entering Faro canal - advice sought

[Catweasel]

hiya,

I'm being told by my pilot book and Reeds that access to the Faro canals should only be attempted at HW. For me this means tomorrow at 9am or 9pm and, as I'm at Albufiera neither is a good option for me.

I draw 1.5 metres (contessa 26) and am wondering if i can enter at anytime or do I really have to wait?

ideally i'm looking to anchor just inside the Canal de Olhaao.

thanks, in advance,

Catweasel

 

[Downsman]

From my experience of a few visits, I really wouldn't advise entry from seaward much after an hour or so after high water. The main entrance between the harbour walls gets quite lively with the ebb, as does the turn to starboard to take you up towards Culatra and Olahao. It also gets a bit (very!) shallow on your port hand once you've made the turn until you're well up towards Culatra where the main anchorage lies before the channel turns to port, up to Olahao. If it's still light at 21.00 hrs you should be ok but after the starboard turn there are lots of small boat moorings on the starboard side some of which seem to be on awfully long risers which tend to drift out into the channel. I came down channel at just dawn and had a real problem not going aground out of channel, while trying to avoid the pickup bouys. Sounds like a horror story..it's not too bad really, but you need favourable tide and daylight to make like easier. Last visit Spring 2010.

 

[david36]

We have entered and exited the Faro lagoon entrance many times at both High water and Low water. Either is perfectly fine although low water does require careful pilotage when inside. The shallows to the West of the seaward side of the entrance are bigger than on the chart but the entrance channel itself remains as indicated. If you visit the Lagos Navigators website you will find an up to date revision of the chart for the area just to the West of the entrance. However, if you follow the directions on the pilot book you will be fine. The stand of slack water is quite short, especially at Springs. We would not dream of trying the entrance in a yacht other than at High or Low water slack - and neither would you when you have seen what it looks like when ebbing or flooding.
Fair winds.

 

[GrahamM376]

The only problem is when entering Ria against the tide which can run at 8 kts on springs at the entrance. Any time on the flood is easy. Once inside, there's a buoyed channed towards Faro which commercial ships use as far as the dock. From there to the anchorage is OK at LW with care but suggest you do it around half tide so you can see the mud banks - lots of boats run aground.

Going the other way to Culatra anchorage or up the channel to Olhao isn't a problem either.

 

[Catweasel]

hi guys,

just wanted to say thanks for the rapid responses. I went to Isla Canela in the end, and managed to frag my inboard on the way so now I'm stuck here until I can get it fixed...

so...any of you here? look out for the Contessa 26 in the marina.

 

[fliti]

Very much second the warnings about the entrance. I exited at the wrong time into a wind over tide situation-about 250m of breaking 2-3m waves over the bar. Quite simply the most scared I have ever been in a yacht-and I have crossed the Atlantic and Biscay twice. Forget the faint hearted-you'd have to be plain nuts!

 

[GrahamM376]

Very much second the warnings about the entrance. I exited at the wrong time into a wind over tide situation-about 250m of breaking 2-3m waves over the bar. Quite simply the most scared I have ever been in a yacht-and I have crossed the Atlantic and Biscay twice. Forget the faint hearted-you'd have to be plain nuts!

It can be "interesting" at times but local knowledge can help. We usually leave at half ebb to arrive at the Guadiana at half flood and on springs it does get a bit tricky but, if you stay near the west breakwater and then do a quick right and left as you go out, there's a smooth area between the overfalls and the beach - not very wide though, it's best to see it at low water first.

Alternatively, just close the hatches and ride the overfalls but, NOT with strong onshore wind or bums definately twitch.

 

[saxonpirate]

Was there a couple of weeks back in my Contest 33 drawing 1.7meters. Anchored off the Eastern breakwater and waited until about an hour before low water. Spring tides, blowing hard northerly, and yes I sat in the cockpit watching the ebb...impressive. Turned left for Faro and Bruce's Boatyard where "Rambler" is now ashore, I expected to hit the putty but didn't!!! Brilliant pilotage of course..hee hee..