Brittany to Gib Inshore Route Recommendations?

jerrytug

jerrytug

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Hi folks would be grateful for a few tips,I am crewing on a Sigma41,it is going to Oz,we are in LAberwrach in Brittanny,and skip wants to go inshore route down W side of France and along the top of Spain, yes its late in the season etc,aiming for Gib then Canaries,then Carib,Canal,what would be good stop offs,bearing in mind only two of us,but no probs with tricky pilotage etc,down the inshore route around the bay,sounds like a nightmare to me white dog **** on a swelly lee shore,mucho appreciado X Jerry
 
You could port-hop all the way down to Royan:
Brest / Camaret sur Mer
Audierne
Benodet / Concarneau
Lorient
Port Haliguen
Crouesty
Belle Ile (Le Palais)
La Baule / Pornichet
Pornic / Herbaudiere
Ile de Yeu (Port Joinville)
St Gilles Croix de Vie
Les Sables d'Olonne
La Rochelle
Royan

From Royan to an Iberian port is then a 2-day trip where you would need to pick your window very carefully at this time of year. There are many suitable windows each year -- right now we are having 4 days of very settled weather that would be quite suitable for making the crossing. Landfall could be:
Hendaye (France) or Fuenterribia
Getaria
Zumaia
Ondarroa
Bermeo
Bilbao (2 marinas: Getxo Kaia to port and Real Club straight ahead as you enter the inner harbour)

All those landfall ports can be entered in any weather, except Zumaia and Hendaye/Fuenterrabia, where entry is not advisable in heavy weather.

Along the north Spanish coast going westwards from Bilbao:
Laredo (new marina at town, east, end of beach)
Santander
Ribadesella (only enter in good conditions)
Gijon (town end, not marina in commercial port, which is far from town center)
Cudillero
Luarca
Tapia
Ribadeo
Viveiro
A Coruña

and on down the Galician Portuguese coasts to Gibraltar.

For more complete information, get BLOC Marine for French atlantic coast, and South Biscay Pilot.

HTH

Plomong
 
A lot depends on just how long a passage you really want to make. We did much as suggested above but went from the mouth of the Gironde to Arcachon, which is OK but go through the entrance on the high tide and follow the bouy, and only do it in daylight.

We then settled for 24hr overnight passages and did Arcahon - Santander, Santander- Gijon, Gijon - La Corruna, La Corruna - Viana do Castello, Viana do Castello - Nazare, Nazare - Sines, Sines - Lagos. I would miss out Lagos and go to Albufeira, late night carrousing in the bars in Lagos seems to be the done thing and is accompanied by loud music. There are late night bars in Albufeira but they are not noisy and do not disturb your sleep. The marina is also very sheltered.

Just a reminder to watch out for military range of the coast south of the Gironde. There are various sources of info on what parts of the range are active any day. BLOC Marine gives all the contacts. We skirted round the active area and had no bother.
 
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At this time of year I'm with Plomong, a very thorough list there, with all the right caveats!

I'd miss Arcachon, mainly because if you overnight there you extend the weather window needed to get from La Rochelle/Royon or wherever to suitable port of refuge in Spain. Unless you don't mind being stuck in Arcachon while the next depression/set of swells roll through.
 
I'd also miss Arcachon unless anchoring outside the marina. The marina is full to bursting, the visitors pontoon is full of local boats and it's difficult to find anyone to raft up to. It's also quite expensive as they charge a two night rate, with the second night "free".
 
PlanB said:
I'd also miss Arcachon unless anchoring outside the marina. The marina is full to bursting, the visitors pontoon is full of local boats and it's difficult to find anyone to raft up to. It's also quite expensive as they charge a two night rate, with the second night "free".
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Whilst I agree there is a substantial waiting list there are visitors berths and I was offered a selection, in the end opting for the Acceil pontoon for convenience, a bit bumpy because of the in/out traffic but no worse than many. The second night is free, try staying beyond the two nights.

As for the weather window, it is 20/24 hours to Santander or Bilbao, but 48 from the Gironde. You can also simply head south along the French coast and get to the few ports at the border in even less time.
 
La Rochelle - Gijon

I too would be happy to go with Plomong's routing as far as La Rochelle. From there to reach Royan, you're deviating from your track and IMO, the French harbours further south are only safe/comfortable to enter/leave in the sort of weather which you might as well be out sailing in - if it's blowing F5/6, I'd rather be out in the open seas of Biscay than trying to enter Arcachon, St Jean or Hendaye! Meteo France weather forecasts are as good as we've come across, so wait for a favourable one and sail La Rochelle to Gijon. it's about 240 miles, which on a Sigma 41 should be an easy 48 hours and if things do pick up, you can bear away to Santander or Bilbao, alternatively, if it stays light, then swing west to Ribadeo or even La Coruna.
 
I agree with the previous post, LaRochelle to Gijon is only 40 hrs at 6 kts and from there you can day hop or, do longer passages if you want. It's late in the season so do keep an eye on met forecasts, the west coast of Portugal can be quite nasty with ports often closed due to Atlantic Swell.
 
