Leaving Porthcawl 3 hours after high water

[Jobs a good un]

Hi All

Bringing a Sadler 26 from Porthcawl to Cardiff midway between springs & neaps 3 hours after high water , planning to go outside the Nash passage so will be against tide for a couple of hours . My question is how much tide will be against me for last couple of hours before LW , the chart seems to say between 2-3 knts reducing to 1-2 knts in last hour before LW ?
Are there any locals who can give me heads up on this ?
Regards

Mark

 

[graham]

Not local to Porthcawl but been inside and outside the Nash Sands many times. The tidal streams you mentioned seem about right.

In a fresh wind over tide situation Nash point can be a nasty place . You will have plenty of time to give it a wide berth if in doubt.

 

[Jobs a good un]

Hi Graham
Just wondering about Nash passage at LW , we have to leave Porthcawl 3 hours after HW so could arrive at Nash point at LW ,on a tide heading towards neaps ?
It would save going right out round Nash and surely Nash sand would provide some protection from the SW rollers ?
Not done this passage before so keen to hear from people who know it

 

[graham]

Nash Passage is fine at lw neaps so long as you keep in the channel. As you say you will get some protection from the Sand bar itself. Its the bit to the east of Nash Point that can get nasty but if you get there close to or just after LW with a westerly wind it will be wind and tide going in roughly the same direction so not a problem.

Going up through the Nash Passage is fine but at the top end its quite narrow with rocks to port and the sand bar to stbd not a great place to be in bad weather. Go on a gentle day and its easy and will save you a few miles.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Hi Graham
Just wondering about Nash passage at LW , we have to leave Porthcawl 3 hours after HW so could arrive at Nash point at LW ,on a tide heading towards neaps ?
It would save going right out round Nash and surely Nash sand would provide some protection from the SW rollers ?
Not done this passage before so keen to hear from people who know it

Been through Nash Passage several times at fairly low water neaps. It does not dry, is fairly wide with the west going exit point very well marked by the East Nash but exit can have unpleasant waves in bad weather. Nash sands gives lots of shelter and one can see the banks rolling about a cable to starboard as one goes through.