Mediterranean Currents

[Jeva]

For anybody sailing or planning to sail the Med this year, you may find this interesting.

www.wetube.io/video/visualisation-des-courants-marins-en-mediterranee/

 

[Yngmar]

We used http://www.sea-conditions.com/en/ last year, mostly for the precise wave forecast, which was of great value when choosing anchorages around the western med. It also has detailed currents as well, and a 1 knot current wasn't unusual in places. Up to 24h forecast is free, longer for a small fee. As it worked so well last year, I've just paid €15 for 1 year premium.

 

[Roberto]

This is on a yearly basis

 

[Sea Devil]

We used to frequently overnight along the rhumb line between Gibraltar and Almirmar and there was often a counter current (east to west) of up to 3 knots. Normally lasted only a few hours and was less apparent as we got closer to the coast. It did vary a lot with time and distance offshore.

 

[Roberto]

We used to frequently overnight along the rhumb line between Gibraltar and Almirmar and there was often a counter current (east to west) of up to 3 knots. Normally lasted only a few hours and was less apparent as we got closer to the coast. It did vary a lot with time and distance offshore.

It s called Alboran gyre, it seasonal sometimes there is one, other times two

 

[seanfoster]

For anybody sailing or planning to sail the Med this year, you may find this interesting.

www.wetube.io/video/visualisation-des-courants-marins-en-mediterranee/

That visualisation is mesmerising! Particularly the English Channel towards the end.

 

[RupertW]

It s called Alboran gyre, it seasonal sometimes there is one, other times two

View attachment 77244

And shown so beautifully in that linked animation . New waters to us but as we are planning a single Valencia to Gibraltar hop this Summer it implies we should use the African side which sounds (probably ignorantly) a bit worrying.

 

[Roberto]

And shown so beautifully in that linked animation . New waters to us but as we are planning a single Valencia to Gibraltar hop this Summer it implies we should use the African side which sounds (probably ignorantly) a bit worrying.

Hello Rupert,
there are calmer areas along the coasts, both N and S.
Go to this site,

http://www.puertos.es/es-es/oceanografia/Paginas/portus.aspx

right column, under Predicciones select Corrientes, then zoom in your area, you get his type of model forecast

 

[RupertW]

Hello Rupert,
there are calmer areas along the coasts, both N and S.
Go to this site,

http://www.puertos.es/es-es/oceanografia/Paginas/portus.aspx

right column, under Predicciones select Corrientes, then zoom in your area, you get his type of model forecast

Thanks - that looks promising

 

[KellysEye]

I find that strange because we sailed the whole of the Med from Turkey to Gibraltar and the only current was the in the Gibraltar Straits.

 

[capnsensible]

Should anyone ever be heading east from gib, there is often a cracking favourable current off the Algerian coast. I got two knots off it for two days once......and a short interview by VHF from Algerian coastguard. There is a busy shipping lane along there so we stayed just inside it and found the authorities interested but very polite.