BobnLesley said:
I too would be happy to go with Plomong's routing as far as La Rochelle. From there to reach Royan, you're deviating from your track and IMO, the French harbours further south are only safe/comfortable to enter/leave in the sort of weather which you might as well be out sailing in - if it's blowing F5/6, I'd rather be out in the open seas of Biscay than trying to enter Arcachon, St Jean or Hendaye! Meteo France weather forecasts are as good as we've come across, so wait for a favourable one and sail La Rochelle to Gijon. it's about 240 miles, which on a Sigma 41 should be an easy 48 hours and if things do pick up, you can bear away to Santander or Bilbao, alternatively, if it stays light, then swing west to Ribadeo or even La Coruna.
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On that basis he would be as well heading west from L'aberwrach andn going straight to La Coruna. On the other hand the reason people coast hop is that they do not for various reasons want the longer passages. I agree that by following the |Froggy coast you are going east when you should be going west, and you are doing that from Ushant.

We limited ourselves to 24 hours because our dog had problems peeing on board and 24 hours was the upper limit.

Yes we were held up by weather for a day in Arcahon, but I have been in far worse plkaces to be held up.
 
I would caution that going along the North Spanish cost from East to West could be hard going against the prevailing winds particularly late in the season.
Nearly all the French atlantic ports are roughly the same distance from La Coruna. So...have nice time hopping down the French coast and, when the 3-day weather appears, head for La Coruna or on to Bayona
 
Do forgive me if I've missed something, but surely you'd be far better off just crossing the bay to Coruna than piddling about port hopping around that coast. Especially at this time of year. The Bay crossing as 'lenseman' points out would certainly be one hell of a lot shorter....one hell of a lot safer too in my opinion.

Remember....the Bay of Biscay got it's reputation from ships being embayed and caught on the very shores you are going to be sailing off.
 
I have done this trip (in both directions) at this most times of year. IMO if going NOW I would AVOID going around the inside!!! :eek: TRY:

Start Falmouth/Camaret/Benodet/Concarneau
AND GO STRAIGHT to
A Coruña or Vigo

In a SIGMA 41 it should take about 3 or 4 days to get across Biscay. If I was doing this as a delivery I wouldd go on the back of a depression - just as it passes but before it settles down and sail just inside the 'iorn road' of ships making the same passage. You will see them on the horizon at night. Then you should in Spain before the next depression arrives or at least left with only a short way to go.

Going round the inside is Ok if you want to VISIT all the places but the sailing will be hard from La Rochelle to Vigo. Most likely the passage WILL be on the nose in short steep seas, against the current most of the time and you have some distance to cover. The winds bends in the bottom of the BAY and the Spanish Rias are a long way from La Rochelle. The Spanish/French border area is relatively short on all Weather ports.

IF you are heading to OZ with a delivery crew just batten down the hatches and push across the bay - it's will not be as bad as you think.:D
 
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temptress said:
In a SIGMA 41 it should take about 3 or 4 days to get across Biscay.
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Just enough time for one of those sudden depressions to appear from nowhere and paste you good just as you arrive at Galicia, and leave it to Salvamento Maritimo to sort out the mess.

Most likely the passage WILL be on the nose in short steep seas,
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At this time of year, and through to the end of November and even later, down here on the south coast of the Bay of Biscay we get about 40-50% of the time winds from the SW, S, SE. For example, we have just had a 4-day period of such winds, and another is forecast for Thursday through to Sunday. They bring us warmish weather (max 16 to 20 during the day), but cold at night.

Plomong
 
At this time of year, and through to the end of November and even later, down here on the south coast of the Bay of Biscay we get about 40-50% of the time winds from the SW, S, SE. For example, we have just had a 4-day period of such winds, and another is forecast for Thursday through to Sunday. They bring us warmish weather (max 16 to 20 during the day), but cold at night.
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And for a change, today we have 6 m waves (8 m forecast for tomorrow), and all the wind and rain you could ask for, and some !!!!

Plomong
 
I have just published a book about the route from the UK to Gibraltar which will be available from next weekend

http://www.michaelbriant.com/gentle_route_to_med.htm

It details the route from Cherbourg to Gibraltar and gives lots of information about ports and equipment.

Having crossed Biscay direct to Bayona and Coruna a dozen or so times and made the passages from the Solent to Coruna via the coast hopping route a few times, I am of the opinion that it really depends on your mood as to which is best.

A delightful time may be had spending a summer or two gently coasting south and visiting some lovely places - not to be missed - if however you are making a 'delivery' then clearly the direct route non stop to Bayona is the way to go then non stop from there down wind to Gib.

The wonderful thing about sailing is that there are so many ways of doing it and everybody sails differently..

Michael
 
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Paw Paw said:
The wonderful thing about sailing is that there are so many ways of doing it and everybody sails differently..
Michael
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Wise words.

But those who have only done it one way, or who strongly prefer "their" way, don't realise this fundamental truth . . .

Advice always has a context, and is only useful if the context is known.
 
Gold dust! This thread is being used by several yachts on their way down,many thanks in German,Dutch,English and Australian (so far) to all who have taken their time to type their hard-won experience for the benefit of strangers. Good watch, Jerry.
 
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