Gibraltar Straits

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Wandering Star

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Anyone have knowledge they would care to pass on about best timings for a small sailing boat (with engine) to pass through the Gibraltar Straits? I understood there was a paperback published with top tips but I called into Piplers and they'd never heard of it!

I'm flying outgo Mallorca tomorrow evening and plan to sail to the Algarve on Saturday. It would be great if I knew most favorable times for east/west passage, which side has weakest current, any tips. I don't plan on stopping but if that's an "only option" in certain conditions then advice about that too.

Thanks a lot.

Cheers, Brian.
 
I'm in Gib at present. I suspect the book you're looking for is the Straights Handbook (or some such name) which is not widely distributed, but presumably still available here. I'd be happy to check for you if you wish. Current is favourable around Europa Point (S end of the Rock) from HW Gib +4 to HW -1, which should be enough for you to get here, if that's your plan.

The westbound passage is more foul and has a shorter window than the eastbound, since the net flow is into the Med to replace water lost by evaporation. Both the Atlantic Spain and Costa del Sol/Blanca pilots and the Med Almanac give details of the tidal streams. If you don't have any of them, I can precis what they have to say. In any event, you'll likely want the wind with you, and it's generally one way or the other through the Straights.
 
We're in Gib as well. According to The Straits Sailing Handbook, the westgoing stream along the north shore (Spain) starts HW Gib +3 until HW -3. Streams vary quite a bit so moving in and out from the shore can make quite a difference.
 
GrahamM376 said:
We're in Gib as well. According to The Straits Sailing Handbook, the westgoing stream along the north shore (Spain) starts HW Gib +3 until HW -3. Streams vary quite a bit so moving in and out from the shore can make quite a difference.
Click to expand...

In simple terms this suggests that the East Going stream and/or slack starts at HW-3 until HW+3.

Best to go with wind and tide. You should be able to tell where the tide is varying by the wind over tide effect. It was very obvious when we were with the wind, but against the tide on the stretch between Barbate to Tarifa.
 
When we did it, we arrived just short of Gib 4 hours early so dropped the hook and had a kip. There is plenty of anchorage on the eastern side. For 4 months I had dreaded the passage being rough but it was dead calm only about 5 knots of wind.

Once we cleared the straits I was highly relieved until a Guardia Civil RIB came at us at about 50 kts because we were entering a live firing range! Fortunately they told us to keep close to the coast so they could fire over the top:eek:
 
Flobbergob: the guide you're after is probably "The Straights Sailing Handbook 2012", £9.95 from Shepperds chandlery.

There's also a less comprehensive but free booklet, "Yacht Scene Sailors' Guide 2012" , which includes tide tables and streams diagrams for the Straights.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm in Mallorca now an all being well will depart for Gibraltar/la Linea on Saturday morning. I've sent a PM to Nigel re the PDF file.

Cheers, Brian.
 
If anyone wants a copy of the Straits Sailing Handbook, send me a PM. My mate wrote it, my wife publishes it and I write the ammendments!!!

Do take note of the drift current that establishes above a F4 as well as the tide and standing current. It can make a considerable difference.

Do not worry about a Straits transit, I have survived over a hundred :)
 
nigelmercier said:
Found it! Sent, along with log extract.
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Hi Nigel, didn't receive it but thanks anyway! We're presently sitting in a cafe in Gib with boat in Alcadaisa marina (sp) La Linea. Had a stormy passage from Almerimar with the final 24 hours a 40+ knot (50 at times) headwind. All went well though and boat performed flawlessly enabling us to live to sail another day.

On to Lagos tomorrow.

Cheers, Brian.
 
GIB tides chart

nigelmercier said:
Found it! Sent, along with log extract.
Click to expand...

Hi, Nigel,
We're going from the Med to Canary Islands in a week. Do you still have this pdf extract from the book somewhere? Could you please send it to me? It would be a great help.
Thanx,
adam
 
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