Lizard and Isles of Scilly Advice

[derekgillard]

We are currently in Falmouth considering making for Scilly.

Thinking of leaving Helford on Tuesday and plan to round Lizard 3 hours before HW Dover which make it around 13.18 BST if we arrive around slack water how far out do you feel we should go? Current wind forecast is WSW max 14 mph so we may have some wind over tide..

We have no intention in arriving in Scilly in the dark and not sure with such a late departure we would make it so plan is to overnight in Newlyn.

Any advice or comments is appreciated.

Derek

 

[RobF]

We are currently in Falmouth considering making for Scilly.

Thinking of leaving Helford on Tuesday and plan to round Lizard 3 hours before HW Dover which make it around 13.18 BST if we arrive around slack water how far out do you feel we should go? Current wind forecast is WSW max 14 mph so we may have some wind over tide..

We have no intention in arriving in Scilly in the dark and not sure with such a late departure we would make it so plan is to overnight in Newlyn.

Any advice or comments is appreciated.

Derek

I've just done this trip. I gave the Lizard a clearance of about 2NM. It was still pretty bumpy but the roughness was fairly short lived (about 2 hours). I've done a quick check and concur with your timings.
Newlyn was great and the harbour master was very helpful (came out to show me the berth).

I endorse your thinking about arriving at Scilly daylight. When I went, it pretty foggy which meant I couldn't see the transit going into New Grimsby Sound, but was able to do this via COG of 157degTrue against Hangman Island. The mooring buoys in New Grimsby were all occupied - so you will definitely want to think of a couple of anchoring options once you're there.

My boat is now safely back at Hayling Island!

 

[[3889]]

We are currently in Falmouth considering making for Scilly.

Thinking of leaving Helford on Tuesday and plan to round Lizard 3 hours before HW Dover which make it around 13.18 BST if we arrive around slack water how far out do you feel we should go? Current wind forecast is WSW max 14 mph so we may have some wind over tide..

We have no intention in arriving in Scilly in the dark and not sure with such a late departure we would make it so plan is to overnight in Newlyn.

Any advice or comments is appreciated.

Derek

Me, I'd sail around the Lizard, go to Newlyn, have a late lunch in Mackerel Sky then a couple of pints in pubs which take your fancy. Next day I'd sail to the Scillies.
As with many notorious passages from the Bill to Pentland Firth, nothing extraordinary happens unless the weather is foul. The forecast suggests benign conditions plus Tuesday = neaps so sail and enjoy.

 

[jdc]

Your departure timing is about right, but personally I use HW Falmouth as the guide (it happens to be almost exactly 6 hrs adrift from Dover 'tho so it doesn't really matter). The tide flows W from HW Falmouth + 3 to HW Falmouth -3, so actually quite a wide 'window'. It's good to arrive at Hats around HW if you plan to go on to New or Old Grimsby, or to St Helen's Pool. HW Scilly is only about 20 mins in advance of Falmouth (hence the mental arithmetic is easier if one sticks to Falmouth tide times).

I concur that it's not good to arrive at Scilly in the dark. Pass a bit less than 2 miles off Lizard is fine, the overfalls are really nothing to worry about in only F3 - 4. I've made this trip scores of times.

It's 42 miles from Lizard to Hats buoy / Crow bar. If tacking all the way expect it to take 12 hrs or more, if a nice reach then 6 hrs. Personally, at this time of year, with WSW forecast, I'd leave Falmouth around 4pm and sail to near the Lizard, for instance Church Cove, and anchor. It's only 18 miles so you'll be there in daylight and in time for supper and an early-ish bed. You will have tide and near favourable winds all the way.

Set the alarm for first light, and leave Church Cove at around 04:30. That's at peak favourable tide which will sweep you past the Lizard in no time flat. You then have ~20 hours of daylight which should be more than enough as it'll probably take you 10 - 12 hrs which means arrival mid afternoon and so at near HW - perfect.

Newlyn is way off the direct path. II sometimes anchor off Mousehole, but never Newlyn when en-route to Scilly. But better, if a pub is absolutely essential, is to stop at Cadgewith for a pint before anchoring at Church Cove.

 

[Scillypete]

Your departure timing is about right, but personally I use HW Falmouth as the guide (it happens to be almost exactly 6 hrs adrift from Dover 'tho so it doesn't really matter). The tide flows W from HW Falmouth + 3 to HW Falmouth -3, so actually quite a wide 'window'. It's good to arrive at Hats around HW if you plan to go on to New or Old Grimsby, or to St Helen's Pool. HW Scilly is only about 20 mins in advance of Falmouth (hence the mental arithmetic is easier if one sticks to Falmouth tide times).

I concur that it's not good to arrive at Scilly in the dark. Pass a bit less than 2 miles off Lizard is fine, the overfalls are really nothing to worry about in only F3 - 4. I've made this trip scores of times.

It's 42 miles from Lizard to Hats buoy / Crow bar. If tacking all the way expect it to take 12 hrs or more, if a nice reach then 6 hrs. Personally, at this time of year, with WSW forecast, I'd leave Falmouth around 4pm and sail to near the Lizard, for instance Church Cove, and anchor. It's only 18 miles so you'll be there in daylight and in time for supper and an early-ish bed. You will have tide and near favourable winds all the way.

Set the alarm for first light, and leave Church Cove at around 04:30. That's at peak favourable tide which will sweep you past the Lizard in no time flat. You then have ~20 hours of daylight which should be more than enough as it'll probably take you 10 - 12 hrs which means arrival mid afternoon and so at near HW - perfect.

Newlyn is way off the direct path. II sometimes anchor off Mousehole, but never Newlyn when en-route to Scilly. But better, if a pub is absolutely essential, is to stop at Cadgewith for a pint before anchoring at Church Cove.

