mireland
Member
Any advice for a trip from Bristol to Milford late March early April from those of you with experience of the area?
Bristol Channel
- Thread starter mireland
- Start date
Graham_Wright
Well-known member
Turn left at the end of the Avon.
steverow
New member
Would suggest that you break the journey and overnight at Swansea Marina which is aprrox halfway.
Swansea to Milford is a little under 50 miles which should be a comfortable days run. Maybe even enough time to anchor off at Tenby on the way. Bristol to Swansea is easily do-able if you can work the tides OK and do the majority on the ebb.
More info here:
www.swanseamarina.org.uk
Hope this helps.
PM me if you need detailed nav/route info.
Steve
Swansea to Milford is a little under 50 miles which should be a comfortable days run. Maybe even enough time to anchor off at Tenby on the way. Bristol to Swansea is easily do-able if you can work the tides OK and do the majority on the ebb.
More info here:
www.swanseamarina.org.uk
Hope this helps.
PM me if you need detailed nav/route info.
Steve
snowleopard
Active member
BIG tides.
not a lot of shelter- cardiff, watchet, swansea. plan your passages carefully to use the tides and wait for good weather window(s)
not a lot of shelter- cardiff, watchet, swansea. plan your passages carefully to use the tides and wait for good weather window(s)
Jack_the_Lad
New member
[ QUOTE ]
Any advice for a trip from Bristol to Milford late March early April from those of you with experience of the area?
[/ QUOTE ]
Plan to be at Avonmouth at HW then depends on how fast you can sail ? If you can't sail over the next tide we always used to put into Barry ( yacht club very welcoming) and wait approx 5 hrs then hug coast leaving 1 hr before HW; there's a slight back eddy in your favour then.
Cheers - Jack
Any advice for a trip from Bristol to Milford late March early April from those of you with experience of the area?
[/ QUOTE ]
Plan to be at Avonmouth at HW then depends on how fast you can sail ? If you can't sail over the next tide we always used to put into Barry ( yacht club very welcoming) and wait approx 5 hrs then hug coast leaving 1 hr before HW; there's a slight back eddy in your favour then.
Cheers - Jack
Sgeir
Well-known member
Hi Mike - Nice reading your message after admiring your beautiful steel boat in the Bristol marina just after Christmas! Spotted your message as I may be doing the reverse passage this year. I'll find the tips above helpful, so thanks folks.
Good luck with "Parrot" and we'll maybe bump into each other again sometime (hopefully with a fender).
Regards
Donald
Good luck with "Parrot" and we'll maybe bump into each other again sometime (hopefully with a fender).
Regards
Donald
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
The trouble with travelling on the ebb is that you tend to end up chasing the tide the whole way; as you leave the Avon, the tide is already at half ebb further down the Bristol Channel.
When I have made this passage, if I needed to maximise the miles on a tide, I usually bucked the tide a little at each end of the journey. We never got much further than Minehead from Sharpness when we were making passages in these waters. Having said that, the tides are a little weaker as you progress West.
When I have made this passage, if I needed to maximise the miles on a tide, I usually bucked the tide a little at each end of the journey. We never got much further than Minehead from Sharpness when we were making passages in these waters. Having said that, the tides are a little weaker as you progress West.
mireland
Member
Small world online Donald! Thanks to all for the advice, especially 'turn left' as that was the bit I was worrying about!!
Sgeir
Well-known member
We're a pair of sad old gits, online at this time of night. Telly crap down there as well?
Donald
Donald
MarkJohnson12345
New member
Hi,
Never done the Bristol to Cardiff bit, but going with the tide is a must.
I would think you might have to put into Cardiff for the night. Easy access through the lock. Marina at Penarth is good.
Cardiff to Swansea is a great trip, especially if you are brave enough to do the Nash passage, again go with the tide is the only option.
Swansea is the obvious port of call there. Cardiff to Swansea is about 6 to 8 hours depending on weather tides etc.
Swansea to Milford is about a 9 to 10 maybe 11 hour trip. Go with the tide past the Gower if its a spring tide. Watch out for overfalls around St Gowans head. Also, if you do that part of the trip during the week, the artillery range will make you do a large detour (not quite sure how much) off the coast. Weekends are usually OK to keep to the coast
Watch out for Crows Toes if you keep to the coast.
In Milford there are two marinas, both good. One at Milford haven thru a very large lock, restricted opening times. The other is at Neyland, a few extra miles but open at all tides (lower basin). Also there is a messy pontoon at Dale to tie up against over night.
Spring Tides are great to give you speed, but a bugger if you go against them. We usually do the trip on springs to get a speedy trip.
If you get to Swansea come and use our Swansea and Sub Aqua Club for some grub and a pint.
