Alderney Race

[NDG]

Forgot to bring the Almanac home with me at the w/e. To save me a 40 mile drive can anyone tell me what the best time to arrive at Alderney Race is when heading south? Seem to recall its at slack water, but not sure when that is relative to HW Dover or Cherbourg.

Thanks for any help.

 

[ChrisE]

According to Totaltide, the S run begins at St. Malo HW+4-HW+5 which is the equivalent of Dover HW to HW+1 For instance today, HW St. Malo is 18:33 GMT, Dover 22:00 GMT and the S run starts around 22:10 if you are close to the Cherbourg peninsula and a bit later if you are nearer Alderney.

 

[LadyInBed]

Aim to arrive at Cap de la Hague at HW Dover - ½ Hr.
Alderney:
Local HW is HW Dover - 4Hr10
Slack Water is at HW Alderney +2 ½ Hrs and LW Alderney +2 ½ Hrs
The tide runs to the NE between LW Alderney +2 ½ and HW Alderney +2 ½ Hrs, and to the SW between HW Alderney +2 ½ and LW Alderney +2 ½ Hrs.

 

[NDG]

Thanks very much

 

[Sailfree]

Please excuse my ignorance but does the term "slack water" only cover the period between the tide going out and coming in ie LW or is it also the opposite ie HW?

 

[jimi]

Both .. its the turn of the tide when the tidal flow temporarily ceases before turning and flowing in the opposite direction

 

[Sailfree]

Thanks, thought so therefore entering Alderney Race at Slack water is a bit of a mis-description as if you are going the wrong way you may get through the race only to be swept back as the tide gets going!!

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: mis-description

In the mid channel section the basic facts are these:
From HW Dover to LW Dover the current flows East to West
From LW Dover to HW Dover the current flows West to East
The tide turns (slack water) around HW Dover and 6 hrs later
HW Springs occur around midday and midnight.
LW Neaps occur around midday and midnight.

For Portland Bill and Cap de la Hague, to go West
Slack Water at the start of the West going set is around HW Dover - ½ hr
To go East it is 6 hrs later.

 

[Sailfree]

Re: mis-description

Thanks for info but in my more inexperienced days I learnt the hard way. Just wanted to emhasis that its not just "slack water" you want but the one that suits your direction. We once delayed leaving Guernsey as wind was forcast to change, left a last moment with wind on the nose, made it through the race but from the Cap La Hague lighthouse could see ourselves going backwards trying to make Cherbourg. What should have been a 5hr trip ended up some 14hr due to combined effect of wind seas and tide.
I would always recommend that whatever the wind forecast add at least 1 force to the wind strength and allow for higher waves when off Cap la Hague! Therefore if wind on the nose in this area seriously reduce your normal passage planning speed against your norm for that forecast!!