All good points but LW in Scilly on Tuesday is 1618 and Wednesday 1718 so likely to be arriving towards low water on a falling tide nowhere near HW.

I completely understand the trepidation regarding a night time arrival although there are a lot more lit buoys and marks than there used to be. Simplest answer to get a daylight arrival from Helford on Tuesday would be to buck the tide and leave early probably before breakfast, go as close as you dare round the Lizard to avoid the worst of the tide, by that I do mean close. In the forecast there is nothing too threatening and you should push through that foul tidal gate quite quickly leaving plenty of time for a daylight arrival in Scilly

 

[jdc]

You're quite right! My mistake - and why I always use Falmouth tides as that way I don't get confused!

 

[gus]

If you have the time I would recommend going over to the Scilly Isles by ferry or plane, then doing the local boat trip out to the Bishops Rock. The sight of so many semi-submerged rocks from the safety of a local boat will temper your ambitions to venture too far without caution. However, lovely place to visit and have a nice trip.

 

[dom]

We are currently in Falmouth considering making for Scilly.

Thinking of leaving Helford on Tuesday and plan to round Lizard 3 hours before HW Dover which make it around 13.18 BST if we arrive around slack water how far out do you feel we should go? Current wind forecast is WSW max 14 mph so we may have some wind over tide..

We have no intention in arriving in Scilly in the dark and not sure with such a late departure we would make it so plan is to overnight in Newlyn.

Any advice or comments is appreciated.

Derek

Hi Derek, Scilly Pete is the expert here, but IMHO people can get too hung up on the tides around the Lizard when there’s little swell and light winds. The max ‘sustained’ tide you are likely to feel around now is c.1.5kts, which pales into insignificance to the wind dir.

If time is not a prob, why not wait until Thu and perhaps kick off from Helford at the crack of dawn (c.0500)? You’ll carry civil twilight from 0430 until just gone 22:00 and the swell will have receded to west of Ireland. The wind is forecast to be in the N 15-22kts with a max predicted wave height of 1.5m; the weather dry and warm.

Don’t want to influence you but, if you’re happy in yourself and the boat, then don’t get freaked out by the ocean. In fact I’d say Go Go Go! Thu looks about perfect to me.

Whatever you do, have fun

 

[ss2016]

I also want Scillies and Lizard advice. Am in the Scillies and just doing return passage plan. What time do people usually advise leaving St Mary's WRT local HW to carry tide as far towards Falmouth as possible?

 

[Goldie]

I also want Scillies and Lizard advice. Am in the Scillies and just doing return passage plan. What time do people usually advise leaving St Mary's WRT local HW to carry tide as far towards Falmouth as possible?

Difficult to judge without knowing your likely boat speed. Tides in Falmouth Bay are fairly weak so I would just ensure that you’re clear of the Lizard with a fair tide and, assuming the tide is still running, stay a couple of miles off.

 

[rib]

Aim to be at lands end when the tide turns in your favour. And get a lift all the way ?

 

[Travelling Westerly]

I also want Scillies and Lizard advice. Am in the Scillies and just doing return passage plan. What time do people usually advise leaving St Mary's WRT local HW to carry tide as far towards Falmouth as possible?

We might be neighbours? Are you on one of the visitors bouys?

 

[ss2016]

Yes, but off Tresco.

 

[TSB240]

See you down there currently with 4 boats from North Wales in Padstein. Fine dining this PM. A short trip to St Ives on Sunday will make arrival at the IOS easier on Monday. Hope to be joined by three more coming direct and looking forward to a friends wedding on the 11th. Glorious easterlies , spinnakers will be used....
It was worth weathering over 45 knots in Fishguard and then going through Ramsey and Jack just after.

The swell has only just started to drop in the Bristol Channel.

Scilly Pete. We have an excellent lead skipper who is very familiar with the Isles and how to enjoy them.
Steve.

Look out the Welsh are coming in force....

 

[Hacker]

See you down there currently with 4 boats from North Wales in Padstein. Fine dining this PM. A short trip to St Ives on Sunday will make arrival at the IOS easier on Monday. Hope to be joined by three more coming direct and looking forward to a friends wedding on the 11th. Glorious easterlies , spinnakers will be used....
It was worth weathering over 45 knots in Fishguard and then going through Ramsey and Jack just after.

The swell has only just started to drop in the Bristol Channel.

Scilly Pete. We have an excellent lead skipper who is very familiar with the Isles and how to enjoy them.
Steve.

Look out the Welsh are coming in force....

Ah you must be with Bethan then. Small world!

 

[TSB240]

Ah you must be with Bethan then. Small world!

Certainly are. We are all leaving for St Ives tomorrow and have been given permission to be in the bay overnight as the G7 conference security is ramping up.
Take care if you don't as you might get a shakedown from black ribs with blacked out marines carrying guns.

 

[Sandy]

Take care if you don't as you might get a shakedown from black ribs with blacked out marines carrying guns.

Quite normal in Plymouth.

 

[Hacker]

Certainly are. We are all leaving for St Ives tomorrow and have been given permission to be in the bay overnight as the G7 conference security is ramping up.
Take care if you don't as you might get a shakedown from black ribs with blacked out marines carrying guns.

Say hello to her from Paul. You could arrange for the marines to kidnap her as a pre-wedding present!

 

[Scillypete]

Take care if you don't as you might get a shakedown from black ribs with blacked out marines carrying guns.

just give them a pack of crayons to chew on and they’ll be very happy ?

 

[Scillypete]

On another note with the lovely easterly breeze today it was no surprise to see many yachts arriving, there were only a couple of spare visitors buoys when I came ashore but heaps of room to anchor outside the harbour