Azores and back, Best time for a round trip ?

[tinker13]

Hello,

Early stages of planning a solo return trip to the Azores and wondering what the general thinking was out there regarding 'a good time to go'. Thinking about late May/early June, taking into account a return trip a few weeks later, any suggestions or personal experiences welcomed. I'm aware of the AZAB, 1st of June start I think, but it's not my thing. Keen to know what people think. Also any good resources of information for planning purposes. Thank you in advance.

Oh, I sail a well prepared Rustler 31 (single handed) and have explored a lot of the Irish Sea, the West Coast of Scotland and the West Country over the last few year. The boats up to it, having already competed in the AZAB, just not with me at the helm. I'm now based in Chichester Harbour.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

I would go in either June or July. It's a fabulous place to spend the summer...

Pete

 

[Daydream believer]

I would go in either June or July. It's a fabulous place to spend the summer...

Pete

& return when?

 

[wizard]

The last time I did it I left on May 28. I was intent on there and back but ended up doing all the Azores islands then Madeira, Lisbon etc. You tend to relax the more you do and go where the wind takes you. All supposing you have the time to do it.

 

[GHA]

Also any good resources of information for planning purposes.

Some handy wind averages from sat data >

http://cioss.coas.oregonstate.edu/cogow/0101/66_one_x_one.html

 

[GraemeS]

tinker13 have you considered joining in with the Jester Challenge 2020 which is to the Azores. https://jesterchallenge.wordpress.com/jester/. 2019 is to Baltimore Ireland.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

tinker13 have you considered joining in with the Jester Challenge 2021 which is to the Azores. https://jesterchallenge.wordpress.com/jester/. 2020 is to Baltimore Ireland.

I know a Rustler sailor that I'm trying to convince in to doing the Jester next year ... It would be a lovely sail from Baltimore to the Azores..

But if it was me I think I wouldn't want the distraction of a stop and would rather get out in to the blue and get in to the routine of sailing.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

& return when?

Best to be back before the end of September...

Pete

 

[tinker13]

I know a Rustler sailor that I'm trying to convince in to doing the Jester next year ... It would be a lovely sail from Baltimore to the Azores.

There's a coincidence... I'm concidering it and southern Ireland as a departure because of what I've read on YBW posts already. Further west before heading south and further out from the continental shelf. It does makes sense to me if I'm honest.

I just worry that I might get stuck in the pub in Baltimore and never get going again

 

[tinker13]

Thank you, thats great, and pictures speak a thousand words as they say !

 

[tinker13]

Thanks Pete, this is the conclusion I've been coming to,
Leave June but get back before late September. Always good to hear from those who've done it.

I also hear they're very beautiful and worth taking the time to explore. I suspect my wife will come out and join me too.

 

[tinker13]

This has not been ruled to, although I do like the idea of jumping off from Baltimore too, it's also a lovely place having visited in the past, all be it by road.

 

[LadyInBed]

What route are you thinking of taking?

 

[tinker13]

As it stands I’m planning on departing from Falmouth. Route will largely depending on conditions ... closest to the rhumb line ideally but expecting that I’ll do what the wind lets me do. I’m keen to keep out of Biscay though. I know many say head south then west. I’m not decided yet. This is why I’m asking what others have done or recommend.

 

[Daydream believer]

Best to be back before the end of September...

Pete

Thanks

 

[AndrewB]

Squeezed between the winter/spring storms in the western Atlantic and the autumn hurricane season, a late spring/early summer voyage has to be favoured. Ideally leave UK mid May and aim to be back in Europe by mid August. I left leaving the Azores until late August and got winged by the remains of a tropical storm.

Passages both ways are likely to be affected by head-winds on the direct route, and there is something to be said for going, and even more for returning, via NW Spain. Not sure why Tinker13 specially wants to avoid Biscay which is not problematic if you keep well out.

An obvious planning resource is Jimmy Cornell's "World Cruising Routes".

 

[Daydream believer]

Some handy wind averages from sat data >

http://cioss.coas.oregonstate.edu/cogow/0101/66_one_x_one.html

OK Humour me. I should know this but I want to be sure & i expect there are others that do not know the answer ( i hope that i am not the only one so let then answer the question BEFORE they read the answer) - Thanks for the link by the way:encouragement:
On opening your link then clicking a date a wind a grid chart opens up for that time of the year
One then clicks a point with the mouse that you want to know the typical wind pattern
This opens up a wind polar to the right of the screen
This shows the average wind speed along with the direction for that position for the time of the year
Hope I have it right so far
So my question is
Here it comes !!


Is the wind blowing towards the centre of the polar or away from the centre of the polar





No cheating answer the question first

 

[Yellow Ballad]

Is the wind blowing towards the centre of the polar or away from the centre of the polar

No cheating answer the question first

Towards the center, IE if the bar is in the SW then the wind is blowing from the SW, if I understand correctly but I may not.

 

[GHA]

Towards the center, IE if the bar is in the SW then the wind is blowing from the SW, if I understand correctly but I may not.

Seems so, click the map and you get an option for tabular data.

The more familiar pilot charts are also easy to get for openpcm plus a very handy climatology plugin to view the pilot charts plus cyclone history

https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/pilotcharts.html
https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/plugins/climatology.html