Saint Vaast-la-Hougue
30/7-2/8, 2024
Grandcamp-Saint Vaast
- Short distance
- Nice weather
- Timing for leaving Grandcamp and entering Saint Vaast had to be precise - within high water +/- 2-3 hours
- Both ports have a tide gate that is opened for a specific time around high water
- Saint Vast was appraised by many fellow yachtsmen and is a nice place
- A tivoli was in town when we arrived making things rather noisy - on the other hand we got free fireworks show in the evening with front-row seats (from Sakura)
The journey, Amsterdam to Saint Vaast..
About navigation in the English Channel...
The large ports are fairly easy, as they have mostly 24/7 access i.e., no restrictions due to tide
The smaller ports, vi have visited lately, however, either have a lock that operates at certain hours, or a gate that opens at high-water +/- some hours.
When you further have to take winds and strong tidal currents into consideration, it makes navigation something of a 3D puzzle to solve. With the aid of various apps to predict weather, wind, tide and currents, it is doable, though :-)
A crowded lock at Ouistreham
The approach to Grandcamp-Maisy at low water - we sailed it 6 hours earlier :-)
Passing seemingly dry ground (green) - photo of our plotter