Guernsey

MILANO BLANCO
James Blackburn
Fri 20 Aug 2010 17:30

20 August 2010   49:27.18N   02:32.04W

 

Left Braye at 10.30, through the Swinge (a tidal race) at 12.00 with BIG overfalls, Robbie helming. He likes that sort of thing, also helmed through the Portland Race a year ago. As we approached Guernsey, we realised that a thick mooring line used at Alderney had been left on the foredeck and although still well attached, the other end went overboard and eventually wound itself round the propeller. We tried a number of shenanigans including Robbie going overboard with a harness on but we couldn’t slow the boat enough even though we heaved to. Luckily we spotted the problem so didn’t use the engine – I don’t think the rope cutter on the prop shaft could have handled that one.

 

We radioed St Peter Port, telling them we would be coming in under sail, and tacked up the Little Russel against the tide. Slow progress, but we got there eventually, early enough to drop sails and be towed once in the harbour by a RIB over the sill into Victoria Marina. They suggested us drying out on a concrete pad, but got the depth wrong and we grounded half way onto it. The tide was going out quite quickly, so rapid action required to avoid many hours of embarrassment if not damage the old bird. As two harbourmasters RIBs were trying to pull us off a Frenchman above me on the quay called la drisse (the halyard) and of course he was right. We shackled a long line to the halyard, asked one of the RIB guys to take it to the pontoon opposite where the Frenchman had gathered a small group of volunteers. I got all of us leaning out on that side of the boat, the Frenchmen (and some locals) hauled on the halyard, pulling the top of the mast over while two RIBs pulled like hell. With a nasty grinding sound and well heeled over we came free. Once on a pontoon, we could see the line round the prop, but decided a slap-up meal at Dix-Neuf in St Peter Port was required.