A Personal Guide to The Ports of the Channel
Nicholas Hill
St Vaast
finding it
St Vaast is tucked behind Barfleur. It is a straighforward enough run from Portsmouth and the Solent, always providing you ensure that you arrive close to Barfleur well before High Water Dover. If the tide is against you, you are far better off forgetting about it and diverting to Cherbourg.
Coming from Cherbourg or Alderney:
This is straightforward enough providing there is no east in the wind, else you will have a lumpy time in the very nasty race off Barfleur.
getting in
Coming from Barleur, you pass Point de Saire. From here you can see the breakwater lighthouse, but do NOT be tempted to head towards it. You must go round Isle de Tatihou, with its distinctive fort. From there, there are two further cardinals (only one lit) before it is safe to head to the breakwater (the light is sectored).
If you arrive at low water, you can anchor quite happily to the South, just off the lighthouse on the breakwater.
hazards
Few, providing you follow the correct approach!
berthing
A sign just past the lock directs you to particular pontoons depending on your length. Signs on the pontoons themselves show how far along you can go. The pontoons themselves are the usual springy French ones with no cleats at the end.
facilities
Showers and loos are in the capitanerie: a little cramped and only open when the capitanerie is.
There are some reasonable restaurants facing the harbour, and the usual boulangeries/patisseries plus a small grocer.
charts and waypoints
Port details can be found on the St Vaast local website.
Google Earth
Approaches
Move your mouse over the captions below to see the photograph in question
| Leading Lights | Approaching ... | .. closer .. | ... the pierhead |
| very good at night; less obvious by day | looking towards the harbour | and closer | Turn round this to the lock [just visible]. |
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Entering the harbour
Move your mouse over the numbers below to see the photograph in question
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| round the pierhead you see the entrance | on the right | and on the left | further along on the left | the Capitainerie on the right | finally, the entrance |
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The harbour:
Move your mouse over the numbers below to see the photograph in question
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All photographs copyright CNH/COH. Please ask if you wish to use them and please acknowledge the source.