IVth Annual "Idle Bugger" Cruise
Guernsey - St Helier - St Malo - St Quay Portrieux
- Paimpol - Guernsey
By Anthony Davy
Those of us fortunate enough to have been invited on the IVth "Idle Bugger" Cruise must surely have contributed at some point to Alan's Weather Fund - such perfect September weather to round off an elusive summer!
Scribbler's Log
Thursday 6th September
The crew manage to fly in early and are whisked off by JW to empty local stores of pork products and other delicacies before settling on to tacKtic. Fill up with diesel in anticipation of light winds and much donkey work and head out over the marina sill at 13.00 towards St Helier.
In the event we are blessed with both a breeze (F3 NW) and sun. The conditions enable JW to indulge his favourite hobby flying the kite and IC to waste no time baring almost all. Thank goodness for spray sun cream which spares IC's fellow cruisers the horror of assisted application! AB (aka Mr Gadget) suffers for his art and terminally bashes his [wife's!] camera on a winch so no incriminating pictorial evidence this year.
Arrive St Helier 18.00 BST after a champagne sail and go straight into the marina to find a mooring. Following the customary evening mobile chorus the boys head out for dinner in town. They discuss reviving "NauticalNosh" in between exercising their collective charm on the young waitress. Move on empty handed to the Royal Yacht Bar where they observe the hesitant pick-up manoeuvres between 2 tables of young. Determined to show how it should be done, JW calls over the waiter to get him to ask if some girlies at a nearby table would like a drink. Fortunately the offer is declined as the waiter goes to the wrong table! The boys slink back to tacKtic muttering something about an early start.
Friday 7th September
Out of the marina at 05.30 and pick up a buoy for breakfast. Everyone feeling a bit first morning-ish, ok fragile! IC proudly emerges in a new t-shirt declaring "moi le chef" and sets about preparing the first death by pig.
Discussion about possible destinations, wind directions and tides interrupted by Jersey Coast Guard inquiring as to our wellbeing as broadcasting a DSC signal. Scramble to find tacKtic's call signal (that's MEPT6 for future reference, John!). Odd how the very same thing happened last year, Andy?!
Leave St Helier in a F3 NE with the spinnaker flying. Pass west of the Minkies, wind drops to F2 then picks up to F3 for our reach into St Malo. JW catches up on a few zzz's; AD lays claim to be Alan's spiritual successor as he displays admirable IB tendencies in the cockpit; AB plots, charts and plays with his gadgets; IC does the work!
Arrive St Malo 16.30 BST, through the lock and tie up on the town quay. 2 days of sunny, champagne sailing and still no tacks required to stretch the crew!
The evening mobile chorus is followed by a delightful walk around the city walls to watch the spectacular sunset and a dinner to die for at "L'entre deux verres". The revival of NauticalNosh is sealed.
Saturday 8th September
Up in time to make the last lock opening at 06.00 BST. Alarmed by sight of a motor cruiser behind us being hoisted clear of the water on a short rope. Disaster is averted by cutting free accompanied by a loud crack and splash. Elderly skipper not best pleased and wouldn't fancy his wife's chances of a quiet cruise!
Moor for breakfast in the shadow of the ferry before heading west to St Quay. F3 NE so up goes the spinnaker again for 4 hours. AD, distracted by Calvers peeing off the stern in close proximity, puts in two unplanned jibes. Fortunately the wind is dying so manoeuvres do not disturb the slumbering crew. Wind finally disappears so motor for 3 hours to the marina. Still no tacks!
St Quay marina ready for the arrival of the competitors in Le Tour de Bretagne à la Voile 2007 - first leg St Malo to St Quay. Loads of flags and support vehicles but not much partying! Sometimes these Frenchies are too serious...
Dinner at Café de Marine, basic but very good food and delightful waitress. The boys try out their French but she insists on speaking English. IC befriends Nannou, a Pyrenean sheepdog, and her ancient mother from the next table. IC rounds off the evening speaking enthusiastic "Barnslais" to Nannou's owner with a joke he forgets in English!
Back to tacKtic as JW threatening another start at sparrow-fart. Late night change of plan as wind does not shift to NW so Sark visit abandoned. Common sense prevails, this is after all the IB Memorial Cruise. C'est obligatoire!
Sunday 9th September
After a leisurely start and ritual pig ingestion, IC and AD encounter Nannou and her owner on pontoon 9 clutching a bottle of home-made apéritif as a gift - effusive thanks in "Barnslais" ensue.
Leave St Quay at 11.00 BST en route for lunch off Ile de Bréhat. Beautifully sunny again, F3 NE. Finally we get to tack and the old team still works like clockwork!
Arrive 14.30 BST and great excitement as we get to play with John's new toy - the powered anchor winch. Nice one, Sally!
Leave 15.30 BST for Paimpol. Up goes the spinnaker again. The team are by now getting pretty slick at this kite flying lark.
Arrive Paimpol 17.30 BST with lock on free flow so motor in to visitor pontoon in absence of the harbour master. His non-attendance causes a minor problem as crew do not have access to the new facilities built since last year's visit. All make use of tacKtic's luxury features although space is short down below with the furry ball Calvers disporting himself.
Scrubbed and glowing, the crew assemble in the cockpit for more mobile chit chat and to savour Nannou's gift before heading off to seek out an open restaurant on a Sunday in rural France. "Fleur de Sel" does the job and serves a fine crepe.
Monday 10th September
The crew don't hang around and leave 06.30 BST on free flow through Paimpol lock. Breakfast on the go as we make our way up the tidal channel. Calvers as ever does an excellent job catering and Dobbie does dishes - go "us", down with "them"!
Wind shifts slightly to NW F3/4 and we enjoy a glorious sail back to Guernsey. Make excellent time covering 48 miles to the SE corner in 7½ hours. Anchor in Fermain Bay for a sunny lunch whilst waiting for tide to rise so we can get back into QEII marina. Get to play with the anchor winch again!
Moor on tacKtic's home berth at 17.30 BST. Enjoy the dolce vita as we have all day tomorrow to attend to JW's list of chores. Scrub up and join the lovely Sally for an enjoyable dinner at the Absolute End before retiring to a final night on board.
Tuesday 11th September
Scrubbing and maintenance on tacKtic before meeting for lunch in St Martin and departing well satisfied on flights back home. What a wonderful few days; fine company, fine winds, fine food, fine host and a fine testament to the IB.
Vital stats:
179 miles sailed
2 intentional tacks
2 unintentional jibes
Many hours of successful spinnaker flying
Several Bretons charmed
2 dogs adopted
The founding of NauticalNosh.com
NauticalNosh Resturant Recommendations
CHANNEL ISLANDS
Jersey
Lido's Wine Bar
6 Market Street, St Helier JE2 4WY
01534 722358
The Royal Yacht
Weighbridge, St Helier JE2 3NF
01534 720511
reception@theroyalyacht.com
www.theroyalyacht.com
Guernsey
Absolute End
Longstore, St Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 2BG
01481 723822
FRANCE
St. Malo
L'entre deux verres
7 rue des Grands Degrés, 35400 Saint-Malo (IM)
02 99 40 18 91
St. Quay Portrieux
La Marine Café et Bistro
Quai de la République
St Quay Portrieux
Paimpol
Paimpol
Creperie Fleur de Sel
12 Place du Martray
22500 Paimpol
02 96 20 80 66
