Lymington to Cardiff

[chockswahay]

I have just bought a new (to me) boat in Lymington and need to sail her to Cardiff in August. Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations on the route and places to visit/avoid ?

The boat is 44 ft long and draws 6 ft, we are ex dinghy sailors (with day skipper) but have not sailed these waters before. We intend to take 3 to 4 weeks (holiday) to complete the trip and I have bought the relevant pilot books etc.

As the boat is quite long I am keen to anchor when possible (marina charges!) however I am naturally concerned about tides and shelter.

Any pearls of wisdom, thoughts, comments, advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Chox


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[Sunnyseeker]

If your planning on day sails then you'll have to cough up for some space somewhere, but with a new boat its nice to be able to get ashore and celebrate the first trips. We picked bought our boat from Lymington (40') two years ago, myself and girl friend. Day trip to Weymouth, Swanage or Lulworth cove (definately dont go in the marina the wall is fine and sociable), day trip to Dartmouth visitors pontoon on left easy access, close to pub. Nice anchorage in Plymouth Sound Kingsand, then Falmouth (or overnight at Fowey because its lovely but you have to pay, harbour masters very helpful) Falmouth Harbour has a few anchorages that are good, off the town or in the northern part, if the weather turns bad the creeks are good and have visitors buoys. Then if the weathers good the scillies, then your ready for an over nighter to Wales.
If you havn't sailed near tidal races like Portland and even St Albans in windy weather, read the pilotage notes carefully. They can be rough to the point of being dangerous even for a 44'
Have a lovely trip.
Neil

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[dralex]

Buy a copy of YM West Country Cruising Guide to give you more information. It's a good book and gives you passage planning advice and info about the signifcant races from The Ex west. Alternatively, Tom Cunliffes Channel Pilot is pretty good, but does stuff a lot of information into a pretty small space. You're probably better off sticking with the deep water ports ( ie not Exmouth,Salcombe and The Yealm) -they're very nice, but there is potential to get stuck there in the wrong weather. Keep a really good lookout for crabpot buoys, especially anywhere there is a strong tide running as they can be difficult to spot.

Have you had a yacht before. If not, it's worth going over everthing with a fine tooth comb before you set out, especially before doing a longer leg. It's amazing waht you find!.

Sounds like a fun trip. Enjoy it.

Alex

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[john_morris_uk]

If you time your passage round Lands End correctly you can carry the ebb down the channel and the flood up the north cornish coast. The tidal stream rotates round Lands end and a quick study of the tidal stream atlas will show you what I mean.

Note that once you are past Penzance/Newlyn going West and then North you are pretty exposed. There are not so many all weather anchorages/harbours on the North coast.

Notwithstanding this, I have done the trip (and onwards to Gloucester) many times and given reasonable weather always enjoyed it.

By the way, it would have to be pretty bad weather to get you stuck in the Yealm - it might be a bit tight for you as a first timer in a 44 footer, but its a lovely place and its (reasonably) deep water!

Have fun!

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by john_morris_uk on 23/07/2004 09:29 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Sunnyseeker]

But you'd miss the Scillies!

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[dralex]

OK - I agree about the Yealm. It is pretty tight up ther though and the ebb tide can make things interesting.

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[StugeronSteve]

As the Yealm is on my summer wish list I would be pleased to hear of the particular difficulties associated with the ebb tide. Any tips on best times to arrive, for both mooring space and tidal problems would be appreciated.

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I might draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[Will]

I wouldn't worry about the Yealm too much. Although the tide can run strongly, there is plenty of space to spin a fin keeler round. Of the 2 visitors pontoons, the northernmost is easier to come alongside as the stream runs fore and aft by it. Alternatively there are plenty of visitor moorings, but if visiting in the silly season, ie between now and the end of August, you will be rafted.

Once in the river the shelter is good, but don't try and enter in a fresh to strong southwesterly, particularly with an ebb tide. Wembury Bay is relatively shallow so kicks up a bit of a chop, and it's daft to put yourself through unnecessary discomfort when Plymouth is so close. (In a SW gale, it's still perfectly viable to anchor off Cawsand.)

To be on the safe side, wait until and hour and a half after LW as well, particularly in springs or when there's a swell running. The bar is well marked, but don't make the mistake of turning to port too early once you're round it, and letting the ebb push you back onto the sand.

Hope this isn't teaching granny to suck eggs etc.

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[StugeronSteve]

"Hope this isn't teaching granny to suck eggs etc. "

Not at all, cheers.

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I might draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[dralex]

I think Will says it all. It is beautiful there and is worth a trip up river in the dinghy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Jeremy_W]

From Falmouth (or the isles of Scilly) it'll be non-stop to Cardiff. They'll be nowhere else to stop without a very long detour (e.g. Swansea) or tide-restricted access (North Cornish coast).

