We left Newtown Creek at just gone five in the morning. It was a drizzly murky day with little wind. Light winds and fog patches were forecast for the crossing.
Outside the creek we hoisted the main sail and motored down the Needles Channel. Once clear of the channel we set our calculated course and started sailing towards Alderney. After only 10 minutes the wind dropped and we put on the engine to maintain a decent speed. Even at six knots the crossing would take twelve hours.
The pattern of the crossing was then set: sometimes sunny, sometimes hazy then fog but little wind. It was sunny when we crossed the westbound shipping lane, but just as we approached the eastbound lane the fog descended. We had to thread our way through using radar and AIS. Two ships passed within a mile but we neither heard nor saw them. It was somewhat unnerving.
Our calculated course had put us quite a way East of the direct track to Alderney. We changed to a more Westerly heading, soon after which the wind picked up again! We had a bash to Alderney with the wind on the nose against the tide creating a lumpy sea.
Fortunately it was sunny as we approached Braye harbour in Alderney. We picked up a buoy and once we had sorted ourselves out got a water taxi ashore where we had a welcome shower followed by an excellent meal in Cantina 6 near the quay.
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