ferroboat
Well-Known Member
Is it feasible to coast hop from Brest to La Coruna ? I am thinking of mid April.
Thanks in anticipation.
Thanks in anticipation.
Brest to La coruna coast hopping ?
- Thread starter ferroboat
- Start date
maxi77
Well-Known Member
A lotdepends on just how long you want to sail for. Our dog could manage 24 hours so we crossed the corner from Arcachon to Santander, but you can go right down into the corner from Arcahon and then along the top. I would not recomend the Arcachon entrance in the dark or outside the recmended tidal period
PlanB
Well-Known Member
We followed advice not to try to book a place at Arcachon, but just to arrive and we were glad we did, as finding space was a nightmare (admittedly in August).
Cap Breton was a great stop, but take the advice on not attempting to enter if there is white water at the entrance very seriously. And also the recommended approach times.
Cap Breton was a great stop, but take the advice on not attempting to enter if there is white water at the entrance very seriously. And also the recommended approach times.
All_at_Sea
Well-Known Member
No problem
We did just this in 2009 and we can highly recommend doing it. Lots of interesting harbours and take your time, well worth the effort as you will end up in the bottom corner (anglet, good stop) and then have to sail into the prevailing swell for 300 miles!
But lots of harbours and anchorages to dive into and plenty of lovely food.
We did just this in 2009 and we can highly recommend doing it. Lots of interesting harbours and take your time, well worth the effort as you will end up in the bottom corner (anglet, good stop) and then have to sail into the prevailing swell for 300 miles!
But lots of harbours and anchorages to dive into and plenty of lovely food.
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
Definately you can port hop along Spanish biscay coast in so much as there are ports nicely spaced,depends on the weather and swell but its a good time to visit prior to the holiday season.
AndrewB
Well-Known Member
Depends how much time you have got. It takes 3 days to cross from Brest to Coruna - but allow at least six weeks if you coast hop. You'll be headbashing the winds right the way along the north coast of Spain! Set against that, there are many great places to visit.
Don't let anyone tell you that April is too early for a crossing. It's just a matter of waiting in Camaret for a three-day weather window.
Don't let anyone tell you that April is too early for a crossing. It's just a matter of waiting in Camaret for a three-day weather window.
jordanbasset
Well-Known Member
We did this journey 3 years ago at the time you are suggesting (except from Camaret) Really enjoyed the French coast. From 'île d'Yeu we did the jump to Santander. Unlike others were not so keen on the North Spanish coast, weather took a turn for the worse and don't think we saw sun again until we got around the corner into the Rias. Even then there was a lot of rain. Am sure we were just unlucky. This coupled with the swell made it not our best experience.
Would stress we found the coast a wonderful cruising ground from Camaret to 'île d'Yeu.
Would stress we found the coast a wonderful cruising ground from Camaret to 'île d'Yeu.
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
The NW corner of Spain,Galicia is refered to as "green Spain" as normally it is wet ,but of recent years we have been suffering long periods of drought,even so in general the rain we get is wetting but not distructive as in the south of Spain or along the med coast.
Sandyman
Well-Known Member
''Brest to La coruna coast hopping ?
Is it feasible to coast hop from Brest to La Coruna ? ''
Indeed it is. We have just completed our cruise from L'Aberw'rch to Coruna visiting 26 ports of call along the way. Absolutely brilliant. Had read that folk miss so much by going straight across.........how right they are.
Took us 3 1/2 months at a leisurely pace and could easily have done with another month or two. Once you're through the Raz de Seine its plain easy sailing. Couple of long day sails between some ports, but that was usually our choice.
Royan to Hondaribba was our longest passage and we didn't see a single other vessel along the way. Just miles & miles & miles of sand.
Go for it, you won't be disappointing.
Is it feasible to coast hop from Brest to La Coruna ? ''
Indeed it is. We have just completed our cruise from L'Aberw'rch to Coruna visiting 26 ports of call along the way. Absolutely brilliant. Had read that folk miss so much by going straight across.........how right they are.
Took us 3 1/2 months at a leisurely pace and could easily have done with another month or two. Once you're through the Raz de Seine its plain easy sailing. Couple of long day sails between some ports, but that was usually our choice.
