Alderney, a small Island surrounded by big rocks and fast tide races.

Stepping back in time in more ways than one. Alderney has changed little since we were here last 15 years ago or indeed since we first came around 30 years ago. It has a raw beauty and a dramatic harbour built during the Napoleonic wars to snub a nose at France just a few miles away. During WW2 the whole island was evacuated before the Nazi army arrived. all except one man who would not leave his cows. slave workers from across Europe were brought here to build massive fortifications, many died of starvation, exposure and over work. Some have graves here, others were never found, buried in concrete fortifications or throw carelessly into the ocean.

These days the Island is quiet and peaceful and the drama comes from the sea, with each side of the island having fearsome tide races, the Alderney Race and the notorious Swinge. The blue arrows on the chart show the tide direction and today is nothing special at 7 knots (8mph). But it’s not just the speed of the water which we have clocked at over 10 knots, it’s the overfalls that truly impress, standing waves that stay in one place, can reach 2-3 m (10ft) even on a calm day and break like static surf. Oh and did I mention the rocks? There’s nothing soft to hit around here, this Island survives the might of the Atlantic for one reason. It’s made of granite. And I love it, so good to be back.