow, and although I guess it would be feasible to do a morning visit, I'd be a bit nervous of getting stuck there for the day and missing our evening flights.

martini · 10 September 2010, 17:53

saturdays fairly doubtful for me anyway, sunday suits better. Staying for a full tide would be nice but a bumpy trip back after dark is not so appealing.

GJ0KYZ · 11 September 2010, 20:40

Is anyone still interested in going tomorrow? High water at MStM would be 09:30, so if we left at 07:30 that would give us and hour and a half to get there (at 30kts) and about an hour ashore. I refuelled this evening and went for a spin around the bay. It's a bit swelly out there but not too rough.

martini · 11 September 2010, 21:07

Dammit that's what I didn't do today, though I've probably got more than enough fuel already. But they're saying F5 at times tomorrow, doesn't sound all that pleasant?

GJ0KYZ · 11 September 2010, 21:26

I've come back from MStM in a F4/5 on more than one occasion; it can be pretty rough, especially from Chausey northwards. If we leave it this time the next opportunity will be Saturday 25 September with a 35ft tide at 08:00. This would require us to set out about an hour before sunrise. I wonder if Erin will still have his boat in the water then?

martini · 11 September 2010, 22:22

I've just been down to the boat (strange feeling walking UP the ramp to the pontoon. I've got enough fuel for 110 nm with a safety margin, not as much as I would like but more than enough to get there and back. Not sure when the fuel pontoon opens, I'd get a bit more if I could.

Are you going to attempt it tomorrow then? If I can drag myself out of bed I'll be there. Send me a text or call me in the morning if you decide to abort at any point.

Erin · 11 September 2010, 22:49

Oh, oh so tempting. Would really like to go, but sensibility says no. Can't afford to get stuck there for the day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

I wonder if Erin will still have his boat in the water then?

Yep, certainly will. The two weeks grace on my insurance gives me 'til mid October.

martini · 11 September 2010, 22:52

Go on - what could possibly go wrong??

GJ0KYZ · 11 September 2010, 23:05

Erin: I can more or less guarentee you won't get stuck at Mont St. Michel; I'm fairly familiar with the place now; you could always go with Matt I suppose. I'll be down La Collette at 07:00 and I'll have a look at the weather then if anyone wants to join me. We could always turn back if it's too rough south of Jersey.

Erin · 11 September 2010, 23:12

There's a very very very slim chance I may come down and cadge a lift on Martini, but my reading of the weather and my enthusiasm may have been affected by the beer goggles I'm wearing this evening

Please don't anyone wait for me if I don't turn up.

martini · 11 September 2010, 23:38

More than welcome to jump on, but I agree best case scenario is it's not going be a very nice day, we'll see!

edit: just checked weather again - 17 knots around 10am, not looking good tbh

martini · 12 September 2010, 06:14

Not much improvement in the forecast, it's still saying F5 and I can see big black clouds racing along outside so think I'll leave it again for a nicer day!

GJ0KYZ · 12 September 2010, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

Not much improvement in the forecast, it's still saying F5 and I can see big black clouds racing along outside so think I'll leave it again for a nicer day!

I was down at 07:00 and it wasn't too bad; we could have certainly got there ok but it would have been rough coming back; I'd say it's at least F5 now. By the way Matt, your bilge pump was on this morning.

martini · 12 September 2010, 10:12

I wasn't sure if my decision was influenced by my nice warm bed! Sounds like it was the right one though.

Did the pump just kick in once after you stepped on board or is it more than that? I was out the other night and noticed it was on a couple of times, starting to wonder if I'm taking on water from somewhere

GJ0KYZ · 12 September 2010, 10:54

It only came on once and discharged about a gallon I'd say, not too much. I can't remember if I was aboard your boat at the time or not; I may have been come to think of it.

martini · 12 September 2010, 11:24

Ok thanks, doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary. It's one of those pumps thats switches on every couple of minutes and senses whether theres anything to pump. If you step aboard the stern some bilge water can run down to the pump and 2 minutes later it'll pump out.