The GPS Blog| Activity | Activity date | Activity description |
|---|---|---|
| Brixham to St Peter Port, Guernsey | 2016-05-28 | A very foggy sail from Brixham in Devon to St Peter, Guernsey in the Channel Islands. The photos give an idea of how foggy it was.
Left at the hideously early time of 03:30 (to make the tidal gate for the Little Russel channel off Guernsey).
Left in thick fog that continued all across to the east going lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme off Casquets. This would have been more scary without the two AIS sets and radar spread across the 3 yachts. AIS data meant we had to alter course for unseen ships before the TSS but not actually in the TSS. By the time we got to the east going channel the fog had lifted to maybe a mile or two's visibility. This visibility continued until we started the tide assisted "sleigh ride" down the Little Russel at which point the fog came in with a vengeance. At this point the two, independent GPS chart plotters we had on board (one a hand held Garmin) were very reassuring. Roustel Tower came into view exactly where expected with just 100 yards visibility. The "pier gates" for St Peter Port harbour weren't visible until we were between them! Twenty minutes after tying up on the SPP waiting pontoon, the fog lifted!
In time for dinner at La Scala. The SYC "cruise in company" events are getting popular - there were 16 yotties from SYC at La Scala.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to Exe | 2024-07-28 | Back to the Exe from Brixham. With only a couple of knots of wind we motored back all the way. A lovely sunny day. Spotted one dolphin way off and no fish on Derek's fishing line.
There was some sort of rowing race / event round the Ore Stone and Thatchers Rock.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Exe to Brixham | 2024-07-27 | A lovely sail down from the Exe to Brixham for the Drew Trophy. All the better because the weather forecast had hinted that we'd be motoring but, instead, we had a nice F3. OK, it was mostly from the "wrong" direction which meant it took a long time to get to Brixham but it was a nice day for it!
Then an evening meal at Brixham Yacht Club with its spectacular views (and an eighties night!).
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to the Exe | 2022-07-31 | Back from Brixham after the Drew trophy race. From Brixham to Ansteys Cove where we anchored for lunch. Then a lovely sail back to the Exe with the wind picking up a little bit as we closed on the Exe. Marvellous!
Tags:
Brixham
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| Drew Trophy to Brixham | 2022-07-30 | With Derek H on his Fulmar down to Brixham for the Drew Trophy. We chose the offshore route while the wind chose the inshore route!
A lovely sail and then a meal at Brixham Yacht Club.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to the Exe | 2019-07-21 | Back from Brixham after the Drew Trophy.
Another day of ideal winds and we decided to scoot back to the Exe to get in on the falling tide. Some lovely downwind sailing with the cruising chute up much of the way after the Ore Stone.
As it was heading towards Springs, there was the usual Exe estuary tides against us on the way in.
Back on the mooring with time to spare - time used figuring out how to release the tender from the mooring chain - after it had managed to solidly wrap itself around the chain.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Drew Trophy - SYC to Brixham | 2019-07-20 | The Drew Trophy from the Exe Safe Water mark to the breakwater entrance at Brixham Harbour. A marvelous sail albeit the wind didn't veer as promised later on meaning that we had to put in one short tack in to make the finish line. Still - 2 hours 24 minutes from the Exe SWM to Brixham breakwater is none too shabby!
Everybody (well - all 3 boats that took part) claimed they didn't want to win it as they'd then have to store the humongous trophy in the loft for a year.
So a result of first across the line and second on handicap could be claimed to be ideal! But I'm sure Julian P on Kinfolk will find the loft space somehow. Either way, with all three boats finishing within about 5 minutes, it was a very pleasant way to spend the day.
Then dinner at SYC with sailors from Topsham Sailing Club.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Starcross YC to Brixham | 2018-05-24 | Down from Starcross Yacht Club on the Exe to Brixham. This gave us a couple of hours shorter passage time the next day and the ability to leave at our preferred time (as Brixham is navigable at all states of the tide).
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to St Peter Port | 2018-05-25 | From Brixham across to St Peter Port on Guernsey.
Overall a good crossing with reasonable visibility until just after the shipping lanes. Then the fog came in with a vengeance! Having the luxury of both AIS and radar on Derek's Fulmar made a huge difference.
If you look at the photos I've left one in that looks like "just grey" but see if you can see a yacht. When we reached St Peter Port (via the Little Russell) it was still very foggy but actually not quite as dense as a previous year. We could see the "gates" of St Peter Port harbour well before we would hit them!
Tags:
Brixham
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| SYC to Brixham | 2017-05-26 | Down from SYC on the Exe to Brixham ahead of the channel crossing to St Peter Port on Guernsey.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to St Peter Port | 2017-05-27 | After a delay of 12 hours waiting for the weather to improve a little, we set off at lunchtime for the channel crossing to St Peter Port. The wind was a fair bit stronger than forecast making the first part of the journey much harder work than expected. A decision was reached (as the wind started to ease a little) not to abandon and return to Brixham. This turned out to be a good call as the wind continued to drop. The TSS crossing at night - with no moon - was eerie. We had to stop at one point to allow about 5 boats to pass ahead while allowing one to pass behind. The completely dark night (no moon) made this TSS crossing very different to previous night crossings. Also the tide was very strong - as can be seen from most of the track across the TSS where we end up being taken down much of the TSS while still maintaining a boat aspect at right angles to the traffic!. The last part of the crossing was under motor arriving at St Peter Port just at first light (with an easy trip down the Little Russel).
