Inshore St Albans & Anvil Head?

Frontier

Frontier

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I have another post on here this week- about heading west, however after a bit of engine trouble and now some poor weather setting in I am considering heading east tomorrow. (in Portland right now)

Inshore past St Albans and Anvil Head looks possible on the chart - is it?

any advice appreciated.

D
 
Frontier said:
I have another post on here this week- about heading west, however after a bit of engine trouble and now some poor weather setting in I am considering heading east tomorrow. (in Portland right now)

Inshore past St Albans and Anvil Head looks possible on the chart - is it?

any advice appreciated.

D
Click to expand...

Hi D

Yep, we've always found the inshore passage round there much preferable to going 5m off. You can keep quite tight in without difficulty. From memory the channel pilot advises against the inshore passage when there are onshore gales, but the wind forecast for tomorrow looks ok so you'll be fine. Also the scenery from close in is fab.

Cheers
Jimmy
 
Hi Jimmy,

Thanks for the advice - I'll give it a go. (If I have fixed her that is) We dropped off the plane just outside Portland when we arrived, have changed the fuel filters today but not had a chance to check as its been foggy.

Thanks again

D
 
Frontier said:
Hi Jimmy,

Thanks for the advice - I'll give it a go. (If I have fixed her that is) We dropped off the plane just outside Portland when we arrived, have changed the fuel filters today but not had a chance to check as its been foggy.

Thanks again

D
Click to expand...

You might also need to check if the range is active, they'll shoo you off a mile or two if it is; otherwise if you're generally taking the inshore route you should poke your nose into Lulworth Cove on your way past, if you haven't done that before.

Cheers
Jimmy
 
Inshore coming East from Portland

Lulworth firing Range
Ignore the safety vessel trying to send you 5 miles out to sea - just inform him you are proceeding at maximum speed and stay inshore.

St Albans Head has a narrow 200yard inshore passage between headland and the Race which extends up to 3 miles offshore. It may be subject to some disturbance, particularly after prolonged onshore winds but best water is always close to the headland. Note the early tidal turn giving an extra hour or two of fair stream when going eastwards.

Anvil point - no dangers
Peveril Ledges and Race extend 1/2 mile to seaward (red can buoy), even further in bad weather.
Any help?
TP
 
Never found St Albans much of a problem, seem to remember turning away from it once, but only for a mile or two.

The Range. Yep remember getting there in the fog. On Radar. Boat forever in front, whatever I did. Managed to sneek round him eventually. Boat at tuther end was a bit gob smacked when I asked if it was ok to carry on.!!
 
Lulworth firing Ranges

[QUOTE You might also need to check if the range is active, they'll shoo you off a mile or two if it is QUOTE]

They will TRY to shoo you some 5 miles to seaward because firing has to be stopped while you pass through the area BUT it is our right to maintain an inshore course at maximum speed. Communicate with a Range Patrol launch if you are accosted (they tend to lurk in Chapman's Poole) on VHF Ch 08.
This battle was fought and won many years ago by Des Sleightholme, Editor of Yachting Monthly and I have never had a problem.
 
Rough water on the east going tide extends from St Albans towards Anvil, stay close in to avoid it, close meaning 50-100m off the head itself. The tide turns inshore up to 2hrs before offshore so close inshore you need to remember this if only because of wind against tide considerations. As Yotties we always use the inshore route & going west from Poole you can use the back eddy mentioned to get to St Albans at slack water turning west, giving 6 more hours of west going to get out past Portland Bill and well into Lyme Bay. Not sure if the inshore route is a short cut or a mild detour going to/from the Solent though when it is as easy to stay out as dodge the pots and dive boats inshore.
 
Both headlands can be pretty nasty, but its not a big detour south to avoid the worst. You ll know before you get there anyway,just by the general sea state and the tide.
Actually, I d disagree with Jimmy- give Lulworth a miss and go to Warbarrow Bay(is that how its spelt?), tuck in the west corner, and walk up the hill. Lovely quiet spot; Lulworth is more like a marina every time I ve been there ;)
Just watch the rocks extending seawards as you come in from the west.
 
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