Leaving the Gironde

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Siosarnoir

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Best time to leave the Gironde? On August 19th this year we left Royan (passe de l' Ouest) at about half tide on the ebb. The seas at the last two or three buoys were awful with lots of breaking waves . The wind was light , in fact similar to previous easy exits. Any suggestions? <span style="color:white"> </span>
 
no experience of that area, tho half tide will be maximum current won't it? Says in my almanac "a combination of swell, strong westrlies, and an ebb tide will raise dangerous breaking seas to 5m" erk. So going at slack water possibly a better idea.
 
Watch the coefficient(tide) if it is say much over 120 and you get carried downsteam rapidly, any wind coming upstream gets amplified, and the total effect is that of a washing machine, often with trees and debris to boot!Our engine stalled three times due to fouling branches, but restarted back to idle each time just to give steerage way as before. Port Bloc on the western inside tip of the MEDOC beyond Verdun port is a useful stopover, good folk there will accomodate you if there is a berth free in the Circle due Voile or whatever is the name of the club.You can then actually walk to the CROSS coastguard tower and they, in my experience anyway, were really helpful,Ask for Serge, and if you are a radio amateur he is really interested in this hobby.Anyway you can see out from their ops room over the estuary and use the bins and the radar, and get a bunch of good advice about the wisest thing to do.An effort at the language will be appreciated.
 
Were you in the main channel? IIRC it is dredged to 13 m or so, and so should not pose any problem except in the heaviest of weather.

Some pilots talk of a short-cut for small vessels going North. They recommend leaving the main channel shortly after passing buoy no. 6 and taking a NW course for some 3 or 4 miles. That side channel should only be used in the calmest conditions. I would strongly recommend ALWAYS going out past the no. 2 buoy before turning northwards.

I have been through the main channel, starting from a point about 1 mile W of buoy 2, with a 2.5 to 3 m swell coming in and the tide falling, without experiencing any problems. The breakers on Banc du Matelier on both sides of the channel were impressive, but never a danger to our passage.

Could you give more details about your precise route, sea state in open waters, winds experienced, etc??
 
I have had the same experience coming in and out of that channel and would never take the short cut... far too lumpy! I go to the end of the buoyed channel. I think the best time is as close to HW or LW at Royan as you can make it.. When the tide is at its slackest....

My guess is that on the mid flood tide you have got the river estuary water running out and nearer to the surface the tidal flow running in - and both 'hitting' the sand banks so that at the turn of the tide at least it's only the river water and not the tide with it...

Would hate to do it in bad weather!

regards

Michael
 
Had a similar problem entering the Gironde via the Grande Passe in June last year. Started going in at LW but hadn't noticed that the almanac said that the ebb continues for 1.5 hours after LW at springs, which it was. There was no wind, some swell and it was quite lumpy with some white water nearby, so we had a rolly ride in, although it got better as the tide changed. Thought it was strange that the only other boat we saw was the lifeboat.

We left via the Passe du Sud and got advice on when to leave from some guys at the yacht club office, which is near the marina facilities.
 
This was in a 22 footer, I didn't have any significant waves, but there wasn't any significant wind either, so make of it what you will!!

10 Aug 95
07:00 Left Royan for La Rochelle
HW Royan 05:36
Wind NE2 going to E3
Passage Time 8 hrs 45

31 Aug 98
11:05 Left Royan for La Rochelle
HW Royan 12:20
Wind SE3 going to SW2
Passage Time 10 hrs
 
Jim hi,

cannot remember accurately except very little wind - motor sailing out - left late so it was half way through the tide - middle... the buoyed channel had some broken water, the 'bar' was covered in white water... Customs cutter was patrolling and rolling.... Really have did not bother to log it all as it was just uncomfortable not dangerous - in the buoyed channel.

Michael
 
Boat: 28 ft First 285

1995, 15 Aug:
10:15 depart Royan for La Rochelle
Wind N3 to N4, later NNW2 decreasing
Passage time: 14 hours, all under sail.

1995, 23 Aug:
1045 depart La Rochelle for Royan via St Denis d'Oleron
Wind NW2 increasing beyond Chassiron to NW4 later 6 with gusts to 32 knots
Passage time: 13 hours, all under sail.

Conditions outside No. 2 buoy: 2-2.5 m wave height.
Conditions in channel: Not remarkable. Sheltered from NW swell by the sandbanks to the north.


2001, 8 Aug:
Arrived at No. 1 buoy: 15:15, from Bilbao.
Wind W5, with W6 at times. Improving. Squalls all morning with heavy rain.
Conditions outside buoy: swell from the West about 2 to 3 m.
Conditions in channel: Swell continued in past buoy 3, decreasing beyond that point. Was followed in by a small coaster (70+ m) that yawed quite a bit on the swell. We kept to s'bd of channel, tight against the buoys, just in case. The coaster didn't risk passing us until after buoy 5 because of the conditions.

No breaking waves anywhere within the channel. Quite some wash entering the channel on the north side from waves breaking on the sandbank on that side.
Waves breaking on the banc de Matelier to the south were also spectacular. Most of the area over towards Cordouan was very disturbed.

Departure on 10 Aug was uneventful. Wind NW2 to 3, increasing later to NNW4 later 5 as we rounded Chassiron. Scooted in to La Rochelle under genoa.
Passage time: 12 hours.

Return: We bypassed Royan.
 
Jim

My log book is on board so I cannot tell you the wind/swell conditions. The wind was light and we were motor sailing. As for Michael, it was uncomfortable not dangerous. Could see how it would be worse in strong wind against tide and on our return from Bilbao we decided to go straight to La Rochelle. Not much further, an easier entrance and a nicer place to visit.

Steve
 
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