ALL AT SEA NOVEMBER 2021
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Adventures of Naughty Cat
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ast time we heard about Bekki and Gordon’s long search for the perfect boat for their adventures, and the subsequent work to make the catamaran just right for their – and their cats’ – needs. Now the couple are ready for the adventure to begin as they sail to Guernsey to have Animal Health Certificates completed for their cats, Diamond Dancer, Coffee Cupcake, Vanilla Cheesecake and Strawberry Shortcake…
As it was impossible to take our four cats to the south of the island on public transport, I had arranged an appointment for the vet to visit us. Christine came along and collected all the information she required; we just had to pick up the Animal Health Certificates from her practice the following day. That night there were more celebrations with the annual Harbour Carnival, a programme of events all centred around the marina capped off with a great firework display, where again we had an amazing uninterrupted view from Naughty Cat. Saying farewell to Guernsey was sad, I really wish we could have spent more time there, but knowing we were chasing the sun, we needed to move on.
Diamond Dancer taking her ‘look out’ role very seriously!
As the magic date of 1 September approached we were nearly ready, and just had a few tasks remaining. We stocked up on supplies, making sure we had lots of basic food (BBQ baked beans for me and Double Deckers for Gordon!). The cats had appointments at the groomers for haircuts and the vets for their rabies vaccinations. Unfortunately we had one small set back though. One of our cats, Sparkles, had not settled well on the boat, and so good friends of ours offered to give her a home. We were extremely sad but knew she would be well looked after and accepted their kind offer.
Island visitors
Whatever the weather
The morning of our departure from Chatham Maritime Marina was one of mixed feelings; sad to say goodbye but excited about the future. After a noisy air-horn farewell from friends we were on our way. For us, there were no time constraints, no real passage plan and no end destination. We had always agreed to let the weather decide for us. We only had two appointments to keep; one in Portsmouth for maintenance and one in Guernsey to get the cats’ Animal Health Certificates issued. The sun was shining and the cats had settled, so we decide to head straight for Portsmouth. We spent a couple of days visiting family and testing out all our new toys, including a GoPro 9 and DJI drone. We also had to seek out a sail repair company as we had split our lazy bag. Thankfully Kemp Sails came to our rescue and repaired it the same afternoon. Naughty Cat had been booked in for a sea-lift as she was due a scrub, anti-foul and new anodes. Although this was all done in one day, the cats were not allowed to remain on board, so I arranged for Seaside Cattery to collect them for an overnight stay. We left Haslar Marina at 09:45 and by the time we had got to Spitbank Fort, our sails were flying in the 12 knots wind, destination Guernsey. It was a strange feeling not knowing when we would set foot on English shores again. At 21:00 the sea state was very bumpy and with red skies and cirrus clouds we made a decision to head for Alderney as Guernsey was still several sailing hours away. Reaching Alderney in the dark was very difficult, with just a couple of distant lights to guide us in. The harbour sent out a small water taxi to lead us to an isolation buoy and assisted with our lines. The night was very bumpy as the wind was coming straight into the harbour on our beam. Neither of us got much sleep, but the cats settled in very well on our bed.
Naughty Cat makes her way from Alderney to Guernsey
The next morning gave us a glorious sunrise but suddenly a thunderstorm rolled in so we waited until 13:45 to slip our lines and set sail for Guernsey. The waters around Alderney are very disturbed. We needed all our concentration to navigate our way through the channel path.
Arrival at Guernsey
After a radio call to St Peter Port, Guernsey, we entered the harbour and moored up. We found Guernsey to be an absolutely lovely place. The people were welcoming and friendly and the cobbled streets with their cafes and restaurants very inviting. We arrived just in time for the annual air show, which took place over the harbour, giving Naughty Cat a front row seat.
Bekki and Gordon timed their Guernsey visit very well
The couple would have loved to stay longer in Guernsey, but the next destination was calling…
After a quick stop for lunch at the tiny island of Herm, which is only 2km x 0.8km with about 60 inhabitants, we sailed for an hour to reach the island of Sark. Anchoring in Grand Greve Bay in the dark, with no noise except for the waves splashing against the massive high rocks surrounding us and no light except for the stars shining brightly in the dark sky, it was quite frightening at first. As the evening went on, we became more relaxed and ended up sleeping very well. The next day we took the dinghy out to explore the bay and caves along the shoreline. We pulled the dinghy on to the beach and climbed the uneven steps carved out of the rock face to the top so that we could walk along La Coupee to Little Sark. It was a magnificent view and extremely picturesque. The trip to Jersey took us about five hours. Wind speed was variable but we were able to fly our gennaker for most of it. On arrival, the harbour master would not let us into the marina. Despite having been cleared in Guernsey for Covid, Jersey required that a PCR test be taken. As this could not be done until the following day, we had to moor up on a visitor buoy outside. Being a catamaran, we need to fix a line from the bow of each hull to the buoy. This is not always easy, especially in the dark, but eventually we were secure and safe for the night. The following morning we were given a berth in the marina and had about a mile walk to the Covid Test Centre. Using Jersey to stock up on supplies and use their laundry, we stopped for the two nights that our Passeport Escales (Freedom Berthing scheme with MDL Marinas) allowed.
Next stop: France Bekki and Gordon departed from Chatham Maritime Marina in September with their four cats, Diamond Dancer, Coffee Cupcake, Vanilla Cheesecake and Strawberry Shortcake, heading to the Mediterranean for the start of their adventure, which may last a year or more. For updates from Bekki and Gordon, follow Naughty Cat on Facebook and Instagram, and you can also read regular up-dates about their adventure in All at Sea. www.facebook.com/NautitechOpen40
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