Cardiff to the Med, Help!!

[Tomahawk]

Agreeing with Dave99 all the way across....
Biscay is big.. really big... sailing two up you have to keep watch turn and turn about.. it gets very hard work.. which means you are at your worst when you most need your wits about you as you approach the coast.. Taking a third prson reduces the workload by 50% on both of you.. that makes a lot of difference..

 

[jimbaerselman]

Just to put some of the dire warnings of others into perspective. The most challenging sailing (apart from surviving bad weather when on long ocean passages) is to be found in the English channel. If you can handle English channel sailing, the res of the trip is easy - as long as you are weather aware and wait for appropriate conditions. To illustrate that point, I've divided the coastal hop trip into stages below, and rated them by challenge. I'm sure others will differ in their ratings. But here goes:

Coast hopping from (say) Poole to the Scillies, on a scale of 1 (easy) to 10 (difficult), is about a 7. This is mainly due to the planning needed to use tidal streams, and to avoid overfalls in bad weather. There are very few offshore hazards, so pilotage is easy as long as you're aware of the depths on departure and arrival and whether they deny access to a port. Tidal streams in the estuaries call for thoughtful boat handling on departure and arrival. It's a bore to have to pay to anchor in some estuaries.

Coast hopping along the N France and the CI between Cherbourg and the Raz de Sein is a 10 - one of the most challenging areas to cruise in the world. This is due to the strength of tidal streams, the fact that they are often across your track, the fact that in places they are faster than your boat can travel, all mixed with large tidal ranges (from 5m to 12m), plateaux of rocks lying up to 5nm offshore, areas of overfalls, 10% bad visiblity in summer, and the fact that the majority of ports and harbours cannot be entered below half tide.

From the Raz de Sein to the Gironde is a 4. Tidal streams no longer affect your passage plan, except for entering and leaving a minority of estuaries/entrances (Morbihan!). Tidal ranges are much smaller, and there are a large number of ports and anchorages accessible within a short range at all stages of tide. Offshore reefs and hazards are fewer, and its reasonably easy to find a marina berth. These are better value than most Solent berths, and there are many free berths and anchorages.

From Gironde to Basque country there's only one port, and it's not always accessible, so this stretch, although very easy (it's just a passage) must be taken in a safe weather window, and will require at least one night at sea.

Basque country is a 3. Severe weather must be avoided; it is a rare hazard June, July and August; but an ever more frequent hazard outside that season. Forecasts are adequately accurate to ensure severe weather can be avoided over 48 hour windows. There are no offshore hazards compared with Brittany. Tidal ranges restrict access to many ports to a 2/3 hour window, and swell also closes access to many ports. However, an adequate number of ports are accessible in all conditions for day hopping to take place during the summer with few hold-ups. There are no charges in many ports, and this is an uncrowded cruising area, mainly geared to serve fishing fleets.

West of Basque country to A Coruna is a 4, solely because severe weather must be avoided, and passages between ports which can be entered in all conditions are longer. This is a rainy coast, not as wet as W Ireland though!

Galicia from A Coruna to Vigo is a 3, for the large variety of anchorages and marinas accessible in all conditions, with lots of sheltered water cruising and small tidal ranges. Long periods of strong NW winds (the portuguese trades) provide the main summer challenge, and there are patches of unmarked rocks to be aware of. Fog is a threat outside the rias.

Portugal is a downwind romp; a 3. The threat is swell, which will close intermediate ports. However, no passage needs be longer than 110nm, so it's easy to choose a safe window for shorter passages if you don't mind waiting.

South Iberia is a 2 - nice weather and shelter from swell have arrived, though there's a bit of a thrill to wait for a fair wind through the Gibraltar straits.

Inland Ionian in Greece? rates 1. Almost like an inland lake, except lots of anchorages and ports all within 5nm of wherever you are and everything visible, with no tides.

 

[KellysEye]

>Have you got your ICC?...Is it a requirement in the Mediterranean?

I've never been asked for any form sailing licence or VHF or SSB licences in the Med or Caribbean, I'd be interested if anyone has. The only time a licence was asked for was a dinghy licence in the canals between Puerto La Cruz and a supermarket in Venezuela by the marine police. There was no law for that just corrupt marine police attempting to fine us, so we all made our own licences after one cruiser was stopped and they stopped asking for it.

 

[jimbaerselman]

>Have you got your ICC?...Is it a requirement in the Mediterranean?

I've never been asked for any form sailing licence or VHF or SSB licences in the Med or Caribbean, I'd be interested if anyone has.

Croatia has well organised systems for monitoring visiting boats, and routinely asks to see the full range of documentation listed at http://jimbsail.info/going-foreign/docs-and-VAT under boat documents and personal documents, excepting the inland waterways stuff.

They will probably lighten up on EU registered boats now they've joined, but non-EU boats will be asked for the full range of stuff before they get their cruising carnets.

Proof of competence is often asked for after any form of incident throughout the Med, and if you can't produce a ticket, many countries will insist on a local test being taken. I'm quoting evidence here from a number of my site contributors, as well as personal experience. The other document regularly asked for is an insurance certificate - called for by marinas as well as officials.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Just to put some of the dire warnings of others into perspective... ...except lots of anchorages and ports all within 5nm of wherever you are and everything visible, with no tides.

Jim. Thanks for that. Very useful summary. But you've just put me right off heading for the Channel Islands and N Brittany in ten days time!

 

[jimbaerselman]

But you've just put me right off heading for the Channel Islands and N Brittany in ten days time!

Hmm. Once you've handled the Solent it's a doddle! With big rewards visiting lovely half timbered towns up the estuaries.

I guess the Solent hits about 12 on the Richter scale over Cowes week. All that's missing in there is a big swell - but massive multi-games of Dodgems among tanker traffic, ferries, RiBs and corporate bun fights soon push the stress ratings well over a 10. I envy you the trip!

 

[BruceDanforth]

It's not that big. A few days at most.

Agreeing with Dave99 all the way across....
Biscay is big.. really big... sailing two up you have to keep watch turn and turn about.. it gets very hard work.. which means you are at your worst when you most need your wits about you as you approach the coast.. Taking a third prson reduces the workload by 50% on both of you.. that makes a lot of difference..

 

[A1Sailor]

Agreeing with Dave99 all the way across....
Biscay is big.. really big... sailing two up you have to keep watch turn and turn about.. it gets very hard work.. which means you are at your worst when you most need your wits about you as you approach the coast.. Taking a third prson reduces the workload by 50% on both of you.. that makes a lot of difference..

I don't understand how adding a third watchkeeper reduces the workload by 50% on the other two; unless, of course, the third watchkeeper is two people?
btw - the Emperor wasn't wearing clothes...

 

[Jozz]

Thank you all for your replies, they have given me lots to think about.

To cross the Bay of Biscay our insurance company are insisting we have a third crew member! Any takers???

We chose to coast hug as we have all the time in the world and want to visit the many places along the French, Spanish and Portuguese coast. We are taking 12 - 18 months out from our business.

We are a couple in our 40's, boat is 37 foot, wanting to enjoy cruising, not hugely experienced but learning every day, as I am sure we all are.

Yes I have my ICC, translations of all docs and insurance papers.

Thanks again for your ideas, advice and warm welcome to YBW.