Exposure OLAS Race - Le grand retour de JOG.

The first May Bank Holiday weekend will see JOG returning to one of its favourite and historic destinations, the city of Cherbourg, with its range of restaurants, quaint streets and a welcoming marina.

Whilst we await the development of an online method of immigration clearance (hopefully in June), British boats can only, currently, clear in through a principal port. As anticipated, we have adjusted the sailing programme and will have a big welcome from the Chantereyne Marina with immigration authorities in the port to make processing in an out as simple as possible.

We have also adjusted the start times to Saturday morning for ease of crews over this Bank Holiday and to facilitate a daylight sail for our first cross Channel race of the year. We have a great party in planning for your arrival too!

The marina advises that you can access shoreside facilities on arrival even if you haven’t completed arrival documentation but, at the time of going to press, all crew members will have to have proof of Covid vaccination. We hope that this may change before we visit but keep an eye on the website for any relaxations. There is a link in the Sailing Instructions where you can get all the information you need for British exit and return. This is mandatory and infringement could result in fines so please do have a look in plenty of time.

If, like us, you can’t wait for a return to “moules et frit”, French wines and the Gallic charm, please make your entry as early as possible as this helps significantly with our planning.

In passing, we hope that, for our race to Deauville over the Platinum Jubilee extended Bank Holiday, our association with the local Yacht Club will enable us to get the authorities in attendance at Deauville for immigration clearance to avoid a call at Le Havre. We will give more detail when we can.

Martin Banfield, Secretary