Alderney September 2018

In terms of enclosed area Braye harbour is one of the largest man made harbours in the world, built to shelter a Navel fleet the breakwater was 5,000 ft long when completed in 1864 but by 1900 2,000 ft had been lost. A planned breakwater running north from the shore to provide protection from the east was never started and the project abandoned as development of modern warships made it unnecessary.



Still busy in September, Sancerre is there! 4th from the right

The island has been very heavily fortified twice. Once, despite the "Entente Cordiale", in the 1840s, in response to French fortification of its norther ports. The second time by Hitler. on this trip I explored the north shore moving east from the harbour.

Fort Albert on the eastern shore of the harbour.

Alderney has the only railway line in the Channel Islands, Queen Victoria
once road these rails although not in the London underground
coaches now in use.

The harbour from Fort Harbour, Sancerre extreme right.

German strongpoint "Biberkopf" just east of Fort Albert.



The harbour breakwater from Fort Albert, the broken water extending
from the remain structure is caused by the broken remains lost section.
Sancerre on the left.

The NE shore from just east of Fort Albert. Saye Bay to the left, France
in the distance on the right.

Saye Bay with some brave swimmers - the water was cold!
Chateau s L'Etoc Point, centre.

The tide giving sairly symmetrical tracks outbound and return crossing
almost on the rhumb line. It was about 15 hours each way.