SEASPRAY, the Chris Craft Flagship of the English Channel, up on a plane and looking good, diesel Yanmars purring and making a safe crossing to France. In addition, Heidi has become an Alan Jackson fan, and we're very pleased to see she's gotten herself a proper hat ! Ha, good one Heidi !




Cruising France in a 31 Chris Craft !


Heidi and Paul just returned from a trip across the English Channel in SEASPRAY, to a place called Dinan, in France. Not knowing about Dinan, I looked it up and you can find out lots of info about this charming medieval village here.
http://www.globosapiens.net/travel-information/Dinan-1180.html

Here is a map showing where Dinan is, in relation from Jersey, where Heidi and Paul live in the English Channel. The green arrow indicates the location of Dinan, and you can see Jersey, which is an Island in the English Channel on this first map too.


Here’s a closer view


Here’s the same scale view only from a satellite.


And now on to Heidi's great collection of photos!

Paul

Seaspray at sea - first proper trip of the year


Seaspray arriving at St Malo, France, crossing took two hours


Seaspray in the barrage lock, Dinard, the entrance to the river Rance


Seaspray, Sur La Rance


First stop, Plouet marina, spot Seaspray, look for the orange fender

On route to Dinan


Thank goodness the path is well marked out, sand banks to left and to the right of us


In coming water in the Levy lock, the man in Levy lock could not believe his eyes, yes it was a Chris Craft.


Oh dear, they let us out first, better wait for David. Quick break whilst David takes over as leader.






Further down the Rance

Arrived at Dinan, long walk up a very long hill but worth it for the great beer, Paul's brother David and his partner Lorraine. Well deserved rest and beer, one of many




We got the last mooring at Dinan, great spot, great seafood
Whilst we went for a trip in the tender, David was keeping watch



Rear view, wow she's wide



The only boat in Levy Marina with an on board swimming pool


Marc, Emilie, Haley and Heidi enjoying the sun

Time to head back down the river, Paul on watch for mud banks






Weird fishing huts.


Nice bridges and note the Jersey flag to the right



Back at the barrage - Paul

Back at the barrage - Heidi

You knew the hat was coming, Can't see any Croc's yet


Alan Jackson has a new fan. (Seaspray and Paul are in the rear of the shot)


Ho Down back in st helier marina


New Alan Jackson fan - Lorraine

Heidi,

I really appreciate the cowboy hat ! I'm sure Alan Jackson would approve, and I think he's going to be interested to know he has a fellow Chris Craft fan in the English Channel Islands too.

Great photos by the way, many thanks for taking the time to send them in, and for all the notes too.

Regards, Paul







Alan at the Square Grouper, where his "Five Oclock Somewhere" video was filmed.
http://www.squaregrouper.net/about.htm
http://www.squaregrouper.net/alan_jackson.htm

Heidi, that album you have is one of his very best. Congrats!



Great photo, looks like everyone in your group had a great time.

Paul



Back to the beginning of this thread (Crossing the English Channel in a 31 Commander).
http://www.network54.com/Forum/424840/message/1154369256

Hi Paul.

Thank you for posting our "Seaspray", weather in Jersey is cold at the moment but we may take the boat out christmas morning for a spin.

I hope everyone has a great christmas and best of boating for 2007.

Regards and best wishes.
Heidi & Paul

Heidi, All the best to you and Paul. You guys sure know how to have fun with your boat, and the photos show it! That trip to France was AWESOME, and I've really enjoyed looking over the photos, and reading the text too. I dare say, people all over the globe have seen those photos!

Hope EVERYONE has a wonderful holiday season, and the best New Year ever.

Regards, Paul
forum moderator

Everyone have a wonderful holiday season and new year. Please spend extra time with each and every member of your family, tell them how much you love them and appreciate who they are, and cherish the moment. Peace to all, be safe, be nice to one another, it pays big dividends! Keep those boats floating!

Dave Mehl

Really nice photos Heidi, and it looks like it was an enjoyable trip for everyone. Crossing the open water for two hours is a serious run in that water. I imagine there is a lot of shipping traffic in the Channel? I'm glad the weather was good for you. That destination, Dinan, looks fabulous! What a cool place to go by Chris Craft.

Ernie Hamilton

Loraine looks like she has become a true country music fan! Great photos of a great trip Heidi, thanks for posting.

Roy

Ha, that's one way to beat the heat, I'll bet that was fun. Dinan looks very inviting. I forget how old Europe really is compared to the US. We're only 300 years old here, when it comes to much of anything that has been built that is still standing. I love looking at boating trip photos like this, many thanks for sending them in, very interesting and quite awesome that you are able to cross the Channel in a sweet running 31 Commander.

Cheers !

Dave

That's a great idea, I have a whole raft of kids in the extended family and a pool would be lots of fun at anchor. Wonder how much weight the roof of a 38 will stand?? Enough for a small pool with kids, no doubt.

I echo the sentiments already expressed here, great trip, thank for sharing the images Heidi

Howard Echols
Huntsville, AL
1967 38 foot Commander Sedan

Bet they don't see people in Chris Crafts wearing cowboy hats too often on the Rance!

That's quite an awesome trip, Heidi, departing from an island in the Channel, running across open water, and up the Rance. Very special, indeed. Thank you for sending in the photos, they are appreciated.

Ernie Hamilton

This photo looks like the run across open water, 30 or 40 miles of open water. It's good to have a fleet footed Commander, especially one with diesel power out in water like this. She looks like she's running smartly too!