Crossing Cardigan Bay

RobWard

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Planning to head north in August, and I'm wondering about the feasibility of crossing Cardigan Bay in one go, e.g. from Fishguard to Aberdaron. The boat is a Bav 30. Appreciate it is a relatively long day - is this a sensible plan, does anyone have any comments or suggestions. Stopping anyway on the middle of the Aby e.g. Aberystwyth seems like something of a faff with the added bonus of then having to negotiate St Patrick's causeway...
 

Coaster

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Planning to head north in August, and I'm wondering about the feasibility of crossing Cardigan Bay ...

I presume you are aware of the Aberporth range danger areas?

The range sends me a regular email setting out the week's planned activity. Some of it seems to extend across the entire Bay!

There is a subscribe facility on the range website.
 

TSB240

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Planning to head north in August, and I'm wondering about the feasibility of crossing Cardigan Bay in one go, e.g. from Fishguard to Aberdaron. The boat is a Bav 30. Appreciate it is a relatively long day - is this a sensible plan, does anyone have any comments or suggestions. Stopping anyway on the middle of the Aby e.g. Aberystwyth seems like something of a faff with the added bonus of then having to negotiate St Patrick's causeway...
Recently made a passage from Dale to Porth Dinllaen in our Hanse 301. If you time it right you can get a tidal lift right across Cardigan Bay. We left Dale around an hour before Low water and had a slight tide against us in both Jack and Ramsey sound. If you can average 5.5 knots through water you should arrive off Bardsey at around HW slack after getting a good 6 hours of favourable tide.
You could then anchor at Aberdaron in reasonable off shore winds.

I chose to carry on to Porthdinllaen as we had a moderate southerly.
To do this you must hug the coastline as the tide will be running very strongly against you. You need to take care as the ebb tide builds very quickly and the conditions in the sound rapidly turns from flat to very rough if the wind is against the tide. If you do hug the coastline there is the option of stopping at Porth Y Oer but no beer is available! You will also get used to some serious pot dodging.
 

Gwylan

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Planning to head north in August, and I'm wondering about the feasibility of crossing Cardigan Bay in one go, e.g. from Fishguard to Aberdaron. The boat is a Bav 30. Appreciate it is a relatively long day - is this a sensible plan, does anyone have any comments or suggestions. Stopping anyway on the middle of the Aby e.g. Aberystwyth seems like something of a faff with the added bonus of then having to negotiate St Patrick's causeway...


Walk in the park! Done it in smaller boats.

Assumption is that the wind does not go too much into the south. Then stop in sight of the chapel and wait to go on to do the bar and Caernarvon
 

Birdseye

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I presume you are aware of the Aberporth range danger areas?

The range sends me a regular email setting out the week's planned activity. Some of it seems to extend across the entire Bay!

There is a subscribe facility on the range website.
But like all UK ranges, this isnt a no go zone so you can decide whether to oblige the range boat or just ignore them.
 

Allan

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don't try that at Castlemartin range on the South Pembrokeshire coast. They fire real live shells. To pass it when they are firing the range boat will escort you a long way offshore.
Mr Birdseye is correct. Not even the MOD or their representative have the right to force you to change course. I know Castlemartin can try to make it sound like you must obey but it's not true.
I should point out I've never stopped them firing but when called by them I asked "Are you requesting me to change course or ordering me to do so?" After a bit of waffle from the boat, the shore based guy said "He is requesting you to change course Sir"
Allan
 

Dellquay13

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Mr Birdseye is correct. Not even the MOD or their representative have the right to force you to change course. I know Castlemartin can try to make it sound like you must obey but it's not true.
I should point out I've never stopped them firing but when called by them I asked "Are you requesting me to change course or ordering me to do so?" After a bit of waffle from the boat, the shore based guy said "He is requesting you to change course Sir"
Allan
since they are apparently Britain's only live ammunition firing range, ignoring their request might not be a good idea.
 

38mess

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Mr Birdseye is correct. Not even the MOD or their representative have the right to force you to change course. I know Castlemartin can try to make it sound like you must obey but it's not true.
I should point out I've never stopped them firing but when called by them I asked "Are you requesting me to change course or ordering me to do so?" After a bit of waffle from the boat, the shore based guy said "He is requesting you to change course Sir"
Allan
Never argue with a man with a gun, especially a big gun?
 

BobnLesley

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...wondering about the feasibility of crossing Cardigan Bay in one go, e.g. from Fishguard to Aberdaron. The boat is a Bav 30. Appreciate it is a relatively long day - is this a sensible plan, does anyone have any comments or suggestions...

We've done the crossing many times when we had a twenty seven footer. As noted by others, there are benefits to timing the departure to suit tides as opposed to daylight and if you're planning on Fishguard to Abderdaron, then it's feasible to enter/leave/anchor at either in the dark if needs be, that said, we most often aimed for benefit using the overnight tides to ensure daylight at either end and the option of continuing onward if conditions and energy/enthusiasm levels permitted.
 

graham

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Personally I try to never interfere with the ranges .Our forces need all the training they can get in this volatile world.

I think the MOD could do more to help us though.If they kept an accurate website with exact times and areas of danger it would help.I recently went 4 miles off passing Castlemartin only to find they were not firing despite the website saying they were operational until 1645 that day.
 

Allan

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Personally I try to never interfere with the ranges .Our forces need all the training they can get in this volatile world.

I think the MOD could do more to help us though.If they kept an accurate website with exact times and areas of danger it would help.I recently went 4 miles off passing Castlemartin only to find they were not firing despite the website saying they were operational until 1645 that day.
100% agree Graham. I've only insisted on continuing once. After leaving Plymouth we were asked to change course because we were approaching the firing area of a live firing exercise, which we did. Later that morning, after sticking to the agreed course, we were told we were entering the target area! I told him to speak to the guy who put us where we were! We heard nothing more.
Earlier this week, we passed the west Wales ranges and I said I would record any radio conversation we may have. Fortunately none happened, too early for one and summer holidays for another.
Allan
 

Birdseye

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don't try that at Castlemartin range on the South Pembrokeshire coast. They fire real live shells. To pass it when they are firing the range boat will escort you a long way offshore.
They will stop firing. They have to do so. They have no legal right to make a no go zone and thats the official position as per the Hydrographic Office. So just ignore the range boats.

Personally I oblige them if its convenient and ignore them if it isnt.
 

Never Grumble

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last time I crossed Cardigan the range was active, ie some sort of serial was being undertaken, but I called them up on whatever vhf channel they listen on and exchanged pleasantries and then continued on our way. They do publish when the range is active on their website and I think I registered for updates.
 

Bru

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But like all UK ranges, this isnt a no go zone so you can decide whether to oblige the range boat or just ignore them.

Not quite ...

There is one exception - Shoeburyness range, on the Essex coast, operates on its own unique bylaws and is a prohibition area when the range is active

All other ranges, despite what their range control and safety boats often try to claim, cannot legally deny you free passage across the range
 

dansaskip

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Have done that passage several times in both a 25ft and a 28ft boat and it is perfectible do-able. I never had any interaction from the firing range, but admit to it feeling a bit eerie passing by the floating targets.
 
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