Since our departure from Dieppe, we have had time to make our mark on the boat, it has been almost 24 hours since we sailed on her new boat, the FIgaro3 Everial. This warm-up quickly turned into a regatta, as the fifteen or so crews going to the same place are looking to make the most of this racing boat.
For Stan Thuret and I, the Blanchard Raz is quickly negotiated, upwind/full under the summer sun. We cross it at the time of the slack and we get out slightly against the flow. The current and wind being in the same direction, we pass the raz on a very calm sea. It is under these conditions that it is advisable to cross the Blanchard Raz.
Two options for crossing the Channel
However, now that the current is no longer favourable to us, we have to be smart to cross this part of the Channel as quickly as possible. We have two options. The first consists in cutting a direct course by squeezing the wind towards the coasts of North Finistère. A rotation of the wind from West to North will make it possible to set sail downwind.
The other option is to harness the power of the foils by moving away from the direct course in order to sail with the crosswind at high speed under gennaker. Then when the switchover occurs, return to the road, still under gennaker. It's called spooning, it's a little risky, but if you succeed it's magical.
After consultation, we choose the first option. A direct route to North Brittany, facing the current, crossing the Channel Islands of Guernsey, Herm and Sark (Sark).
Protecting yourself from the current thanks to the islands
In order to avoid suffering too much current, Stan and I decided to sail in the axis of the islands facing us. This technique is very effective if you take the time to study seabed and current maps. We gain a lot of distance from our fellow couriers.
As we enter between the islands, we are struck by the beauty of the high green cliffs of Sark. To protect us from the current, we sail along the coast as close as our 2.40 m draught allows.
With Everial, we pass at the foot of Brecqhou Island. A private island belonging to the Barclay brothers who built a castle of Gothic inspiration there. This island is heavily guarded and its public access is not allowed. However, all around it you can find superb anchorages.
We sailed protected from the current until it reversed
As soon as we have crossed the islands, we unroll the gennaker in order to take advantage of the beginning of the wind rotation from west to north. Thanks to this sail, we are approaching 10 knots and maintaining a good speed of progression despite the still slightly unfavourable current.
The option of passing between the islands was the right one, because our comrades on Banque Populaire, having chosen to go further east, suffered a much stronger current and lost almost 20 miles in the operation. Indeed, the small advance we created allowed us to catch the reverse and its favourable current flowing along northern Finistère, faster and longer until we reached the Four Channel.
The wind turns at the end of the night, in the early morning we send the spinnaker
We arrive at the island of Batz in the early morning after a second night at sea under gennaker, at an average speed of almost 10 knots.
At about 5:30 am, at dawn, Stan made the first spinnaker shipment since the start. Physical check-up of the skipper: the Figaro 3 rubs everywhere, making manoeuvres difficult in solitaire?!
We sail all morning under a large pink spinnaker, with a schedule of 10 knots and a favourable current until we approach the Four Channel. And it is around 12 noon that we arrive at the famous channel.
Unfortunately, the "door" is closing in front of us. We quickly have to choose between breaking in or walking around the parish via Ushant or the Cheesemaker.
In any case, this decision will have serious consequences and we will only be able to judge the result after the passage of the breast raz where all the Figaros winning the south must pass.