Good luck
Never done the Bristol to Cardiff bit, but going with the tide is a must.
I would think you might have to put into Cardiff for the night. Easy access through the lock. Marina at Penarth is good.
Cardiff to Swansea is a great trip, especially if you are brave enough to do the Nash passage, again go with the tide is the only option.
Swansea is the obvious port of call there. Cardiff to Swansea is about 6 to 8 hours depending on weather tides etc.
Swansea to Milford is about a 9 to 10 maybe 11 hour trip. Go with the tide past the Gower if its a spring tide. Watch out for overfalls around St Gowans head. Also, if you do that part of the trip during the week, the artillery range will make you do a large detour (not quite sure how much) off the coast. Weekends are usually OK to keep to the coast
Watch out for Crows Toes if you keep to the coast.
In Milford there are two marinas, both good. One at Milford haven thru a very large lock, restricted opening times. The other is at Neyland, a few extra miles but open at all tides (lower basin). Also there is a messy pontoon at Dale to tie up against over night.
Spring Tides are great to give you speed, but a bugger if you go against them. We usually do the trip on springs to get a speedy trip.
If you get to Swansea come and use our Swansea and Sub Aqua Club for some grub and a pint.
Good luck
graham
Well-known member
Mostly good advise you have had ,especially bit about turning left at Avonmouth.But many fine passages have ended embarrasingly early on the mud at Avonmouth.
Dont cut the corner Stay over to starboard until you reach the end of the pier that forms the rivermouth .Then dont cut too close in after you "turn left"
The Area offAvonmouth and Portbury Docks can be busy with ships and tugs manouvering ,before leaving the river call Bristol VTS on channel 12 for shipping advise.(Some days you can be lucky and not see a ship all the way down)
The passage down to Flatholm is pretty much a case of join the dots and follow the buoyed channel.
Personally I would try to crack on for Swansea rather than loiter in Cardiff or Barry.If you take first lock out of Bristol and push against the tide for a couple of hours you will do it.
At Swansea either lock in to the marina or if just waiting for the tide anchor/find a mooring off Mumbles .Push on a few hours before HW and next stop is Milford Haven.
A sheltered anchorage is to be had behind Caldey Island if you need to stop between Swansea and Milford.
By the time you get to St Govans the tide will be on the turn.Ideally stay close in shore to avoid strongest foul tide.Study the chart carefully first.Unfortunately the firing range at Castle Martin may ask you to stay 5 miles off shore from St Govans untill Linney head.You can phone and plan around there firing times.Ill find the number and PM it to you.
Dont cut the corner Stay over to starboard until you reach the end of the pier that forms the rivermouth .Then dont cut too close in after you "turn left"
The Area offAvonmouth and Portbury Docks can be busy with ships and tugs manouvering ,before leaving the river call Bristol VTS on channel 12 for shipping advise.(Some days you can be lucky and not see a ship all the way down)
The passage down to Flatholm is pretty much a case of join the dots and follow the buoyed channel.
Personally I would try to crack on for Swansea rather than loiter in Cardiff or Barry.If you take first lock out of Bristol and push against the tide for a couple of hours you will do it.
At Swansea either lock in to the marina or if just waiting for the tide anchor/find a mooring off Mumbles .Push on a few hours before HW and next stop is Milford Haven.
A sheltered anchorage is to be had behind Caldey Island if you need to stop between Swansea and Milford.
By the time you get to St Govans the tide will be on the turn.Ideally stay close in shore to avoid strongest foul tide.Study the chart carefully first.Unfortunately the firing range at Castle Martin may ask you to stay 5 miles off shore from St Govans untill Linney head.You can phone and plan around there firing times.Ill find the number and PM it to you.
graham
Well-known member
One point,Have you booked a berth anywhere yet?Milford and Neyland are both pretty full in the summer months.
Short term berths at Neyland are expensive .Milford better price but also well booked up.
Moorings are available at Rudders boatyard and other places.
Short term berths at Neyland are expensive .Milford better price but also well booked up.
Moorings are available at Rudders boatyard and other places.
Birdseye
Well-known member
If you do decide to overnight in Cardiff, there are cheap pontoon berths available for visitors at Cardiff Yacht Club and Cardiff Bay Yacht Club - much pleasanter than the marina, or there is a free pilot boat buoy in Barry Harbour. Ask them nicely and you can usually use it - though there is one uncooperativepilot boat man who always discovers they will need it themselves in the middle of the night (even when its low tide in the middle of the night!)
Personally I try to avoid Swansea marina - the way the barrage is run is a bad joke with fishing boats being allowed in before those who have been waiting ages. You have to fight your way into the queue rather like the sales - though it wont be as bad at that time of year.