So look for a 48-hour weather window and make sure you've enough crew who (a) can slot comfortably into sleeping in 4-hour chunks and (b) are at ease sailing at night.

Enjoy! I loved all the times of rounded Lands End.

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[Guest]

Newton Ferrers is one of the most magical of places. As said elsewhere there is nothing particularly difficult about entry if you follow the pilot well although the tide does flow across the lower visitors pontoon with some gusto. The density of moored boats seemed to me to have increased this year??

Some other equally nice places to consider are Fishcombe Cove just off Brixham, Dittisham further up on the Dart; in my view even prettier and more mysterious than Newton Ferrers and further west Fowey (my favourite) then St Just, and of course the Helford River.

Having just returned to the solent from my yearly three weeks west I miss it and wonder why I bothered to come back.

Have lots of fun!

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[alant]

From Lymington to Lands End is relatively easy (weather permitting), since there are many places to get shelter & anchor if required. However, once around the corner you are without many place to call into. The tidal range prohibits easy access & there are but a few marinas - all with locks - Padstow (this has fuel available outside the marina) & Watchet, so you will need to pick your weather window carefully.


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[snooks]

Suggestions

Suggestions:

Lymington - Lulworth Cove or Weymouth (or to Poole if you want to break the boat in slowly, anchor off green Island with the rest of Dorset
Lulworth Cove or Weymouth - Dartmouth (Water + Fuel)
Get the tide round Portland Bill but read the almanac/west country cruising first)
Dartmouth - Newton Ferris
(drink and be merry, but watch out for the bar at the entrance..sand bar, not public
Newton Ferris - Fowey (Water + Fuel)
Will cost you to moor, but it's a great town if you're feeling flush eat at food for though, costly but worth it)
Fowey - Falmouth (upper reaches)(or Restonguet Creek)
Pick up a mooring in Restonguet creek and head for the Pandora inn...or up the Fal to the Smuggles at Trevose) Then head to Falmouth and water/wate for tide/wind to get round the Lizard and across mounts bay
Falmouth - Newlyn or Penzance (Water + Fuel)
Lock into penzance or head round the west side of the quay at Newlyn, Catch the tide to Padstow or Scillies
Newlyn - Scillies (St Mary's)
Anchor in Porth Cressa or you could just go round the top to Tresco
St Mary's - Tresco (New Grimsby)
Get the freshly made buns fron the shop nr Hangmans Island
Tresco - Padstow (arrive 2hr before HW to lock in) (Fuel and Water)
Have a pasty from Choughs by the quay and explore Padstien
Padstow - Milford Haven/Swansea/Cardiff

Depending on how you're doing for time you can go to Milford Have and up the river to Lawrenny Quay, under the big bridge, very quite and piecefull or just go into Nayland Marina before getting to Swansea then cardiff or just head straight for Cardiff

Enjoy

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[Col-it-is]

Only thing to perhaps add to earlier replies is that I believe the local understanding in the Yealm is that if a local mooring doesn't have either a tender or a note on it, the owner is not returning that night and so is available to treat as visitors mooring - with payment to Harbourmaster at defined rate.
Also both times I've been in recently I've found it impossible to raise water taxi on VHF - but have had joy on mobile.

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[graham]

As has been said safe havens after lands end are well spaced so wait for reasonable weather.

For the final leg of the journey try to arrive at Ilfracombe for high water ,anchor off in the "Range" .

Leave Ilfracombe just before Low water then you get 7 hours of strong flood tide to push you up to Cardiff.



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[whisper]

Don't overestimate the access problems at Salcombe. There really aren't any unless there are strong S'lies blowing over an ebb tide. You can anchor opposite the town or pick up one of the many vis. buoys. Very busy at weekends though.

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[NigeCh]

Not quite true .....

If the tide's right you can cross Doom Bar and anchor in the Pool off Padstow .... or you can anchor in the Roads off Lundy or go to Hartland Quay or Clovelly or put into Ilfracombe .... or Watermouth or Lynmouth or Watchet ....

Or you could take a detour and go north via Dale etc ....





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[Nickel]

I've always thought that the reason Granny is a good egg sucker, is because she was told how to do it so many times in her youth.

Better a surfeit of knowledge than a lack!

<hr width=100% size=1>Nickel

Being paranoid simply means - having all the facts.

 

[jonjo]

Re: Erm Bay

You sound like a local...

I was looking for some navigation information on Erm Bay the other day but it did not pop up on any internet search. I vaguely recall the bay lies about 5 miles east of the Yealm and can accommodate a couple of yachts at anchor.

Is it still a viable fair weather anchorage?

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