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Old 05 March 2010, 19:04   #1
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Jersey to Avranches by RIB

On Tuesday 2 March I managed to reach Avranches in my boat. Avranches is a town six miles inland from the south east corner of the bay of Mont St. Michel. The trip was the result of five months' planning. I had the help of an English-speaking guide who walks parties across the bay of Mont St. Michel and who repeatedly plotted the course of the River Sée from Avranches to Tombelaine. We also consulted arial and terrestrial photography but even then had to wait for the best conditions when the river was in spate and the tide was as high as possible.

The difficulties of the route centre on a section from Le Grouin du Sud (a rocky peninsula just north of the Sée/Selune estuary) and Le Rivage (the point at which the Sée heads north east). The depth of water here is minimal and navigation is hampered by the tide flooding the fields adjacent to the river course. About five miles upstream we encountered a low lying bridge under which we had only two inches of air draft.

We anchored at La Route de Granville right in the centre of Avranches and quickly became the centre of attention. People were telling us that they had never seen a boat at Avranches in living memory. I suspect that "Archangel" was the first foreign vessel to reach the town for a very long time, perhaps ever.

Since we had no chance of returning to sea before the tide fell we stayed overnight and left the next morning. Downstream, we encountered a 3-ft bore from the incoming flood and had to deal with some quite violent currents and large items of debris. I dropped Ian the guide off in his canoe at the Grouin de Sud and after a quick stop-off at Mont St. Michel I headed back to Jersey. The wind that morning was a F6 from the north east and the journey home was disgraceful. Still, it was all worth it, believe me.

Here's a link to a video of the trip:
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Old 05 March 2010, 19:14   #2
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Great Video

Great Video and awesome "expedition' well done!!
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Old 06 March 2010, 07:46   #3
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Thanks KarlT.
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Old 06 March 2010, 08:15   #4
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On Tuesday 2 March I managed to reach Avranches in my boat. Avranches is a town six miles inland from the south east corner of the bay of Mont St. Michel. The trip was the result of five months' planning. I had the help of an English-speaking guide who walks parties across the bay of Mont St. Michel and who repeatedly plotted the course of the River Sée from Avranches to Tombelaine. We also consulted arial and terrestrial photography but even then had to wait for the best conditions when the river was in spate and the tide was as high as possible.

The difficulties of the route centre on a section from Le Grouin du Sud (a rocky peninsula just north of the Sée/Selune estuary) and Le Rivage (the point at which the Sée heads north east). The depth of water here is minimal and navigation is hampered by the tide flooding the fields adjacent to the river course. About five miles upstream we encountered a low lying bridge under which we had only two inches of air draft.

We anchored at La Route de Granville right in the centre of Avranches and quickly became the centre of attention. People were telling us that they had never seen a boat at Avranches in living memory. I suspect that "Archangel" was the first foreign vessel to reach the town for a very long time, perhaps ever.

Since we had no chance of returning to sea before the tide fell we stayed overnight and left the next morning. Downstream, we encountered a 3-ft bore from the incoming flood and had to deal with some quite violent currents and large items of debris. I dropped Ian the guide off in his canoe at the Grouin de Sud and after a quick stop-off at Mont St. Michel I headed back to Jersey. The wind that morning was a F6 from the north east and the journey home was disgraceful. Still, it was all worth it, believe me.

Here's a link to a video of the trip:
Well done , great bit of ribbing..
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Old 06 March 2010, 08:21   #5
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Thanks Tony.
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Old 06 March 2010, 08:51   #6
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Looks like you had a great time
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Old 06 March 2010, 09:03   #7
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Thanks Blackstorm. It took a lot of preparation and there several heart stopping moments but yes, it was simply fantastic.
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Old 06 March 2010, 11:27   #8
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Superb

A clear day and the highest tide of the year, nice work.
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Old 06 March 2010, 13:31   #9
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Thanks Malthouse.
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Old 06 March 2010, 18:19   #10
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That's the kind of thing that really inspires me. Not sure i'd really fancy the F6 return journey (or the early start), but what a great and satisfying achievement. What was your plan had you become grounded and been unable to back out?
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Old 06 March 2010, 18:29   #11
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What was your plan had you become grounded and been unable to back out?
"French Beer & Food" must have been on that list too...

Nice run.
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Old 06 March 2010, 18:35   #12
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Awesome. Well done indeed.
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Old 06 March 2010, 19:04   #13
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What was your plan had you become grounded and been unable to back out?
Thanks Erin, Willk and NautiSeacrets for your kind words. Regarding the possibility of grounding, there was no plan B on the day; once past Le Grouin du Sud we were committed. I don't know what we would have done if we had got stuck. I was just so determined to get to Avranches that I was willing to take the risk I guess.
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Old 06 March 2010, 19:18   #14
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there was no plan B on the day; once past Le Grouin du Sud we were committed. I don't know what we would have done if we had got stuck.
Beer is a Perfectly Acceptable plan B!
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Old 06 March 2010, 20:13   #15
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Beer is a Perfectly Acceptable plan B!
i have a taste for french tarts, very tasty, yum yum!
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Old 07 March 2010, 11:57   #16
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Well done from France...

I have to do it the next high tide!

Antoine
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Old 07 March 2010, 12:04   #17
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Thanks Antoine.
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