Roscoff
20 May 2022 | Roscoff
Mike Neave
After waiting for weather in Salcombe for 3 days it was looking OK for a crossing of the Channel to Roscoff on Wednesday Night. We dropped off of the Mooring about 18:00 and headed out to sea, where the wind had been blowing strongly from the South for a few days the water over Salcombe Bar was rough and Steep but we had plenty of depth so were quickly through. The weather forecast had the winds being light and variable until sometime after 22:00 then they should go round to the West and increase to 12-15 Kts for 3-4 hours then sometime after Midnight they should start to ease and by dawn we would probably have to motor.
We motor sailed for about 4 hrs till the wind filled in then sailed quite nicely for 4-5 hrs and approaching France finally had to motor again. The passage was straight forward other than the sea state was still quite rough due to having 3-4 days of strong S wind but Falken just ploughed on through it. Mid Channel we had the shipping lanes to cross but only had a couple of ships come withing a mile of us so an uneventful crossing. We were tied up in Roscoff in the Marina at 09:30 so just over 15 hrs to cover the 100 miles.
Post Brexit UK yachts and crew visiting France now have to Check in with French Customs and get passports stamped. I had submitted the required Customs paperwork via email to the Roscoff Customs office before we had departed the UK with our expected ETA. We wanted to get all the formalities completed before we got some needed rest after the crossing so headed off to the Roscoff Ferry Terminal where the customs Office is located, as we just walking up the ramp heading to the Marina office we were met by three Customs Officers who seemed to be expecting us. We were escorted to the Customs office in the Ferry port were they checked our papers and stamped or Passports so within 30 minutes we were cleared in to France.
After the 15 hr Crossing the plan was not to do a lot and just rest up, Later in the afternoon we were joined by Friends Neil & Elaine on there Moody 336 “Shadow” who had just sailed along from Perros-Guirec and who we will be sailing in Company to Camaret with.
Friday Morning started with rain but it had cleared by late Morning allowing a good walk around Roscoff which was lovely in the Sun.
We will head west to L’Aberwrach on Saturday and then the plan is to go through the Channel du Four on Sunday as conditions look good