THE CHANNEL ISLANDS  JERSEY 1971







  Every year on the second weekend of November while the rest of the UK has Remberance
Sunday the Island of Jersey hosts a 2 Day Trial. Jersey is the biggest of the 3 main Islands that
comprise The Channel Islands the others being Guernsey, Alderney and Sark.

 Each Island has it's own character but they all share an affinity to the UK which they refer to as
the Mainland. As they were occupied for a large part of World War II it is rather strange that they
don't observe Rememberance Sunday, but there again as your main hospital is underground and
was built by the Germans you pehaps don't need reminding.





 1971 and we decide to give the event a go so 6 of us arrive at Weymouth, Dorset and after
watching our machines being craned into the hold we set off to the seafront bars as the ship does
not sail until midnight. Suitably tanked up we arrive back at the ship around 11 at night and head
straight for the bar as its dam cold and very windy. The bar is fairly busy and of course there are
plenty of other riders also on the crossing. Beer and stories flow freely and with British Rail efficiency
the ferry eases out into the harbour on time. We all gaze out of the bar windows and can't help but
notice that the lights seem to be moving a fair bit!

 As we creep past the end of the breakwater all hell breaks loose as beer mugs, ash trays, and
assorted glasses career up and down the bar, just grab one as it goes by and catch a full one the
next time round. Well this should be good for 7 hours! By 1 in the morning the barman has to close
as the loss rate of breaking bottles and glassware is exceeding his profit margin even at duty free
prices. People return to their seats or to anything that isn't moving, some are already throwing up
and others are changing color to match the British Rail seating.By now the crew have disappeared
leaving us to our own devices as we crash through the mountainous seas. Every now and then we
crash down into a trough and it feels like the ship stops dead as all the batwing doors open and
close with a der,der,der,der. 





 Some time later, and no doubt still full of pop, Ted Thompson, Dickie Clears and myself link arms
and waddle our way to the rear of the vessel for a peek outside...... what a sight! a huge bowl of
water below and around us with the  wind howling and whitecaps everywhere and distant lights
of the shoreline behind us, then suddenly its all gone as we crash down into another hole in the
ocean and the props come completely out of the water and you can hear the engines screaming
as the props spin in air, huuuuummmmm, this does not look good!

 At 8 o'clock in the morning in the pouring rain and mist LAND HO! and we round a headland and
there amid a mass of white thrashing water is the Island of Guernsey where we are supposed to
dock before our final stop in Jersey. We wait like a surfer and then you can hear the engines come
to full power as they try to line up on a big one and ride it into the harbor. Nice idea and 10 out of
10 for effort but after 3 attempts the Captain gives up and announces to all that we are going on
to Jersey and arrangements will be made for the Guernsey passengers.





 So without more ado we set off for the big Island and fortunately we are in the lee so we can get
in and unload. 3 hours late but at least we are here and the local clubmen greet us and ferry our
luggage to our respective hotels. Strange people? they all have french names and talk like
Australians?

 The trial gets under way somewhat late and the rain has stopped but the gale is still blowing. For
such a small Island they have an immense ammount of trials land from natural rock sections on the
coast and beach, leafy climbs and gulleys and a host of muddy woodland to make up the rest. After
the trip the trial was very relaxing apart from one section which everyone got a 5 on. You rode
down through the woods and as you did so huge balls of snow about cricketball/baseball size kept
coming through the trees and hitting you. Never seen anything like this and it was only when you
stopped to walk the section that you could grab one of these things which then disolved in your
hands as it was just bubbles! JEP! Giant bubbles of foam blowing in off the sea, and we were
1 mile inland!!! 

 The section where everyone got a "5" consisted of a downhill on the cliff riding head on into the
balls of foam, then a left turn on the cliff before the uphill climb. No one could make the turn! The
moment you turned crosswind the force of the gale just slammed you sideways into the rock face
no matter how much body english was applied, although I did see one local lad apply too much just
as a lull arrived and he toppled over the other way!





 Later on having finished the day's run we stopped at a local establishment to take on some liquid,
and of course as color, other than green, was returning to peoples faces a warm by the pub fire
and a pint or two was the order of the day. The excitement of the trial, cheating Davey Jones, and
the duty free booze was overtaking common sense and so was nightfall! At around 6 p.m. all 10
of us (I think) stumbled outside to find it was pitch black!

 So, nothing for it let's see if we can find the hotel, off we go down dark country lanes with no
lights, weaving our way through corners and as limited night vision picks up so does the speed!
Coming into one village we zip past some poor woman with her dog who must have thought it was
"The Horsemen of the Apocalpyse" as 10 noisey 2-strokes howled by.



Homeward Bound!


 Later the local clubman entertain us in time honored fashion and then bed on something that
didn't rock. Day 2 was enjoyable with sections that rivalled National standards but overall a great
trial. Another party night and then its time for that boat again! Well at least it is daylight and now
the sea is calmer, just a huge rolling swell. We make it back to the Mainland vowing never to go
back....... well, at least not by BOAT!


TONY DOWN