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to Exe | 2017-04-23 | A lovely day sail on Derek H's Fulmar.
First a quick trip with Liz on board round Berry Head. Mostly motor sailing and watching the wildlife.
Then, after dropping Liz off back in Brixham, a sail back up to SYC on the Exe. Light winds - but enough to sail most of the way. A chance to "play" with some of setup on Thalmia including the cruising chute and a think about how a preventer might be rigged.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to SYC | 2016-07-24 | Back from Brixham Marina to SYC via lunch at anchor in Anstey's Cove.
Playing with the cruising chute on the on the sail across Torbay.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Drew Trophy 2016 | 2016-07-23 | An SYC yacht race with a bit of everything. Absolutely no wind at the start so we drifted backwards past the committee boat and took maybe 20 minutes to get over the start line. Then a lovely sail until we were off Babbacombe when everyone (bar Mike H) lost all wind for another 1/2 hour. Then a lovely sail into Brixham Harbour. Second overall. A lovely dinner at Brixham Yacht Club with the Topsham Yacht Club peeps.
Tags:
Brixham Yacht Club
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| 2011 Channel Islands trip - down to Brixham | 2011-05-30 | From Starcross Yacht Club down to Brixham to await a weather window for crossing to Guernsey
Tags:
Brixham
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| Exe estuary to Brixham | 2016-05-27 | A sail down from SYC on the Exe Estuary to Brixham ready for an early morning start across to the Channel Islands.
The ship shown in the photos (the THV Patricia) was doing buoy maintenance on the buoys marking the wreck of the MV Emsstrom off Torbay. Wierdly, we saw the same ship come in after us to anchor off Dixcart Bay at Sark two days later.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Back from Brixham to the Exe | 2015-07-19 | A slowish sail back from Brixham to the Exe after the Drew Trophy Race.
Wind was up and down a bit from 5 knots to 15 knots but mostly around about 8 knots.
Sailed past the practise race for the 2015 Wayfarer nationals being sailed out of Brixham Yacht Club. Only 7 boats of the water???
Managed to sail the whole way - whenever we threatened to put the motor on, the wind picked up a bit.
Very nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon listenening to Genesis and Pink Floyd on the boat cockpit speakers with the sun out.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Drew Trophy race to Brixham | 2015-07-18 | A sail from the Exe to Brixham in Derek's Sadler 26. The annual SYC Drew Trophy race and we did quite well. We were the first mono hull over the line by quite some way but 2nd overall on handicap. Helped greatly by the pointing ability of Derek's Sadler and its ability to sail with full sails up in a F5 (albeit on its ear a bit at times!).
Top sailing with the sun putting in a decent appearance. Met up with the Topsham Sailing Club rally and then dinner at Brixham Yacht Club.
Average speed pretty good considering the wind was just about on the nose and there was some "wave action" stopping the boat.
Tags:
Brixham
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| CI & France 2015 - Brixham to Guernsey | 2015-05-22 | A sail across from Brixham Marina to St Peter Port in Guernsey. Quite foggy when leaving Brixham, not so foggy crossing the shipping lanes (phew) and very foggy making landfall on the Guernsey side (having more than one chart plotter available amongst the various nav aids made this easier).
Note - the photos may be rubbish but they are not that out of focus - it really was that foggy). Stare hard and you'll see things in the photos!
Tags:
Brixham
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| CI & France 2015 - Sail down to Brixham | 2015-05-21 | A sail from Starcross down to Brixham ready for an early morning channel crossing to St Peter Port - Guernsey. Wind went from near enough becalmed to a F5 in about 15 minutes. Made for an exciting sail across Torbay
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to Exe | 2014-07-27 | A cracking sail back from Brixham to the Exe. From Brixham, we went to Anstey's Cove for lunch as did many other SYC boats. After lunch there was a cracking sail back across the bay to the Exe - winds ranging from 10 knots to about 18 knots Excellent sailing.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Drew Trophy race from Exe to Brixham. | 2014-07-26 | A day with no wind, a little wind and then some wind. Met up with Topsham SC at Brixham Yacht Club. The first photo gives an indication of how little wind there was at times!
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to the Exe | 2013-07-28 | A windy sail back from Brixham to the Exe after the Drew Trophy. Winds didnt quite reach the forecast 24 knots but were mostly between 10 and 20 knots. Lovely sail back under full head sail only.
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Brixham
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| Drew Trophy race from Exe to Brixham | 2013-07-27 | A very slow cruise from the Exe to Brixham for the SYC Drew Trophy race. Came 2nd! Partly due to some boats giving up and motoring due to lack of wind. The photos show the flat as a millpond sea at the start of the race.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Brixham to Exe | 2013-06-02 | A light wind sail from Brixham to SYC on the Exe Estuary. Light winds but that was better than the forecast of next to no winds.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Channel Islands - Brixham to Guernsey | 2012-06-02 | A south about sail round Guernsey to St Peter Port. The wind couldnt have been better such that we got to St Peter Port Victoria Marina beforer the sill closed meaning that dinner at La Perla was on.
Unfortuantely only the 2nd half of the track was saved on the GPS. Average speed an estimate as GPS time data lost.
Tags:
Brixham
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| Channel Islands - Exe to Brixham | 2012-06-01 | A sail down from Starcross Yacht Club on the Exe to Brixham ready for an 0200 departure from Brixham to Guernsey. Average speed an estimate as GPS time data lost.
Tags:
Brixham
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