Channel Islands Crossing tomorrow!

Thepipdoc

Thepipdoc

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We're on the verge of making our first channel crossing - possibly tomorrow, but after looking at the weather forecasts from various websites, including the Met Office, the sea state is predicted to be anything from slight to moderate (and possibly rough).
I realise the predictions are just that, predictions, but given that this is our first trip across the Channel I’m in two minds weather to make the trip or not.
I’ll obviously make a decision in the morning but the last thing I want is to get in the middle of the Channel and find that the Met Office are wrong again (They are forecasting slight to moderate sea) and we’re in the rough stuff! It certainly won’t be the first time they’ve got it wrong.
Any “trusted” websites that I could consider - apart from the Met Office of course?
 
jparham said:
Hi Pipdoc,
Presume you know this one for actual weather - mid channel light vessel
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=62103

Metchech says you'll be getting wet and bashing into a headwind
http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/today.asp?zipcode=tq5

XCWeather also says you are into 4-5's.
http://www.xcweather.co.uk/

The boat will be fine but it'll take you more than the usual 3 hours....

Not calm enough for me, mate, but each to his own.
Post a report if you do decide to go?
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Thanks John
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=62103
is a new one to me but I've bookmarked it for tomorrow's final decision.

The trouble is, I (like most people) have limited time off work and I don't want to waste it.
Might be another trip to Falmoth and surrounding ports!
 
Whats yer boat. If as said, you'll be poking into a head wind, it will be worst as you leave, and get better as you arrive. An F 5 would not bother us much, but on the nose could be a pain.
 
Wind's gone NW'ly here in Torbay now.... Quiet with drizzle. Same where you are I'd guess.
So a quiet start.
2.3ft waves at mid channel light.
Still Southerly 15knots mid-channel and showers mid channel.
f'cast NW backing W 4-5 decreasing 4 over the next 3 days.
Shipping and inshore waters talk about a 6, but they are normally pessimistic and our area covers down to Lands End and Scilly's.

Took us 3 goes to get there......
Second trial we got as far as mid channel light vessel. Was worth the trip just to see the minke whale investigating the lightship!

Looks like it's possible!
 
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Decided to wait till tomorrow.
The sea state would probably be fine but the waather is wet, wet, wet.

It amazing how the sea can look with a bit of sun shimmering of it. Take the sun away and it's quite drab. Tomorrow is forcasting plenty of sun and the sea state appears to be the sameas today, if not better.
I'll use the extra time to double check everything is as it should be.
 
Thepipdoc said:
Yeah, sorry perhaps I should have metioned that - I have a Sealine F33.
Click to expand...

Not a nice day to cross the channel in an F33.

We regularly head from Poole to Alderney / Guernsey in small (18' to 25') angling boats and are following weather patterns a week to 10 days before planned departure and never leave the final call until the morning of, but make it the night before with the Met Office Shipping Forecast (for me) always being my final check.

The very best advice I can give any virgin (or experienced) channel crosser is to go with your instincts.
If your brain is telling you something is not right then your brain is bang on. Go with what it tells you.
Even if the next morning is glorious and you kick yourself for not going so what, you can always go another day. However, if your brain is right and it proves to be horrible then you will be very pleased you listened to it.

A moderate see in an F33 will be a very unpleasant place indeed.

NB
 
Nautibusiness said:
Not a nice day to cross the channel in an F33.


A moderate see in an F33 will be a very unpleasant place indeed.

NB
Click to expand...


My first X channel was in an F33 - most horrible trip I have ever had! And it was from the CI's back with wind behind. Rolled about all over the place and with KAD 32's in it was totally gutless when required to respond to changing wave patterns. Took nearly 8 hours and the weather was better than it is at the moment.

Remember as well that the wind has been strong for some days now and it will take time for the sea to calm down.
 
As someone has said above, as you leave tomorrow, it'll probably seem OK, but mid channel could be up to 20mph NW'ly:
http://www.xcweather.co.uk/
Then you've got the choice of carrying on with a longer fetch or returning into a slap.
Weds and Thurs look OK, but Friday's blowing up again, so you'll need to be back Thurs night.
Everything is just so changeable right now.
Another Azores high building though :-)
 
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Well we got here OK -and I have to say it was a pretty good trip.
Getting back to mainland UK ( Dartmouth)is proving a bit more of a challenge.
We thought we had a window of opportunity yesterday morning and so left St.Peter Port fully aware that it may not be a conformable trip but we thought we'd stick our nose out to get a better idea what the conditions were really like.
We travelled about 14 miles, having left St.PP from the south of the island and decided conditions were worsening and we did turned back.
The moment we turned back and we had the wind on our stern you would have thought we were travelling on a pond! the difference was really quite amazing.
No sooner had we turned aroungd then a high wind Securitee announcement was made by the Jersey coast guard.
We're hoping for better weather perhaps tomorrow or Friday ( more likely) - if it doesn't improve soon we'll be heading back on either a plane or one of the many ferries.
The trouble is we both have to get to work (work is a four letter word to the retired I know!) on Monday so we're beginning to think of alternative forms of transport.
 
Thepipdoc said:
Well we got here OK -and I have to say it was a pretty good trip.
Getting back to mainland UK ( Dartmouth)is proving a bit more of a challenge.
We thought we had a window of opportunity yesterday morning and so left St.Peter Port fully aware that it may not be a conformable trip but we thought we'd stick our nose out to get a better idea what the conditions were really like.
We travelled about 14 miles, having left St.PP from the south of the island and decided conditions were worsening and we did turned back.
The moment we turned back and we had the wind on our stern you would have thought we were travelling on a pond! the difference was really quite amazing.
No sooner had we turned aroungd then a high wind Securitee announcement was made by the Jersey coast guard.
We're hoping for better weather perhaps tomorrow or Friday ( more likely) - if it doesn't improve soon we'll be heading back on either a plane or one of the many ferries.
The trouble is we both have to get to work (work is a four letter word to the retired I know!) on Monday so we're beginning to think of alternative forms of transport.
Click to expand...

Best of luck :)
Friday and Saturday are both looking good :)
 
Looks like Thursday won't work, but Friday morning might, but you'll have to contend with the Westerly fetch over the past couple of days........
Saturday looks calmer all day.

Good luck!
 
AIDY said:
best of luck. were waiting until monday / tuesday next week to cross to st P.

is the marina busy at the moment ?
Click to expand...
Very quite indeed. Well compared to last week it is!

They must be expecting a quite spell through out the month of June because I enquired at teh marina office to see how much it would cost if we left the boat and flew back and the told me £0.93 per metre. Which I'm sure i don't need to tell you is an amazing price.
I should add that that price applies providing no one is occupying the boat.
 
Thepipdoc said:
Very quite indeed. Well compared to last week it is!

They must be expecting a quite spell through out the month of June because I enquired at teh marina office to see how much it would cost if we left the boat and flew back and the told me £0.93 per metre. Which I'm sure i don't need to tell you is an amazing price.
I should add that that price applies providing no one is occupying the boat.
Click to expand...

don't forget june is cheap rate, it goes up in july and august... it's always been cheap for an unattended boat.

thanks for the info have a good safe trip back.
 
Friday and Saturday look good for your return trip although forecasts have been changing almost hourly all week.

We were going to go to Alderney on Friday and return Sunday. Getting over would not be a problem but Sundays forecast is for 6's and 7's :eek: Don't think we will bother after all it's meant to be pleasure

Martin
 
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