Biscay in late September - Frist Time

[Tim Good]

So my boat is in Plymouth at the moment and intend to get back aboard around September 25th and head for Portugal.

As for Biscay, I've never done it before but curious of the options. I assume most go for Brest and then cross to Coruna? But I've heard some say it is best to head to the Scilly Isles, head west and then South. Longer but more forgiving seas.

Also what of 3 or 4 shorter hops, taking in some interesting coastal towns in France and Northern Spain?

We'll have 3 on board hopefully. All Biscay Virgins.

 

[jdc]

Last time we left Falmouth on halloween, and went direct for La Coruña. It's only 450 miles so 72 hrs or thereabouts. I had Brest as a fall-back, but honestly these days the forecasts are so good that for 72 hrs you can pretty much trust them so there's little advantage imho of going via the Chenal du Four. We went outside Ushant.

Late in the season the thing which was unexpected (shouldn' have been but I'd not really thought about it enough) was the dark! It got pitchy at 5pm which was wearing. But it's not cold and so one just carries on. We were 2 aboard, so with 3 it'll be luxury (where's the Yorkshire accent emoji?)

La Coruña is a really nice place: big enough to be lively yet small enough to be welcoming at the same time. One of the top 10 great places in the world.

http://blog.mailasail.com/awelina/107

 

[capnsensible]

Absolutely agree about La Coruna. One of my favorite places.

 

[TQA]

When you see the Tower of Hercules on the headland above La Coruna spare a thought for the sailors who have been making the same landfall with the same landmark for 1800 years.

 

[temptress]

So my boat is in Plymouth at the moment and intend to get back aboard around September 25th and head for Portugal.

As for Biscay, I've never done it before but curious of the options. I assume most go for Brest and then cross to Coruna? But I've heard some say it is best to head to the Scilly Isles, head west and then South. Longer but more forgiving seas.

Also what of 3 or 4 shorter hops, taking in some interesting coastal towns in France and Northern Spain?

We'll have 3 on board hopefully. All Biscay Virgins.

There are still long passages going around the inside. In September you need to pick weather window and go. Coruna to Finnistaire can be a bugger in itself. If the plan is to get to the Algarve or further go from Plymouth directly to Bayona...

 

[RobbieW]

There are still long passages going around the inside. In September you need to pick weather window and go. Coruna to Finnistaire can be a bugger in itself. If the plan is to get to the Algarve or further go from Plymouth directly to Bayona...

Indeed, last time I did that trip we went Falmouth to Cascais with the benefit of a NEly to blow us past Finisterre, 5 days iirc in early October. Stayed outside the traffic till well down the Portuguese coast

 

[PlanB]

Check your insurance cover. Some insurers may require you to be clear of Biscay by 30 September, and have views on crew.

 

[[3889]]

Check your insurance cover. Some insurers may require you to be clear of Biscay by 30 September, and have views on crew.

15th September is the cut off south of La Rochelle for me with Y though I'm sure this could be amended if required.
Just returned from Bilbao along the Spanish/ French coasts. It is possible to day sail but unless there are places you particularly want to visit I'd go straight across. The north coast of Spain is a long slog into the weather.

 

[KellysEye]

Keep a close eye on the barometer we had a gale that was not forecasted winds 35 knots gusting 50. One boat ran off using drogues a cat hove to using both engines and sadly a local fishing boat was lost with all hands. We kept sailing because we had a heavy displacement long keel with a cut away forefoot steel ketch. If crossing direct to Spain stay outside the 1,000 fathom line the seas and swells are much worse inside that line.

 

[Tim Good]

Indeed, last time I did that trip we went Falmouth to Cascais with the benefit of a NEly to blow us past Finisterre, 5 days iirc in early October. Stayed outside the traffic till well down the Portuguese coast

When you say "well outside" do you mean further out beyond the continental shelf also for better seas or just outside of any shipping?

 

[duncan99210]

We did Falmouth to Coruna in a single hop. Headed south west until we got to about 8 degrees west and then turned south. Took us 5 1/2 days but we had no wind at all for the middle three days. We waited in Falmouth for a couple of weeks waiting for a good weather window and eventually went with the one we had, despite knowing we'd have to motor for much of the time. Our insurance company insisted on 3 on board, we actually had four so an easy trip all round.

 

[RobbieW]

When you say "well outside" do you mean further out beyond the continental shelf also for better seas or just outside of any shipping?

We stayed 5 - 10 miles outside the line joining the Ushant TSS to the Finisterre TSS. Thats more or less a direct line from the Lizard to the angle in the TSS off Finisterre. Its keeps you in deep water and out of the way of most of the traffic. I think we turned in around Nazare/Peniche which has the advantage of keeping you out of the pots that infest the Portuguese coast (Ive just come north up it) and mostly outside any fog that also can plague that coast. Also remember that most of the ports along the north Portuguese coast can be closed by swell coming in from the Atlantic at any time but the later you get the more likely that is to happen.

