grafozz
Well-Known Member
will be heading for greece in early may ... first biscay , can some of the better travelled peeps tell me thier journey times and distance ?all advice welcomed , thanks,
GIBRALTAR BOUND
- Thread starter grafozz
- Start date
Steve Clayton
Well-Known Member
Journey times can be as long or as short as you care to make them. If you can then take your time and enjoy it. You will find distances between ports in the almanacs sold in all chandleries.
One really good way/excellent value, etc of getting to the southern part of Portugal (Lagos) is with Worldcruising's annual Rally Portugal. I've looked on their website and they seem to have gone through a managment restructure and I can't figure out if they are doing it this year, or not!! If they are it would be leaving towards the end of May- this might fit with your timetable.
Steve
www.seraph-sailing.com
One really good way/excellent value, etc of getting to the southern part of Portugal (Lagos) is with Worldcruising's annual Rally Portugal. I've looked on their website and they seem to have gone through a managment restructure and I can't figure out if they are doing it this year, or not!! If they are it would be leaving towards the end of May- this might fit with your timetable.
Steve
www.seraph-sailing.com
mike_bryon
Well-Known Member
Get hold of a copy of jimmy cornells world cruising routes or the more serious ocean passages for the world
Either will allow you to plan the passage and they make great winter reading.
Best wishs
Either will allow you to plan the passage and they make great winter reading.
Best wishs
davidbains
Well-Known Member
May I suggest you make your way in easy hops to Camaret near Brest.
Then wait and watch the weather. Select a period of higher pressure
and you should cross the bay to Bayonna in four days or so.
Motorsail in light periods. Aim for a point about 50mls off Cape Finisterre,
and then close the coast gradually if weather still good, you'll be glad
of the offing if you encounter strong westerlies.
Divert to Corunna if you have to, but try and get "round the corner" or
you can be stuck in Corunna. In good weather the northerlies can
still be strong off Finisterre. If you're still some distance out, surf on to
Bayonna. If close in you can always have an overnight rest at Corcubion
inside Cape Finisterre. I've done both.
After R&R in Bayonna the Portuguese trades will run you down to Lisbon.
Some of the intervening ports are not enterable in bad weather.
Keep a very good lookout for fishing boats especially at night.
Their nav lights are powered by candles!
Do not rush, take your time.
After more R&R in the Algarve, select a westerly and not an easterly Levante
to cross to Gib. If you meet strong easterlies, head for Cadiz.
Remember you can hove to and have a rest if shorthanded.
Taking it easy, I spent 21days 'tween Brighton and Gibraltar.
Then wait and watch the weather. Select a period of higher pressure
and you should cross the bay to Bayonna in four days or so.
Motorsail in light periods. Aim for a point about 50mls off Cape Finisterre,
and then close the coast gradually if weather still good, you'll be glad
of the offing if you encounter strong westerlies.
Divert to Corunna if you have to, but try and get "round the corner" or
you can be stuck in Corunna. In good weather the northerlies can
still be strong off Finisterre. If you're still some distance out, surf on to
Bayonna. If close in you can always have an overnight rest at Corcubion
inside Cape Finisterre. I've done both.
After R&R in Bayonna the Portuguese trades will run you down to Lisbon.
Some of the intervening ports are not enterable in bad weather.
Keep a very good lookout for fishing boats especially at night.
Their nav lights are powered by candles!
Do not rush, take your time.
After more R&R in the Algarve, select a westerly and not an easterly Levante
to cross to Gib. If you meet strong easterlies, head for Cadiz.
Remember you can hove to and have a rest if shorthanded.
Taking it easy, I spent 21days 'tween Brighton and Gibraltar.
Sea Devil
Well-Known Member
http://www.michaelbriant.com/biscay_log_book.htm - this will tell you about one trip from Brighton to Gibraltar.
