Sailing into St Vaast

St Vaast is just round the corner from Cherbourg and is a must visit port/marina... an absolutely lovely French fishing town with an excellent marina and facilities.
My books are available to download from: www.gentlesaili...

[@chriswoodhouse7821]

The earlier pictures in your video are of Barfleur. I visited Barfleur in 2019 and in particular the Cafe de France on the harbour front where we had a great meal. I told the young person behind the bar that a group of us sailed there 50 years ago parking our boat on the other side of the road to the cafe, where in the mornings we would enjoy coffee, croissant, cognac and Gitanes. He id not know what a Gitanes was!! The same family run the cafe 50 years later.

[@SailingGently]

Chris hi, Yes it's sad isn't it the way time moves on - I loved the smell of Gitanes - even used to smoke them and the challenge of navigating by DR - but there it is - I now have several GPS and a chart plotter - St Vaast is apparently the most visited tourist village in northern France.. French tourists.. Like you I have very good memories of the place - long ago and recent

[@roderickmchardy3650]

coudl watch this stuff all day long ,, ( who needs netflix ?? )

[@SailingGently]

Thank you Roderick for watching... I must admit I often prefer KZbin to Netflix/Prime... I wonder what it will all be like a decade hence...

[@we-can-do]

NOBODY is immune from making a cock-up on a mooring, but few are prepared to film themselves doing it. Good on You.

[@SailingGently]

Thank you Tim... I did think twice about including it then decided I couldn't keep the more successful ones if I didn't !!!

[@billgiles3261]

I love St V. Visit the fishermens’ chapel, where they repair the fishing boats and the German defence walls. Also the little island castle via the land/sea barge.

[@SailingGently]

Its a lovely port I agree Bill... I first went there when they were just starting to build the marina!

[@tobiekoster8236]

Love your channel! Full of fascinating insights, my main take home messages are; check the tides, don’t worry so much and French Marina Wi-Fi is appalling 😂. Keep up the stellar work.

[@SailingGently]

Tobi glad you like the channel. Take home messages AOK!

[@verynearlyaboutsailing8114]

Another good one. And I am very pleased to see that it is not just me who has the occasional mini adventure when docking ;)

[@SailingGently]

Thank you Paul. Yes, I get it wrong frequently but confess I did debate with myself about showing it publicly...

[@Lightw81]

Love St Vaast. I particularly like the trail of people walking round to the shellfish beds at low tide. And M. Gosselin of course.

[@SailingGently]

Yes Nick, it's a lovely port - I adore it as well. Actually went there a couple of times before there was a marina!

[@ianqv]

Fantastic!! another great video - thank you

[@SailingGently]

Thank you. So pleased you liked it

[@robertbowler6130]

I shall definitely visit. Your videos are so much more inspiring than guide books. Thankyou

[@SailingGently]

I am so pleased you find the videos interesting and useful. I was not too sure when I started the project so your feedback is really pleasing.

[@joolscornwell1307]

Captain Gently. I remember it very well 😂👍👍🎩🎩 classic

[@SailingGently]

Jools yes - lovely port St Vaast - I first went there before it was a marina and just a fishing port like the little picture! Nice to know people have similar affection for the place

[@SCCFORUM]

Great video Michael. 👍🏻

[@SailingGently]

Thank you. So glad you like it.

[@peterhampson269]

Enjoyed every episode. Really entertaining, real and informative.

[@SailingGently]

Thank you so much... Lots of fun making them

[@BernieTseTung]

Very interesting, thanks.

