The Alderney Race rages between the western tip of the Cap de La Hague and the Channel Island of Alderney. Its name in French (Raz Blanchard) is due to its white (blanc) waves cut off by the strong currents created by the shallow waters between the Cap de la Hague and the Channel Islands. These currents can reach a speed of 10 knots during periods of big tides. They are the strongest currents in Europe and make sailing here very difficult.
It is one of the strongest currents in Europe
The high land that once connected Jobourg to the Channel Island of Alderney has sunken over the years and now forms a 6-km-long underwater barrier, the peak of which is only 30 metres below the surface of the sea, and everywhere else is much deeper. This sudden difference in depth explains the treacherous “Alderney Race”, the third most dangerous current in the world. Some people also call it the “Cap de la Déroute”.
