Every few years, James Getgood sails to St Vaast, Carentan, Grandcamp-Maisy, and Port-en-Bessin, locations that were pivotal during the D-Day landings 80 years ago.
Following the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk in June 1940, Winston Churchill assured the nation, “We will return.” Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied landing operation which unfolded on this part of the Normandy coast four years later. The dawn assault on D-Day, June 6, 1944, coincided with ideal conditions due to a rising tide and a full moon to aid parachutists.
The westernmost ports we visited belonged to the Utah and Omaha landing zones, assigned to American forces. To the east, the beaches extended to Ouistreham, designated as Gold (British), Juno (Canadian), and Sword (British).
The area’s hydrography and topography remain unchanged, requiring little imagination to appreciate the challenges faced by our ancestors.
The main challenge is that entering all these ports involves navigating the green areas on the chart that we, as yacht enthusiasts, prefer to avert. Thus, entry and exit can be scheduled for either side of high water. However, if you’re inclined for relaxed cruising, it’s just a short distance along the coast to reach the next port before you are faced with ‘neaps’.
We proceeded in an anti-clockwise direction, from west to east, for several reasons. On the way to St Vaast, you always have the option to divert to Cherbourg, a port accessible regardless of tide. The prevailing wind generally blows from the west. St Vaast is the most accessible port in this group, offering reasonably secure anchorages protected from the north and west while you wait for the tide.
US troops storm the Normandy Beaches during the D-Day landings. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
With the new PAF (Police Aux Frontières) email system, we could clear in and out of Normandy without needing to visit Cherbourg or get our passports stamped.
The last week of September coincided with beautiful weather, but we encountered only two other boats cruising actively. When I checked in with the harbour master at St Vaast, he confirmed we had met all the entry requirements, though I couldn’t determine if his friendly demeanor indicated a positive reception to the ‘new’ system or reflected his overall relaxed attitude toward life!
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A short journey of 12 miles from St. Vaast leads to the fairway buoy for Carentan, followed by a four-mile transit through the Passe de Carentan (over the green area) and then three miles up the Canal de Carentan à la Mer towards the marina.
When calculating your route, it’s wise to check the tidal graph and coefficients in the Almanac, as depths can get quite shallow around No 12 buoy at the south end of the Passe. Close to high water, we had only 0.3 meters under our 2.0-meter keel, making this passage more feasible near springs than neaps.
US Coast Guard landing craft transporting American soldiers to the Normandy beaches on D-Day. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
Utah and Carentan
About a mile west of the Carentan fairway buoy, you find yourself opposite the sand dunes of the Utah landing area. Here, the US 4th Division landed too far south, but this ultimately worked to their advantage as the area was lightly defended. Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. promptly declared, “to start the war from right here!”
By the end of D-Day, the 4th Division had advanced six miles inland, arguably making it the most successful of the Allied landings that day.
Five miles inland and difficult to access via sea, Carentan served as a vital communications hub because of its strategic position along the N-13 road connecting Cherbourg and Caen, as well as the Cherbourg-Paris railway. Positioned between the Utah and Omaha landing zones, it was an essential initial goal designated for the US 101st Airborne Division (The Screaming Eagles), as depicted in the HBO series Band of Brothers, which we streamed courtesy of crew member Alan.
About a mile to the west of the fairway buoy for Carentan lies the Utah landing area
After intense fighting, Carentan was finally secured on June 12.
Fortunately, you cannot exit Carentan until the flooding tide has calmed. During a previous visit, eager to depart for Ouistreham, we arrived early at the lock and safely watched the chaos caused by the tidal bore or mascaret at the junction of the canal and La Douve rivers, just downstream of the lock.
Upon leaving Carentan, once north of the Banc de la Madeleine, you can turn east and make your way to Grandcamp-Maisy, a total distance of around 10 miles. Grandcamp-Maisy is a fishing port, but ample space exists for local motorboats, small yachts, and few visiting craft at the east end of C Pontoon, where greater depth is present. The quay hosts restaurants and a fish market if you wish to self-cater while onboard. While sailing time may be determined by tides, there is plenty of opportunity to explore.
Photograph of Allied landing crafts heading to the beaches of Normandy. Dated 1944; exact date unknown. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
Paying Homage
Although part of the Atlantic Wall and near at least three heavy artillery batteries, Grandcamp-Maisy lies to the west of the Omaha beaches. Three miles down the coast, along a new bike path, is the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Museum, now well-equipped by the American Battle Monuments Commission. Here, nearly intact bunkers and fortifications have remained since 1945. Pointe du Hoc was strategically significant due to its commanding views of both Utah and Omaha Beaches.
The mission to capture it was assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion and involved a direct assault up the 100ft cliff to neutralize what was believed to be a gun battery located at the summit. This is vividly portrayed in the 1961 film The Longest Day.
The fishing port of Grandcamp-Maisy, shown here at low tide.
Upon rounding Pointe du Hoc and Pointe de la Percée, stay clear of the three northern cardinal marks indicating obstructions still scattered across Omaha Beach. A low cliff and seawall, along with strategically placed defensive positions, led to a fierce battle here, in sharp contrast to the Utah landings. Most specialized amphibious tanks succumbed to the heavy swells, necessitating destroyers to approach the shore to bombard the defenders at point-blank range. But by midday, the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions had made landfall and begun to secure exit routes from the landing area.
Port-en-Bessin is situated 12 miles from Grandcamp-Maisy. For me, it is a standout gem along this coastline. A significant fishing port, it features a 25-meter pontoon designated for visiting yachts. Though your stay is limited to 48 hours, I have never needed to share the pontoon. Just 10 meters from an excellent restaurant and 15 meters from the boulangerie, I cannot think of ways to improve the experience. During a past visit, a quayside workshop fabricated a new stainless bracket for my boom vang in one morning—value for money hardly captures it.
The seaborne assault of Operation Neptune unfolded across five landing sites. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
On D-Day+1 in June 1944, Port-en-Bessin was the target for the 47 Commando Royal Marines. It is located between the US Omaha Beach and British Gold Beach, and prior to the capture of Cherbourg, it was the point where petroleum products could be unloaded.
The 47 Commando force marched from Arromanches and secured the high ground surrounding the port, but at a painful cost in lives lost and wounded. As Geoff, a former Royal Marines Commando among my crew, understated, “They did their duty.”
Departure from Port-en-Bessin for Solent must be near high water, and the crossing covers about 90 miles. Don’t underestimate the tidal influences around St. Catherine’s Point; during a previous trip, I drifted too far east, facing a tedious upwind journey against the tide. This time, we made a swift crossing. With our Q flag flying high, we entered Portsmouth Harbour, picked up a buoy in N. Forton Lake and were fast asleep by 0200.
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