[@SailingGently]

Glad you liked it Bernie

[@MrBernie101]

Ah, St.Vaast, I first sailed there in the early eighties, a superb little town. The done thing was to order moules & frites washed down with a Blonde Bier from one of the waterfront bars. Monsieur Gosselin, was famous, he would deliver direct to your boat. Such memories, thank you. Barnacle Bern SY Cadbri

[@SailingGently]

Bernie hello, Yes was a lovely place to visit back then and still is except that it has modernised and it's reputation as being one of the nicest sea side places in France has created mass French and other tourism.. Good memories I agree - I wonder if our wakes crossed back then

[@SkibereenWhistler]

With the best will in the world, you have no idea how relieved I am to see you having difficulty entering this berth. Our absolutely beautiful, kind, long-keeled lady is a sweetheart for everything except marina manoeuvres (especially going backwards). Occasionally even the wash from another boat's propellor (moored at the other side of the fairway with her engine running in gear) is enough to turn her from the perfect approach and throw her sideways just when I think I'm about to gently kiss the pontoon. My husband's standing with a midships spring ready to lasso a cleat on the pontoon, when he sees it drifting out of reach. Cue swearing (from me) and reproachful looks (him). Oh, and patronising looks from the owners of the boat with its engine running in gear at fairly high revs. Good sense of humour and ability to laugh at yourself essential.

[@SailingGently]

Kerry hi, The first boat I really fell in love with was an Elizabethan 31 - Long Keel - she taught me so much but going astern was a major difficulty. Even berthing bows too could be challenging if the approach was not perfect to start. I left that bit in because we all have problems parking - sometimes - even after 12 years of so in the Med with bow thrusters in a big Westerly it could be challenging in a crosswind. In a long keel it is very very difficult and not for the faint hearted!!

[@steveclancy6474]

love the video and everyone recognises the look on your face when you start losing the boat on berthing. If you've not experienced that feeling then you've never been in charge of a boat.

[@SailingGently]

Yes its true Steve - and I thought I had it cracked!

[@evidafod]

Really enjoying your videos Michael and your books. We were in St Vaast the year before last and whilst we enjoyed it, it had lost some of its charm from the 1990s.. progress and commercialisation I suppose. But I experienced a first with 2 very attractive young women coming down onto our pontoon along with what I assume was their pimp offering me a proposition that I had to turn down !

[@SailingGently]

I tend to agree... It was nicer way back when... I understand it is one of the top tourist destinations for the French which is why your boat nearly came in....

[@briandbird6339]

Excellent thanks, hope to get around that way next season. Good work in the marina! Experienced helms always stay cool and never gun the engine and spin the wheel to try and get out of a little difficulty - lesson for me there : -]

[@SailingGently]

But they still blush and feel stupid, Brian, when they get it wrong - and we all do sometimes

[@davidpearn5925]

Dreamy

[@SailingGently]

Yes David - lovely place - good experience

[@MrKenNoath]

Perhaps taking a chance but. I want to sail from Gosport to the Danube. Would you go Le Havre from Cherbourg then Seine and canals to Strasbourg and run down the Rhine or head north through Netherlands then east and upstream Rhine?

[@SailingGently]

Ken hi, That sounds like a great trip to be doing... Bit outside my area of expertise but I did look at it once... I think it's probably better via the Netherlands or Belgium so that you can use the main industrial canals and rivers rather than crossing France... Getting the relevant charts will be difficult but I think, think there are some electronic ones that may be useful

[@gordonbennet1094]

U had a Cat ? What size? What happened to it ? Why did u abandon it ? BTW - in another vid u said u didn't know much about making films & videos. But isn't that a Paillard Bolex I see behind u ?

[@SailingGently]

I had a Prout 33 but it didn't suit me. I am not a technician but do know a bit about making productions - www.michaelbriant.com/index.html I purchased that camera when I was 13 from proceeds of acting in a film.

[@gordonbennet1094]

@@SailingGently Gordon Bennet !! Not only do u sail to every harbour in the world, u also appear in movies! And play the concertina! I'm gonna buy one. I'm very interested in why u abandoned yr Cat. I've only ever sailed Cats & Tris. I cd never be persuaded to sail in anything that required me to stand at an angle of 45 degrees. I hv enough trouble standing at ninety degrees - and that's when I'm sober. So ... why did u opt for the world of leaning?