Yachtsmen's Information

Sail to Alderney

The following information offers guidance and advice for yachtsmen planning to sail to the lovely island of Alderney from Guernsey, Jersey, UK and France

Additional nautical information and advice can be found by downloading the Sail to Alderney Guide, the Alderney Yachtsmen's Guide and by visiting www.sailalderney.com
or alternatively by contacting the Alderney Harbour Office on tel 01481 822620.

The Harbour office is open: June to August: 0800 - 2000
At all other times: 0800 - 1700 Monday to Friday

On arrival please call into the Harbour Office where our friendly and helpful staff will ensure that you have all the nautical, weather and general information required for an enjoyable visit. Should you encounter any problems or difficulties during your stay at Braye Harbour, please inform a member of the Harbour staff who will do their best to resolve this for you.

Anchorage
There are a number of other anchorages around Alderney, in addition to Braye. None provide any facilities, and all are only safe in calm weather and/or offshore winds. Clockwise from Braye these are: Saye - sandy bottom; Longis Bay - sandy bottom, dries a long way out, a good place to wait for fair tide in the Race; Telegraph Bay - on SW point of island, small sandy bay that dries from half-tide down, holding patchy in sand and heads of rock; Hannaine Bay - S. of Fort Clonque, a good place to wait for fair tide through the Swinge; Burhou - the Lug, SW end of Burhou, below half-tide on the SW stream.

Harbour Master and Coastguard
Harbour Master and Coastguard are located at the Harbour Master’s Office, at the SW end of the harbour. Weather forecasts and reports at the Harbour Master’s Office or on VHF from Alderney Coastguard, which can also supply a Radar VTS and RDF service. The Harbour Master’s office provides the Coastguard Service.

VHF Radio
Call ‘Alderney Coastguard’, VHF 16, 74 or 67. The Harbour launch also listens on Ch.74, call ‘Harbour Launch’. If not obtainable, call Guernsey Coastguard (Ch.16, 20) or CROSSMA (French Coastguard, CH 16, 13, 80, etc ).

Facilities - In the Harbour
There are 70 yellow visitors’ mooring buoys, and it is possible to raft up on these in good weather. All other mooring buoys are private and should not be used without permission.

The anchorage in the middle of the bay has good holding ground in sand, but there are areas of rock and weed. Towards the entrance of the harbour, the bottom is generally more rocky. Because of the tidal range at Springs (up to 6.9m), a good scope of anchor line should be used, especially if anchoring in shoal areas. It is not permitted to anchor in the Fairway or close to Braye Jetty, or to tie up to Braye Jetty without permission.

Facilities - Around the Harbour
• The Harbour Master’s Office is at the SW end of the harbour, near the entrance to Little Crabby Harbour. The dinghy pontoon, dinghy slipway, showers, toilets, launderette, telephones, chandlers and a skip for rubbish are all nearby. The launderette is in the same building as the showers, and uses £1 coins - both are open 24 hours a day in the summer, but the showers are closed in the winter.

• A water taxi service is in operation. Call Mainbrayce Taxi VHF Ch.37.

• The nearest post box is at the Railway Station by the crossroads at the end of Braye Street, about 1½ cables S of the harbour; only Alderney and Guernsey stamps may
be used.

• Fresh water is available from alongside Mainbrayce Chandlers, and also from a tap at the top of the dinghy slipway and at Braye Jetty by arrangement with the Harbour Office.

• Mainbrayce Chandlers in Little Crabby Harbour is accessible to yachts approximately +/-2 hrs HW. A tide gauge at the entrance indicates depth of water alongside. Mainbrayce is open 0830-1800 seven days a week in the summer and provides fresh water, diesel, bottled gas, spares and mechanical assistance.

• Cranes with a maximum lift of approximately 25 tonnes are available from the Harbour Office.

• Duty-free diesel is available from Mainbrayce Limited (01481 822772) and by arrangement through the Harbour Master’s office bulk quantities can be supplied by road tanker from Alderney Electricity Limited (01481 822715).

• Bottled gas is supplied by Mainbrayce Limited (01481 822772), Auto-Motion (01481 823352) and Blanchard Buildings Supplies (01481 822722).

The Alderney Sailing Club
Adjacent to the Harbour Office. The clubhouse is open from 1800-2000 every day during the summer and Thursday to Sunday during the winter and welcomes visiting yachtsmen.

Regulations
There is a speed limit of 4 knots in the harbour, and also in Saye, Corblets and Longis bays. It is not permitted to tie up to the Commercial Quay or the Breakwater, nor beach on Braye or Saye bays. For Customs clearance, Braye is the only port of entry, and all vessels entering from outside the Bailiwick of Guernsey must complete a customs form which will be supplied by the Harbour Launch or obtained from the Harbour Master’s Office - UK forms are not valid. Customs must be notified of any animals aboard - UK rules apply.

Import Telephone Numbers
STD 01481 – from all other countries : +44 1481

Harbour Master, Coastguard 822620 Fax 823699
Emergency 112 or 999
Customs 823573
Mainbrayce Chandlers 822772 Fax 823683
Police Station 824999
Island Medical Centre 822077
Eagle Medical Practice 822494
Mignot Memorial Hospital 822822
Dental Practice 823131
Animal Welfare 822610
Tourist Information Centre 823737 or 822333
Tourist Board 822811

Taxis
ABC Taxis 823760
Island Taxis 823823
Central Taxis 07781 100830
A1 Taxis 07781 440121

Banks and Foreign Exchange
In Town : HSBC Lloyds TSB NatWest, Alderney Post Office
At the Harbour : Channel Jumper Mainbrayce Ltd

Internet Access
Channel Jumper (at the Harbour) 822202
The Tourist Information Centre (in Town) 823737
Alderney Computing Flexi Centre (in Town) 824898