Ignore the firing range. They have no ability to force you to divert, and you are their employer. Sail through, they will stop playing for a while.
An alternative route would be anchoring off Lundy
Personally I try to avoid Swansea marina - the way the barrage is run is a bad joke with fishing boats being allowed in before those who have been waiting ages. You have to fight your way into the queue rather like the sales - though it wont be as bad at that time of year.
Ignore the firing range. They have no ability to force you to divert, and you are their employer. Sail through, they will stop playing for a while.
An alternative route would be anchoring off Lundy
MarkJohnson12345
New member
The lock into the River Tawe at Swansea is very congested between 4pm and 7pm on a sunny Saturday and Sunday during the summer. Rest of the year is just fine.
It makes sense to have the largish steel fishing boats going in first, as I would prefer to tie up to them rather than having one of them tie up to me.
The lock is run well considering that they only built one lock ten years ago. I think in hindsite they might have built two o three as Cardiff did.
Don't let it out you off coming to Swansea marina.
You won't have a problem in March. The lock in from river to marina is on the half hour, and lock out from marina to river in on the hour, though if its quite they will lock in and out on demand.
Re the firing range, I have heard of boats who have insisted on sailing through the firing range. have not heard of any that have sailed out of it though (joke...) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Forget Lundy in all but quite weather, especially with any wind with North or East in it, which you may well get in March
Regards /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
It makes sense to have the largish steel fishing boats going in first, as I would prefer to tie up to them rather than having one of them tie up to me.
The lock is run well considering that they only built one lock ten years ago. I think in hindsite they might have built two o three as Cardiff did.
Don't let it out you off coming to Swansea marina.
You won't have a problem in March. The lock in from river to marina is on the half hour, and lock out from marina to river in on the hour, though if its quite they will lock in and out on demand.
Re the firing range, I have heard of boats who have insisted on sailing through the firing range. have not heard of any that have sailed out of it though (joke...) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Forget Lundy in all but quite weather, especially with any wind with North or East in it, which you may well get in March
Regards /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
graham
Well-known member
Birdseye agree with your input about Cardiff /Barry but not about ignoring the firing range.
I believe you are correct in that they cannot legally insist you go around.I once heard a VHF conversation in which the range officer asked a pleasure boat to go around as it would stop 300 troops from training that day and ultimately cost the taxpayer thousands as it would need to be rescheduled.
In the past I have gone through before 9 am and after 5 when there was nothing happening but have reluctantly gone round when asked to do so.
I believe you are correct in that they cannot legally insist you go around.I once heard a VHF conversation in which the range officer asked a pleasure boat to go around as it would stop 300 troops from training that day and ultimately cost the taxpayer thousands as it would need to be rescheduled.
In the past I have gone through before 9 am and after 5 when there was nothing happening but have reluctantly gone round when asked to do so.
firstascent2002
New member
Plan really depends on Boat.
In my 22 footer, first stop was barry on the bottom of the tide.
You can get in at any state of the tide and pick up a pilot bouy.
Going ashore to the yacht club is tricky at low water due to the mud off the end of the slip.
Leave an hour or so before high water and sail round to anchor in your draft + 6 feet of water say at oxwich or porthinon bay ( on the
back of the gower).
For god's sake take nash sands seriously. If you decide to head to swansea then you can run inside, if heading to oxwich then stay sea side.
Wait for the tide again and then decide wether you want to push all the way to milford or to stop of caldy island or temby.
Its a great sail.
A bigger faster boat will be able to push all the way to oxwich in one tide
if you lock out of bristol on the first lock and then round to milford. Especially if your going on springs. Why don't you drop into portshead at a convenient time the night before your due to head off. One night marina fee and you'll save your self a valuable hour ot the other end of the tide!!
In my 22 footer, first stop was barry on the bottom of the tide.
You can get in at any state of the tide and pick up a pilot bouy.
Going ashore to the yacht club is tricky at low water due to the mud off the end of the slip.
Leave an hour or so before high water and sail round to anchor in your draft + 6 feet of water say at oxwich or porthinon bay ( on the
back of the gower).
For god's sake take nash sands seriously. If you decide to head to swansea then you can run inside, if heading to oxwich then stay sea side.
Wait for the tide again and then decide wether you want to push all the way to milford or to stop of caldy island or temby.
Its a great sail.
A bigger faster boat will be able to push all the way to oxwich in one tide
if you lock out of bristol on the first lock and then round to milford. Especially if your going on springs. Why don't you drop into portshead at a convenient time the night before your due to head off. One night marina fee and you'll save your self a valuable hour ot the other end of the tide!!