Going off the med in winter

[steve yates]

More & more I wonder if I should skip the med when I head off eventually and head to carribean for the winters
10m waves! And I bet they are steep buggers with a really short period

 

[westhinder]

There is a reason why so many boats that are in the Med in summer head to the Caribbean for the winter season

 

[Leslie frank]

We have sailed the med in winter and it's pretty much like everywhere else. There are safe buts and dodgy bits. I have had 5m seas forcast off Mahon in July so jo wonder it gets up in December

 

[Wansworth]

What I have noticed of late are lows that ought to pass over Galicia are heading south and entering themed with some atrocious weather

 

[Sea Change]

General consensus is that the Med is not a winter destination. Strong winds, nasty seas, and everywhere closes down.

You have a few options, from what I'm aware:
- get out of there for winter. To the Algarve or further south (Canaries and onward).
- hole up in a marina for the winter and live aboard
- store the boat and fly home
- join the very small number of people who carry on cruising over the winter.

We did a summer in the Balearics and then headed for the Caribbean. Zero regrets!

 

[Wansworth]

If you have a dehumidifier and heater the winters in Galicia aboard are ok

 

[Frogmogman]

My wife is keen for us to keep our boat in the South of France.

My entreaties that there is always too much wind or not enough don’t seem to impress her.

The temperature in North Brittany may occasionally be a bit brisk, and it rains sometimes, but personally I think it’s pretty damn fine as a cruising ground.

I have been on the waiting list for a berth in Toulon for 5 years, but much though I love Toulon and it’s environs, I’m delighted to report that it’ll be at least another 5 years before my number comes up.

 

[lektran]

We've just left Turkey after a winter on anchor in Marmaris and Fethiye. The storms lasted from Christmas until mid Feb and then suddenly we were back to having more than enough solar again. Temps were mild with the diesel heater mostly only being used in the mornings to take the edge off. Plenty of life in the towns.

We checked into Greece yesterday and are back to cruising. The downtime was a good opportunity to get a few boat jobs done.

 

[Irish Rover]

We've just left Turkey after a winter on anchor in Marmaris and Fethiye. The storms lasted from Christmas until mid Feb and then suddenly we were back to having more than enough solar again. Temps were mild with the diesel heater mostly only being used in the mornings to take the edge off. Plenty of life in the towns.

We checked into Greece yesterday and are back to cruising. The downtime was a good opportunity to get a few boat jobs done.

After 24 winters here I can honestly say this was the windiest Spring I've ever experienced. We got once in 20 years type flooding, 3 times in as many weeks. Both our cars had to go to the body shop after being peppered with massive hailstones.

 

[Wansworth]

My wife is keen for us to keep our boat in the South of France.

My entreaties that there is always too much wind or not enough don’t seem to impress her.

The temperature in North Brittany may occasionally be a bit brisk, and it rains sometimes, but personally I think it’s pretty damn fine as a cruising ground.

I have been on the waiting list for a berth in Toulon for 5 years, but much though I love Toulon and it’s environs, I’m delighted to report that it’ll be at least another 5 years before my number comes up.

Bouba is our man in SoF,I belive he goes out yachting in between meals

 

[billskip]

Bouba is our man in SoF,I belive he goes out yachting in between meals Mac Donald's...

Fixed that for you...

 

[lektran]

After 24 winters here I can honestly say this was the windiest Spring I've ever experienced. We got once in 20 years type flooding, 3 times in as many weeks. Both our cars had to go to the body shop after being peppered with massive hailstones.

Only took a couple of strong southerlies in Marmaris before we realized we'd have a much better time in Fethiye. Once we got there life was generally pretty relaxed, a few storms but we've put up with plenty worse in the UK to be honest. The hardest graft was the hours spent diving on the hull last week to clear out the massive amount of fouling we accumulated.

 

[westernman]

After 24 winters here I can honestly say this was the windiest Spring I've ever experienced. We got once in 20 years type flooding, 3 times in as many weeks. Both our cars had to go to the body shop after being peppered with massive hailstones.

In the western end of the French med, we have had several once in a 1000 years type flooding.
It has rained more in Montpellier in January and February (pretty much non-stop) since records began.

Normally the season is sunny, dry, with a good few warm days with light winds - i.e. very pleasant for an afternoon sail.
But this year it has been grey and wet.

 

[dunedin]

…” we have had several once in a 1000 years type flooding” ….

This oft quoted reference to “once in X years” events is a meaningless and technically incorrect basis, IMHO.

Even if the events are random, then at best this suggests a 0.1% probability of the event falling in the next year. But if random, then immediately after the event happens it still has a 0.1% probability of happening in the next year. So there is no implication mathematically that it will be 1,000 years between events. Just that is the estimated probability for each new year. Hence it is just as likely to happen again very soon thereafter.

And then of course weather events are probably not random. With climate change being accepted by almost all scientists and statisticians, there isn’t a period of 1,000 years with current climate records to form any basis for a statement of “once every 1,000 years”, as things have changed materially in that 1,000 years.

So statistically and scientifically we should ignore such statements - and “expect the unexpected” weather wise.

 

[Stemar]

So statistically and scientifically we should ignore such statements - and “expect the unexpected” weather wise.

True, but where are the Wail and Express going to get their "We're all going to die" * headlines from?


*"And it's all (insert your choice of politician here)'s fault"

 

[capnsensible]

I spent a lot of years in the Western Med, sailing aii year round. The winters were often cold, a bit wet and mostly windy. Sometimes for weeks on end, two reefs became normal.

The brochures claiming winter sun for the Costa Del Sol are a bit economical with the true weather.

 

[Irish Rover]

So statistically and scientifically we should ignore such statements

I'm more inclined to ignore all that statistical blarney and take note @westernman 's actual experience.

 

[dunedin]

I'm more inclined to ignore all that statistical blarney and take note @westernman 's actual experience.

Which is that he has had several “once in a thousand years” events in practice, so unless he is Methuselah then the “once in a thousand years” bit is nonsense.

 

[Irish Rover]

Which is that he has had several “once in a thousand years” events in practice, so unless he is Methuselah then the “once in a thousand years” bit is nonsense.

I'd say your great craic in the pub.

 

[westernman]

The once in a thousand years and once in a 100 years etc, are assessments which insurance companies do to assess what your premium should be.
I think this is particularly used in areas which have a lot of earth quakes.

There are of course some areas in France, such as Sommieres near here, which are regularly flooded. But the floods this winter throughout France were very much unusual in their frequency, the number of them, and there violence. Many of them in areas which had not been flooded since records began.

In in my area, the weather has been simply shit this winter. In rained almost non-stop for two months, with a continuously grey sky and little sun.
Normally in winter, we have little rain, lots of sun and almost no grey days.

Very very unusual. It has not happened before in living memory. Once in a hundred or in a thousand years - who knows.

But today is mild, the sun is shining, the sky is blue. There is a faint breeze.
I.e. back to normal.