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Trip to Guernsey aboard "Samuel
Irvin 3" - September 2010 |
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"Samuel Irvin 3" Channel Islands Angling Adventure out of Guernsey - From Monday 6th until Friday 10th September, I was aboard Ian Noble's Dartmouth charter boat, the big white and blue Blyth 33 catamaran, "Samuel Irvin 3", with an eclectic blend of pals, some old and others new, angling in Channel Islands waters out of Guernsey. We had been carefully watching the weather forecasts which seemed to change drastically every few hours over the days leading up to our departure. At one stage, our trip appeared to be in doubt, but on the Monday Morning, we left Dartmouth for the Islands into a Force 4 stiff breeze from the East. It was a lumpy voyage across, but we were able to maintain speeds of between 12 and 14 knots without excessive discomfort. By lunchtime, we were fishing for Turbot on the Casquettes Banks. We didn't find any there, so we headed for the Shoal Banks, where we were successful. Several of the lads caught some fine fish on fillets of fresh Mackerel and live Launce which we caught on Feather lures, despite driving rain which was only kept out by the very best waterproof clothing. The lads chose to return the smaller flat fish back to the water alive and well, to grow, breed and fight again another day. I could not take any photos in the excessively wet conditions. We made our way into harbour at St Peter Port, Guernsey. Ian and I had intended to sleep in the wheelhouse on the boat, but the wet conditions made this uncomfortable. As we approached Port, Ian telephoned the Captain Cook Hotel, where several of the lads were booked in to stay, and managed to secure two last minute additional beds for our use. Sadly, it was not to be. Ian needed to moor "Samuel Irvin 3" on the pontoons in the centre of the harbour, due to big tides, which would ground her at low water. That should not have been a problem, except that we discovered the Harbour Water Taxi ceased to run on the last day of August, which would have left the boat stranded without any way of getting ashore or back on board. I took the opportunity to sleep ashore while Ian slept on the boat. On arrival at the Hotel, I booked in and enquired as to the cost per night. It was then I discovered that the Hotelier proposed to charge me in the region of £80 per night for single occupancy of a twin bedded room. I asked if I could decline the booking, but he made it plain to me in no uncertain terms that I was contractually bound to take this room at the "Captain Cook" Hotel, although it had only been booked at the very last minute, during the preceding couple of hours. I reluctantly agreed. I called Ian and told him what had transpired. He said he could leave the boat alongside and move it to the centre of the Harbour by midnight. I ate with three of the lads, plus Ian at the Captain Cook Hotel that evening, which was fine. The food was good. Ian spoke to the Hotelier, who agreed that I could share my room with another of our party. We knew that the Hotelier had put three of our group with an extra bed into another bedroom. We reverted to two rooms, each with two single beds. I was back to a reasonable cost room rental. Thanks lads. Phew ! The Captain Cook Hotel is at the top of several very steep hills, which my pal Richard Stanley and I christened "Heart Attack Hill" on the one evening when we could not book a taxi to take us from the boat to the Hotel. This particular accommodation experience left a sour taste in my mouth and I am personally disinclined to stay at the Captain Cook on any future visits to Guernsey. Tuesday 7th September dawned bright and clear. We left Harbour around 8.0 am and travelled back out to the Shoal Bank, where we fished with significant success for Turbot, Brill, Bass and a couple of accidental Blonde Rays. Once again, the lads returned the smaller specimens alive and well to the water after taking a photo with them.
That night we ate at "La Perla" an Italian family run restaurant, just back from the Esplanade in North Plantation, St Peter Port, telephone 01481 712 127. Our old friend Antonino Gargiulo made us feel very welcome as he always does. We have eaten there many times before on previous trips. As always, the food was superb, with three course choices available from three menus at £10, £15 or £20 per person. I commend it to you. Wednesday 8th September was another excellent day. Again we fished the Banks and everyone caught fish. Top rod on the day was Jonathan Nicholas who appeared to be truly in form. No matter what he did he simply caught fish after fish across a myriad of different species. Jonathan opened a bottle of white sparkling wine to celebrate catching his very first Turbot.
"La Perla" was so good that we met and ate there again this evening, for another excellent meal. Thursday 9th September saw us out to sea in pursuit of Black Bream on rough ground behind Sark. We caught a few but they were very few, perhaps a dozen in total and of no great size. For whatever reason the Black Bream were not there to be caught, which is unusual during these late Summer months. Most of the small Bream we caught were returned alive and well to grow, breed and fight again another day. Andrew "Ferret" Corden was on form again today and caught one of the better Bream.
We moved and played for a couple of hours on the Banks where we caught several more Turbot and Brill. though none were of exceptional size. During the latter part of the day we moved out of an increasingly lumpy sea to fish under the shelter of Sark, where the lads caught a variety of different species of fish.
Yes, you've guessed right. We all met up for a pint on our last evening, then ate again at "La Perla", because it is so consistently very good. Friday 10th September, day 5, dawned all too soon. I checked www.XCWeather.co.uk and saw the forecast was for a Force 5 breeze from the South West. We were going to have to punch into that on the bow, during our return voyage. We left harbour, bright and early at 7.0 am and cruised home at between 10 and 12 knots for most of our return journey. The sea was far too lumpy for us to stop and fish on some mid-Channel marks, which had been our original intention. We thought it more important to get home to safety and calm of Dartmouth, before the tide turned to oppose the strong breeze. We did stop on a small wreck mark much closer to home, but it did not produce anything out of the ordinary, just a few small Pollack and Pouting. We returned safely into Dartmouth Harbour in the early afternoon, tired but in very good spirits. Three of our crew stayed at a Hotel called La Colinette, St Jacques, St Peter Port, Guernsey, tel +44 (0)1481 710331, Email reservations@lacollinette.com Web Site: www.lacolinette.com . Nigel Curtis told me that he had secured a very fair deal for their very comfortable and spacious accommodation there. Nigel subsequently Emailed me to say: Thanks for a great week, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and your fine company of course. That food was excellent! I was sorry to hear of the hassle you had with your Hotel, you may want to give La Collinette a try in the future. My contact there is Veronika, and I am sure that she will look after you (I said you may be in touch). Another exciting Channel Islands Sea Angling Adventure was over. I look forward to the next one, preferably with some calmer seas. I know I can speak for everyone aboard when I tell you that we caught approaching 40 flat fish in total, many of which were returned alive to the water. The Bass angling was impressive. The camaraderie was great. Thanks chaps and thanks Ian, your friendship and excellent seamanship is very much appreciated. (c) Mike Concannon - Fishing Dartmouth 15th September 2010 |
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