It sort of depends why you're doing the trip - on that one the boat was going to Gran Canaria for the ARC so no reason to hang about in northern Spain or Portugal.

 

[Tim Good]

We stayed 5 - 10 miles outside the line joining the Ushant TSS to the Finisterre TSS. Thats more or less a direct line from the Lizard to the angle in the TSS off Finisterre. Its keeps you in deep water and out of the way of most of the traffic. I think we turned in around Nazare/Peniche which has the advantage of keeping you out of the pots that infest the Portuguese coast (Ive just come north up it) and mostly outside any fog that also can plague that coast. Also remember that most of the ports along the north Portuguese coast can be closed by swell coming in from the Atlantic at any time but the later you get the more likely that is to happen.

It sort of depends why you're doing the trip - on that one the boat was going to Gran Canaria for the ARC so no reason to hang about in northern Spain or Portugal.

So we are heading down to the Canaries and Cape Verde for a crossing around January. However, I need to get the boat to Portugal and then leave it for 2 weeks whilst I travel back to the UK for work. Then we can head South from Portugal.

So basically getting as far south as possible in Portgual would be the ideal situation. I then also need to find a reasonable place for leave the boat and fly back. Have any suggestions?

 

[GHA]

So we are heading down to the Canaries and Cape Verde for a crossing around January. However, I need to get the boat to Portugal and then leave it for 2 weeks whilst I travel back to the UK for work. Then we can head South from Portugal.

So basically getting as far south as possible in Portgual would be the ideal situation. I then also need to find a reasonable place for leave the boat and fly back. Have any suggestions?

Getting round St Vincent would be what to aim for IMHO.

Everything changes then you could go down to Canaries whenever there's a decent forecast.

1st October is the cut off for winter prices, Lagos & Portimo are the first 2 round the corner, Portimao little bit cheaper plus you can anchor until you're ready to put the boat into the marina. Train station to get to Faro for the plane in both Lagos & Portimao, both have (rather pricey but pretty good) chandleries. And of course good markets.
https://www.marinadeportimao.com.pt/en/tabela-de-precos/tarifas.html

Be a shame to miss the Rias as they're lovely, but then everywhere is lovely & if the north wind is blowing nice after Biscy it would be tempting to eat up the miles and get round St Vincent. If you do carry on Camarinas is a nice spot in the Rias not far off the track south with diesel and supermarkets to spend a morning or a few days.

 

[Tim Good]

Thanks... If the wind is less favorable then what is it like around Porto and the river? Maybe a nice place to explore for a few days before flying back perhaps.

 

[RobbieW]

...So basically getting as far south as possible in Portgual would be the ideal situation. I then also need to find a reasonable place for leave the boat and fly back. Have any suggestions?

Somewhere near Faro for the flights then, I'm sure others can advise on places for unattended layover in that area. Alternatively Lisbon, see if Marina Parques das Nacoes can give you a quote - its about 10 mins by cab from the airport or a metro ride plus a short walk.

 

[RobbieW]

Thanks... If the wind is less favorable then what is it like around Porto and the river? Maybe a nice place to explore for a few days before flying back perhaps.

Leixoes is cheap and popular but at the end of Sept it shouldnt be a problem to get in. However even that can be closed in particularily vile weather and apparently the marina isnt too comfortable then either

 

[GHA]

Thanks... If the wind is less favorable then what is it like around Porto and the river? Maybe a nice place to explore for a few days before flying back perhaps.

Not sure further up, I'm a bit wary of the Atlantic coast later in the season , early storm could shut some ports for days.

Pilot charts look OK for Sept , slightly less so for Oct., downloadable here for opencpn if you don't have them already.
https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/pilotcharts.html

Sept

Oct

 

[alant]

Leixoes is cheap and popular but at the end of Sept it shouldnt be a problem to get in. However even that can be closed in particularily vile weather and apparently the marina isnt too comfortable then either

Leixoes was a shitehole when I last visited ( garbage & dead rats don't do it for me), so on last trip bypassed & went into Oporto - Marina Afurada, much nicer & local bus service to get into town if needed.

 

[Tim Good]

Leixoes is cheap and popular but at the end of Sept it shouldnt be a problem to get in. However even that can be closed in particularily vile weather and apparently the marina isn't too comfortable then either

So generally speaking... if bad weather is due then the best thing is to stay well out to sea on the Portuguese coast? I've never been South of Lands End so I suppose I'm unfamiliar with Atlantic rollers.