Royan to Hondaribba was our longest passage and we didn't see a single other vessel along the way. Just miles & miles & miles of sand.
Go for it, you won't be disappointing.
SeamanStaines
Well-Known Member
We did this a few years ago (after doing Brest - La Coruna direct a couple of times). Well recommend it if you have time, we really enjoyed it. We did do a single overnight passage from Sable d'olone to Santander.
Plomong
Well-Known Member
In this thread: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253491 I gave a list of ports from Brest round to A Coruña. Maybe you could peruse that thread, and also one started by Nostradamus: http://www.ybw.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-268730.html
There is also good information on Jim Baerselman's web site. Worth having a look.
Plomong
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
So best doing that route on the way back?
AndrewB
Well-Known Member
That would be my choice. As SeamanStaines says, cut the corner a bit, maybe from Castro Urdiles to Ile d'Oleron, or more if you are short of time. It's many years since I did it though (last in 1997).
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temptress
Well-Known Member
Typically then you will be going upwind along the French coast from La-Rochelle back to Camaret. That's the challenge with Biscay.
If you have time you can always wait for the weather....
To the OP - In April I would be tempted to go Cameret/brest to La Coruna direct. In the summer the coast hop in interesting but do not underestimate the sailing involved.
Sandyman
Well-Known Member
In the summer the coast hop in interesting but do not underestimate the sailing involved.
Could you explain your experiences then ? As I said we have just done the coast hop and found the sailing was a doddle.
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
Very much so. Read the broad brush write up at http://jimbsail.info/tidal-europe/biscay . Note that one hop should plan to be 150nm - from The Gironde to Basque country or North Spain, since the only French harbour in that stretch (Arcachon) cannot be entered if there's any onshore swell - quite likely at that time of year, and it's also a PITA avoiding the offshore firing ranges. Once south of the Loire, in April and May a nasty depression is likely to force you to wait in a safe harbour a couple of times. Forecasts are pretty good though, giving good notice of big winds. Or weather windows, for that matter.
Detail for the French coast north of Gironde, and N Spain coast can be reached through the right hand menus on the site. Both are great cruising areas in my opinion, and more interesting because they are so very different from each other.
Many dismiss N Spain, because wet weather is quite common in early season, and some places are not accessible when there's a swell running. But that does make it one of the great unspoilt cruising regions of Atlantic Europe; geared more to fishing boats than leisure craft. If you've got a spirit of adventure, you'll love it. It's also great fun in peak summer, when local festivals of all sorts entertain Spanish holidaymakers.
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Tomahawk
Well-Known Member
We are planning on the same..
The is a gunnery range around Archachon... Does anyone have knowledge of it and how often it is active...
Would be typical if they are always firing when the wind is good for a hop down to the next port so making it impossible!!
The is a gunnery range around Archachon... Does anyone have knowledge of it and how often it is active...
Would be typical if they are always firing when the wind is good for a hop down to the next port so making it impossible!!
Plomong
Well-Known Member
Look up in these fora (using Google) a recent post where CEL (Centre d'Etudes des Landes) or Landes firing range was mentioned by several posters, along with recommendations on how to contact, etc.
Found it:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330110
Then this thread:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225389
And search for other posts using "landas", or CEL, or "Landes", or "range Biscay", etc and you will find a wealth of threads.
Then to find the latest AVURNAV relating to operations there (it will be in French, and in military speak for brevity) search DGA, the French Direction General d'Armament. Those Avis Urgent Nav cover a period from start date to end date of operations. Within that period Saturday and Sunday are not normally used. It would be extremely rare to have weekend operations, but they have occurred, but very very very very rarely.
HTH
Plomong
maxi77
Well-Known Member
It is mainly an aircraft range and as well as various airlaunched weapons they also fire high power lasers. As well as trials it is also used for training and there is actually a Singapore Airforce training squadron based there.
Getting info is quite easy and I am told there are people n the phone who speak English. It is normally shut during August and at weekends
Tomahawk
Well-Known Member
many thanks
Much appreciated,,
I have bookmarked the Atlantic Prefecture website which included the notices... in French of course without an English translation
Much appreciated,,
I have bookmarked the Atlantic Prefecture website which included the notices... in French of course without an English translation