From Gib to the Greek Islands is really dependant on how much time you have - could be done to the Ionian in about 3 weeks with lots of motoring - otherwise a season for the trip is more pleasant.. Gib - Balearic's - Sardinia - Scilly - Corfu. fairly well trodden path.
regards
Michael
From Gib to the Greek Islands is really dependant on how much time you have - could be done to the Ionian in about 3 weeks with lots of motoring - otherwise a season for the trip is more pleasant.. Gib - Balearic's - Sardinia - Scilly - Corfu. fairly well trodden path.
regards
Michael
Trevor_Smith
Active Member
I'd be very interested to hear what other ex-Rally Portugal yachts have to say, but I would advise that it is not worth the extra cost. Go it alone or with a.n.other
franky
Well-Known Member
I sailed Plymouth to Bayonna with Rally Portugal (INFO AT YaCHTING MONTHLY) after only a few hours the fleet was so spread out that we did not see or even get VHF contact with any other rallyers.Met up at Bayonna and shore activity was good.The rally leaves at start of June and we motored for about 75% of the trip....windless and flat calm.Following year the rallyers dispersed to ports all around Biscay as the weather was terrible.I am also heading to Gib.Left Chatham May2004 Now in Royan and hope to complete by October.Tooooooo Fast.
temptress
Well-Known Member
How long have you got? We have done South coast UK to Gib in 8 days on deliveries and I've done it in 4 months others have taken longer. Depends if you want to go straight there or stop on the way.
Biscay can be crossed at any time of the year although June to August is usually warmer with more settles weather. December/Jan involves a lot of waiting and some cold nights at sea.
You can get to Gib almost by day sailing (although whatever route /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif you choose to cross biscay will need at least one night at sea as the French/Spanish border bit is tricky).
Get an almanac and work out what sort of sailing you want to do.
Biscay can be crossed at any time of the year although June to August is usually warmer with more settles weather. December/Jan involves a lot of waiting and some cold nights at sea.
You can get to Gib almost by day sailing (although whatever route /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif you choose to cross biscay will need at least one night at sea as the French/Spanish border bit is tricky).
Get an almanac and work out what sort of sailing you want to do.
MedMan
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Taking it easy, I spent 21days 'tween Brighton and Gibraltar.
[/ QUOTE ] We took five months and it was way too fast. If I were doing it again I would spend more time in the French Biscay islands and the Spanish Rias. Do not rush this part of your trip. It is magical and there is so much to see.
You can read all about our journey by clicking on the link below.
Taking it easy, I spent 21days 'tween Brighton and Gibraltar.
[/ QUOTE ] We took five months and it was way too fast. If I were doing it again I would spend more time in the French Biscay islands and the Spanish Rias. Do not rush this part of your trip. It is magical and there is so much to see.
You can read all about our journey by clicking on the link below.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Lots of good advice from experiened folk already - I would add that your insurers might want special conditions for the Biscay crossing - e.g. minimum crew, quals, etc. Get this sorted out in good time so you can change insurer if necessary, without having to change mid-term. Loads of threads on here in the past discussing insurers and crew requirements.
tcm
...
um journey times, what have you got?
1150ish miles soton direct over biscay to gib or probaly 1200 if you go a bit further west and get off the continental shelf for smoother seas. Takes 60 hrs with only fuel stops in a powerboat with lovelorn and hence speed-keen crew who hadn't told other half about the trip.
Atlantic spain is lovely, med spain is a built-over desert with sunshine. Italy and greece are ruins, and that's the new stuff as well.
Apart from the town of Brest which guessed that Russia would win the cold war, the scenic part of the trip is the first bit, uk west country, atlantic france, atlantic spain. But the sunshine is in the south of course.
Gibraltar is a squeeze point for wind with Tarifa claiming to be the wind capital of the world with most shops offering kitesirfing lessons and the hills crammed with wind farms facing both east and west.
The mistral/tramonatana winds from the pyhrenees are the engineroom of western med wind patterns hence you'll find big w med cities hide themselves from that aspect, but most are great places to be holed up in and all have flight back to uk these days. In Marseilles they have 200days per year at F6 or more so be careful and praps call ahead for wise old bird forecast from local HM.
unlike uk there are few weather "systems"and mad weather springs up all overthe place, f8 inside 15 mins can blow for a day or even several days and die just as quickly. Find cheap internet caffs and use wetterzentrale.de and theyr.net for forecasts as well.
