Isles of Scilly Passage Info

[C08]

I have been told that when planning to leave for the IOS, say from Penzance to check the wave height at the Seven Stones Lightship. The advice I was given was to wait for a better day if the wave height at Seven Stones was more than 1 metre-or it could have been 2 metres. Any comments on this advice?

 

[jdc]

I've been to the Scillies many times over 25+ years and never checked the wave height before setting off. There is often a swell, but that doesn't matter. Just check the normal forecast for wind and visibility.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I have been told that when planning to leave for the IOS, say from Penzance to check the wave height at the Seven Stones Lightship. The advice I was given was to wait for a better day if the wave height at Seven Stones was more than 1 metre-or it could have been 2 metres. Any comments on this advice?

I think the size of your boat, crew tolerance to waves, swell direction and boat type may be more important factors.

 

[theotter]

As an aside point...Penzance (inner) is not a good place to depart from for the IOS as the tides do not marry well with the locking out times. Fine if you spend the night outside or better still, use Newlyn.

 

[johnalison]

It's some years since we stopped at Penzance on the way to the Isles of Scilly but I think there are some waiting buoys near the gate that we used to wait for the tide. Sorry, but I haven't got Reeds to hand to check.

 

[LadyInBed]

I've only been there once, to be honest I prefer France!
Left from Falmouth and the only consideration was wind and current direction.
Returned to Penzance and initially anchored as I arrived late, next morning went in and tied up inside the breakwater wall, then when into the inner harbour when the gate opened.

 

[macd]

I think there are some waiting buoys near the gate that we used to wait for the tide.

They were certainly there in August 2011.

 

[philip_stevens]

They were certainly there in August 2011.

They will be there again, as last year, as soon as Neil (HM) gets them laid. 6-10 outside the Lighthouse pier. You sometimes get backwash from the quay.

You are OK leaving from the Wet Dock, leaving for the Scillies, but not for going to Falmouth.

 

[jdc]

...You are OK leaving from the Wet Dock, leaving for the Scillies, but not for going to Falmouth.

I'm not sure I entirely agree. In this part of the channel the stream lags the tide by 3 hours pretty much exactly, ie the tide turns E 3 hrs before HW and W 3 hrs after HW. So if leaving Penzance at HW won't you have a couple of hrs of contrary tide round Tater-Du and the Runnel Stone?

 

[philip_stevens]

I'm not sure I entirely agree. In this part of the channel the stream lags the tide by 3 hours pretty much exactly, ie the tide turns E 3 hrs before HW and W 3 hrs after HW. So if leaving Penzance at HW won't you have a couple of hrs of contrary tide round Tater-Du and the Runnel Stone?

What I meant is that if you have to go into the Wet Dock, you can still leave in reasonable time to get the tide. I've seen quite a few using the Wet Dock, and still leaving for Scilly. The gates open 2hrs before HW.

btw, anyone. If you do use the Wet Dock, and have to lie against the Penzance Marine Engineers (PME) area of the wharf, watch out for the projecting bow-sprit from the old boat alongside the big grey boat, the Vega. A few have been snagged and had rigging damaged.