May, 2016 - ST. HELIER - JERSEY - CHANNEL ISLANDS

Another nice downwind sail.  We picked up a mooring ball, very briefly, at Gorey, intending to stay the night.  It was not to be as we did not like the exposure to the predicted winds.  We continued to St. Helier and were glad we did.

The harbor is first rate, the city clean and prosperous, the public bus transport excellent and there is a world class zoo and interesting WWII museum in an underground hospital.

The Maritime Museum is on the dock.

Beaufort scale definition, with a twist.

SV Passat at the visitors dock.

Steam operated clock, shows the wrong time.

My back is sore just seeing this.

Lots of interesting sculptures.

ibid

I was skeptical, but found that the zoo on this small island was equal to the Fort Worth Zoo, which I think is world class.

The zoo's founder.

In WWII the Germans built an underground hospital, using largely slave and conscripted  labor. It was never really used as the Allies by-passed the islands and they were not liberated until after the German's surrendered.  It is now a museum. 

The museum follows the war from the local perspective and is best summarized by the quotes on the metal sheets standing at the entrance. 

The British position as France fell.  The Islanders had to choose to stay or evacuate to England, with only what they could carry.

Hitler"s Fortress Europe.

The German commander near the end of the war.

Churchill's statement upon liberation.

The hospital itself was never needed as the island was not invaded.

An islander escaped to England in this boat, but was interned until they could determine he was not a spy.