Mont St. Michel August Bank Holiday Monday

GJ0KYZ · 07 August 2011, 17:42

The tides will be perfect for a trip to Mont St. Michel on 29 August. We'd leave Jersey early at 05:30, arrive at MSt.M on the high tide at 07:00 and depart at 18:45. It would be great if a few boats could come along with me; let me know if you're interested.

Erin · 08 August 2011, 09:04

Count us in.

Trevor G · 26 August 2011, 15:35

If this is still on we may well meet you (without Blue Ray boat) as we are still caravanning in the Area next week.
Trev

Anchorhandler · 26 August 2011, 15:59

Shame that (once again) i'm not around....too many work commitments back in the UK. I wont be back home till the 8th of Sept. I would have enjoyed putting Gwenn in the water for the day.

Will be taking Mrs Anchorhandler across to Jersey sometime in the middle of September though so may bump into you guys around then. Aparently its now imperative she makes a visit to Marks and Spencer's..

As you approach the MSM from the North you can see a hill a couple of Km's to the East with, as usual, a church spire adorning the summit....Thats us!

Have fun

Simon

GJ0KYZ · 26 August 2011, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor G

If this is still on we may well meet you (without Blue Ray boat) as we are still caravanning in the Area next week.
Trev

Hi Trevor,
I think we're all still going so hopefully we'll see you there. We'll stand out a mile I'm sure; failing that, we'll be near the boats every now and again.

GJ0KYZ · 26 August 2011, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Shame that (once again) i'm not around....too many work commitments back in the UK. I wont be back home till the 8th of Sept. I would have enjoyed putting Gwenn in the water for the day.

Will be taking Mrs Anchorhandler across to Jersey sometime in the middle of September though so may bump into you guys around then. Aparently its now imperative she makes a visit to Marks and Spencer's..

As you approach the MSM from the North you can see a hill a couple of Km's to the East with, as usual, a church spire adorning the summit....Thats us!

Have fun

Simon

Sorry we'll miss seeing you this time Simon. I'll be back to make another attempt on Avranches towards the end of September on the big tides if you fancy meeting up then for some adventure.

Paul.

Anchorhandler · 26 August 2011, 17:44

Hi Paul
Yes, that would be great, you could probably teach me a thing or two about my local river and town :-)
I would have to meet you somewhere off Granville as that's the nearest slip that I can use...Although we live in Huisnes Sur Mer, it's more like 'Huisnes Sur Silt' as you have to travel quite far to be able to actually get to the 'mer'

I'l keep an eye out for when you plan your next sortie...

Simon

GJ0KYZ · 26 August 2011, 18:20

Hi Simon,
you're not too far from the Rochetorrin. When I went to Pontaubault last year I was within two feet of the river bank at that point. Incidently, how are they getting on with that idea of getting rid of the hydro electric dam to make the river more attractive to salmon?

Anchorhandler · 26 August 2011, 19:17

Yes, apart from helping my neighbour with his 800 odd sheep i go down to la Roche Torin probably twice a week to either walk the dog or, if the weather is nice, practice my golf...;-)

The dam on the Couesnon was finished just over a year ago and has been in operation since... It's main purpose was not technically for the generation of electricity but to store the water built up behind it. At predetermined levels, the water is released quite suddenly and allowed to flow out into the bay. The theory behind this is to help rid the bay of the silt build up it has been suffering from since the causeway was created at the turn of the century. The dam will have more of an effect after the completion of the fly-over and the demolition of the causeway. (it has been determined that the causeway has had a profound negative effect on the natural circulation of water and tides around the bay.) it's certainly an impressive civil engineering project however like all great engineering feats, it comes at a cost. Thankfully my taxes have not risen too much. If you don't know it already, the MSM is the second most visited tourist attraction in France after that famous scaffolding tower in the centre of Paris. :-)

Simon

Erin · 26 August 2011, 19:18

At least we're doing the toruist hot spots in the right order. What's third

Anchorhandler · 26 August 2011, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

At least we're doing the toruist hot spots in the right order. What's third

Hi Erin

Well if you can navigate La Frette to Disneyland Paris i will be seriously immpressed

...

I believe last year was the first where the MSM overtook EuroDisney in the visitor stakes, something us locals are quite proud of

..

Incidentally i heard the French health and safety executive completely shut down Disneyland Paris last week..............aparently there were 6 foot tall mice running around al over the place

.

Simon

Channel Ribs · 26 August 2011, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Incidentally i heard the French health and safety executive completely shut down Disneyland Paris last week..............aparently there were 6 foot tall mice running around al over the place

willk · 26 August 2011, 21:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Well if you can navigate La Frette to Disneyland Paris i will be seriously immpressed

...

Don't challenge him - several Mickey Mouse boats have made it already...

GJ0KYZ · 26 August 2011, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

The dam on the Couesnon was finished just over a year ago and has been in operation since... It's main purpose was not technically for the generation of electricity but to store the water built up behind it. At predetermined levels, the water is released quite suddenly and allowed to flow out into the bay. The theory behind this is to help rid the bay of the silt build up it has been suffering from since the causeway was created at the turn of the century. The dam will have more of an effect after the completion of the fly-over and the demolition of the causeway. (it has been determined that the causeway has had a profound negative effect on the natural circulation of water and tides around the bay.) it's certainly an impressive civil engineering project however like all great engineering feats, it comes at a cost. Simon

No, I meant the hydro electric dam upstream on the Selune. I read in Ouest France that there has been heated debate concerning its proposed removal as a mean of encouraging greater flow in the lower course of the river and improving water quality for the salmon. As for the Couesnon barrage, I have actually been right up to it in my boat at which point I collided quite heavily with the submerged midstream training wall. I gather there's now a 300m exclusion zone to prevent kayakers and jetskiers from jumping through the sills on the flood and travelling upstream towards Pontorson.

Anchorhandler · 26 August 2011, 23:22

Ahh sorry Paul, the 'barrage de Vezins'...my mind was focused on La Roche Torrin and assumed you meant the Cuesnon dam.

I've not heard anything definate but there was talk of an artificial river being created to allow the salmon to by-pass the dam.

In this day and age, i would of thought it political suicide to decommision a fully working hydro-electric dam...

Phase three of the MSM engineering project (fly-over bridge) should start sometime next year as the car park and park-and-ride facility is nearly complete now.
Once the bridge is finished and the causeway is removed it should make it even more interesting for you to visit as the MSM will once again revert to being an island

.This will only be accessible to 'normal people' by horse drawn cart through use of the bridge.
I would expect to see some signifact changes to the sand banks and general subsea profile in the imediate area around the Cuesnon and the MSM itself though...

Hopefully see you sometime in September...

Simon

Trevor G · 27 August 2011, 13:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

Hi Trevor,
I think we're all still going so hopefully we'll see you there. We'll stand out a mile I'm sure; failing that, we'll be near the boats every now and again.

Great - we will be unlikely to be there for 7am but will try and get in touch on the day via Erins mobile or VHF CH72 as we have our handheld with us.

gotchiguy · 27 August 2011, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor G

Great - we will be unlikely to be there for 7am but will try and get in touch on the day via Erins mobile or VHF CH72 as we have our handheld with us.

If you'd prefer not to have to up sticks from a site then we have land support which could give you a lift if req'd..

Trevor G · 28 August 2011, 17:00

We're camping right at the end of the causeway - about 10 - 15 mins by bike I think from the entrance. See you tomorrow!
Trev