Cherbourg update

Published 22:11 on 28 May 2015

When you access the new wi-fi system in the marina, you arrive on the municipal website, where the latest news is that Cherbourg has kept its blue flag for environmental excellence for the 14th year running, and is aiming for the prestigious international 5 Gold Anchors award, the results of which will be announced in July. Visually an important change will soon be the demolition of the 60s ice cream block of the Hotel Mercure, now relocated in a block next to the new Carrefour development.With a toilet block on the pontoon, and newly refurbished facilities ashore, the marina is certainly a cut above most. Visiting yachts can now access a huge range of facilities ashore, including a diving service if you need your hull cleaned, anode changed, etc.Like Weymouth, most of the services you need can be obtained by asking around the Yacht Club - people like my friend Marcel seem to know everybody! And a very friendly week it's been, with invites to race on Tuesday and tonight. Tuesday was a glorious evening with that dying breeze we know so well at home, which is here accompanied by a glorious sunset light across the grande Rade which makes sailing until late a joy - even if Thierry's Grand Surprise had more crew than necessary for the conditions! Starts were postponed for some time while the giant cruise ship Celebrity Eclipse and a cargo ship made their ponderous exits from the port, and the breeze was down to about 6 knots for the finish. Makes a pleasant change from working in the naval Archives, reading contracts for delivering stone to the breakwater in the 1780s... Tonight there promises to be a bit more wind for the CNC evening race, with the possibility of a gale tomorrow, and then calmer weather to cross back to Weymouth at the weekend...(Well there was enough wind to cause a certain amount of trouble; we tore the back end of a plastic genoa, and broke the halyard, while the boat which finished just in front on corrected ripped the bottom out of their spinnaker. A great course out through the eastern entrance and upwind keeping close in to the breakwater, then a spinnaker reach in to the south cardinal off le Homet, then back to the cardinal near the fort de l'Ouest and downwind to the petite rade and close fetch to the line. Another great evening on the water, and at the CNC afterwards; it's great to hear how often the word 'Weymouth' occurs in conversations at the bar.)And then we'll be back here to enjoy the port - and the music festival - on the weekend of 19-21st June. The list will be going up soon, so make sure the crew have booked that weekend for another unforgettable Cherbourg experience!Steve FraserAliya

Last updated 15:13 on 28 July 2025