You will most definitely have fun but yours is a big trip and gib is only just halfway from So'ton to the very nearest bit of greece if you go the direct 900ish miles to tip of Italy adn then 300 to greece eg corfu or Patras so keep going unless you want to arrive at the end of the season of course, inwhich case the northern route to Barca, Marseilles and Nice ofer hedonistic delights.
1150ish miles soton direct over biscay to gib or probaly 1200 if you go a bit further west and get off the continental shelf for smoother seas. Takes 60 hrs with only fuel stops in a powerboat with lovelorn and hence speed-keen crew who hadn't told other half about the trip.
Atlantic spain is lovely, med spain is a built-over desert with sunshine. Italy and greece are ruins, and that's the new stuff as well.
Apart from the town of Brest which guessed that Russia would win the cold war, the scenic part of the trip is the first bit, uk west country, atlantic france, atlantic spain. But the sunshine is in the south of course.
Gibraltar is a squeeze point for wind with Tarifa claiming to be the wind capital of the world with most shops offering kitesirfing lessons and the hills crammed with wind farms facing both east and west.
The mistral/tramonatana winds from the pyhrenees are the engineroom of western med wind patterns hence you'll find big w med cities hide themselves from that aspect, but most are great places to be holed up in and all have flight back to uk these days. In Marseilles they have 200days per year at F6 or more so be careful and praps call ahead for wise old bird forecast from local HM.
unlike uk there are few weather "systems"and mad weather springs up all overthe place, f8 inside 15 mins can blow for a day or even several days and die just as quickly. Find cheap internet caffs and use wetterzentrale.de and theyr.net for forecasts as well.
You will most definitely have fun but yours is a big trip and gib is only just halfway from So'ton to the very nearest bit of greece if you go the direct 900ish miles to tip of Italy adn then 300 to greece eg corfu or Patras so keep going unless you want to arrive at the end of the season of course, inwhich case the northern route to Barca, Marseilles and Nice ofer hedonistic delights.
Keltman
New Member
Try looking at Frank Singleton's Weather Site - has excellent routing alternatives and weather advice re Biscay Crossings.
Anthony
Well-Known Member
Hi,
We spent about 5 months going from Uk to Balarics last summer, and felt that we rushed alot of the way. We were mainly doing shorter day hops, others were planning on doing simierl disatnce in a matter of weeks, but they had more crew than the two of us. As much as I enjoyed the trip down there, I was pleased to finally get into the med, as we suffered alot with confused Atlantic swell down Spain and portugal.
If you are planning on day hoping it I would allow most of the summer, if you want to just get there, then grab some crew and make longer trips, but no doubt the weather around the North of spain will mess up any detailed plans you have unless you are suckers for a hard time, sometimes u just have to sit and wait it out.
Based on my (limited) experience, take your time and enjoy it, we met people who thought we were racing thru in a summer, they had spent 2-3 years getting that far!
Enjoy
We spent about 5 months going from Uk to Balarics last summer, and felt that we rushed alot of the way. We were mainly doing shorter day hops, others were planning on doing simierl disatnce in a matter of weeks, but they had more crew than the two of us. As much as I enjoyed the trip down there, I was pleased to finally get into the med, as we suffered alot with confused Atlantic swell down Spain and portugal.
If you are planning on day hoping it I would allow most of the summer, if you want to just get there, then grab some crew and make longer trips, but no doubt the weather around the North of spain will mess up any detailed plans you have unless you are suckers for a hard time, sometimes u just have to sit and wait it out.
Based on my (limited) experience, take your time and enjoy it, we met people who thought we were racing thru in a summer, they had spent 2-3 years getting that far!
Enjoy
grafozz
Well-Known Member
what a great website! . we aim to be in kefalonia first week of july giving us 9/10 weeks for the trip , probably not long enough , but.... it seems that we should take more time on the gib leg ,and check my ins co, too,thankyou everyone , all advice taken onboard.
tcm
...
MichaelE date error?
the passage notes/log to biscay is very good.
But from the dates it seems that the whole of July was spent in the Scillies as the boat arrives 30th june and left august 1st. Or perhaps a very dramtic adjustment for summertime that year?
the passage notes/log to biscay is very good.
