Cherbourg to Carentan - Saturday, 6 September 2003, 39 miles

We spent the morning buying, hopefully, enough beer and wine to last us until next season, and set poor Razzmatazz down another 3 inches in the water.

Left Chantereyne at 14:00, and hoisted the main with one reef in the Petite Rade in a South Westerly F5. Shot off down wind through the Western entrance heading for the Pierre Noire buoy off Cap Levy. As we came abreast of the Pointe de Barfleur, we gradually changed course from the initial North East round to South East and then South approaching Barfleur itself. The wind held a steady F5, but the seas were now smooth, and we were able to maintain a steady 10 to 12 knots.


Carentan

It seemed a pity to stop in Barfleur or St Vaast-le-Hogue when we were going so well. Besides we had visited both several times, but never been to Carentan. So, we held the course, weaving slightly to stay in the main channel, until we arrived at the entry buoy for Carentan. The channel headed slightly West of South, but we were able to hold the sails close hauled until about half a mile from the lock.

Average from Cherbourg entrance was 8 knots, best day's sail for a long time, especially with several hundred bottles of booze on board!