But from the dates it seems that the whole of July was spent in the Scillies as the boat arrives 30th june and left august 1st. Or perhaps a very dramtic adjustment for summertime that year?
Sea Devil
Well-Known Member
Re: MichaelE date error?
So much for my proof reading - I actually copied the dates out of my log book and at the time the month seems pretty obvious!!! Will go and change it - must have been July.
Many thanks
michael
So much for my proof reading - I actually copied the dates out of my log book and at the time the month seems pretty obvious!!! Will go and change it - must have been July.
Many thanks
michael
affinite
Well-Known Member
We did it in June this year - took 5 weeks from Poole to the Ionian Isles.
If you have the time take it steady and enjoy but we sailed & motored fairly hard to do it in 5 weeks.
Poole - Bayona
Bayona - Gib
Gib - Sardinia
Sardina - Sicilly
Sicilly - Greece
Cant remember the breakdonw - the log is on the boat in Greece !
If you have the time take it steady and enjoy but we sailed & motored fairly hard to do it in 5 weeks.
Poole - Bayona
Bayona - Gib
Gib - Sardinia
Sardina - Sicilly
Sicilly - Greece
Cant remember the breakdonw - the log is on the boat in Greece !
Swagman
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I'd be very interested to hear what other ex-Rally Portugal yachts have to say, but I would advise that it is not worth the extra cost. Go it alone or with a.n.other
[/ QUOTE ]
Trevor, where did that view get formed?
We've done the jounreny twice with Rally Portugual and contrary to your view - we found it actually does not cost any 'extra'. In fact the very opposite.
We calculated in both 2004 and 2005 the overall cost of entry to be less than one would pay the same marinas if one stopped for the same number of nights. Then when you add on the meals, tapas, vino and upcountry bus trips on lay days all provied at no charge by the organisers, the Rally really does make economic sense.
IMHO Rally Portugal is something to consider if you wish to travel that route down to the Algave in company over that period in the early summer. MOst other participants are good people to socialise with, and we know some great long term friendships can be established.
It only makes bad sense if you wish to go explore other spots en-route, or you wish to get there faster or slower, or if dislike company or a free booze up!
We found weather on this Atlantic coast to be variable. The forecasted light mornings with fog do not always happen (never once in 04), and forecasted midday northerly trades do not always appear (only 50% of the time in 05).
Appreciate this is contrary to your view - but you asked what other participants thought - so thanks for the opportunity to respond.
Cheers
JOHN
I'd be very interested to hear what other ex-Rally Portugal yachts have to say, but I would advise that it is not worth the extra cost. Go it alone or with a.n.other
[/ QUOTE ]
Trevor, where did that view get formed?
We've done the jounreny twice with Rally Portugual and contrary to your view - we found it actually does not cost any 'extra'. In fact the very opposite.
We calculated in both 2004 and 2005 the overall cost of entry to be less than one would pay the same marinas if one stopped for the same number of nights. Then when you add on the meals, tapas, vino and upcountry bus trips on lay days all provied at no charge by the organisers, the Rally really does make economic sense.
IMHO Rally Portugal is something to consider if you wish to travel that route down to the Algave in company over that period in the early summer. MOst other participants are good people to socialise with, and we know some great long term friendships can be established.
It only makes bad sense if you wish to go explore other spots en-route, or you wish to get there faster or slower, or if dislike company or a free booze up!
We found weather on this Atlantic coast to be variable. The forecasted light mornings with fog do not always happen (never once in 04), and forecasted midday northerly trades do not always appear (only 50% of the time in 05).
Appreciate this is contrary to your view - but you asked what other participants thought - so thanks for the opportunity to respond.
Cheers
JOHN
stephenh
Well-Known Member
Took a 35' sailing yacht from Wales - Greece in 30 days including 5 days stopover = 2800 nm @ 110 m.p.d. but thats a delivery in March / April.
Spent 10 months just in the Agean and only saw 1/2 of it.
Just how long is a piece of string ?
Spent 10 months just in the Agean and only saw 1/2 of it.
Just how long is a piece of string ?
