Milford Haven to Waterford

[Allan]

This weekend I am planning to cross from Milford Haven to Waterford. Having looked at the tides I can't decide on a good time to leave. Is there any conventional wisdom of good and bad times to make the trip?
Allan

 

[DogWatch]

I have done it the other way, so can only give some thoughts I learnt about Waterford. The MH part was pretty simple and as your home port you will know far me than I about local info.

The current on the river to Waterford ebbs and flows at a fair old lick, I got it wrong when we entered and it took us a silly amount of time to get up to the visitors pontoon at Waterford, the last part in the 'pitch' dark.

Looking back I took a big risk as I went up in the dark on my plotter, I couldn't see the banks of the river. It was around this time of year too, nights drawing in. In hindsight I should have anchored (moored) at Dunmore East and travelled the river the following morning. The trouble was, we were sailing and making good way, but as we reached the chain ferry on the corner the wind was sheltered and we were under engine alone, we are not so fast under engine, I had the wrong props fitted at that time too.

Another thing that caught me out, maybe I was tired... There is a small set of moorings a few miles up river with a well marked green and red buoy on the entrance, I followed it thinking this was a channel marked on the way to Waterford, daft I know, but I remember it was not a difficult assumption to make. This led me on to submerged pipe outflows, marked with poles, I had to make a quick turn and get out o there smartish. This did not help with getting to Waterford before dark either.

Waterford itself, we ferry glided onto a raft with a local (empty) yacht, there are apparently always local yachts on the visitors pontoon, that's how they do it, not a problem. There are no facilities for the yachts at Waterford, they were promised; so things might have changed. Showers are available at the local hotel (in sight of the pontoons) but they are communal (for the swimming pool) and have those horrible push button get a few seconds of water type affairs. Not great after a long passage. I think we had to pay extra for these too. There is no convenient way to buy fuel in Waterford, but you can get it in Dunmore East (though this was green diesel, I suppose a garage trip is now pretty simple).

When I left I asked the chap who I was rafted to when is a good time to leave bearing in mind the daft current, local custom is to leave an hour before HW. The pilot was not very clear on this.

I used the Irish Sailing Club pilot, a little expensive but a good book in most respects.

Have a good trip...

 

[Allan]

Many thanks for your help. Milford Haven is not my home port, although I know a little more about that end than I do about Waterford. My main question was timing of the passage. I have seen that the tidal flow seems to be accross my route, so I am considering aiming to be half way at low water.
Allan

 

[PembrokeshirePromise]

I think Dog Watch has it right really - worry about timings best you can for the Waterford end and the approach - Milford is easy at any state of the tide.

Generally when crossing almost anywhere from Milford it seems to take about 12 hours (i.e. to Kilmore Quay) so basically you'll get 6hrs of North and 6 hrs of South going tide - so in the global scheme of things not overly important.

I've not actually been into Waterford - so can't help with that end. Its always nice to get a shove on your way going out of Milford - but if times dictate otherwise its a shortish stretch until you are clear of the haven. I'd also try and make sure that I didn't go between Skomer and Skokholm (broad sound) with too foul a tide - but if there again the W end of broad sound can be a bit bumpy with wind against tide - so I'd try and avoid that too (you can always go S of Skokholm - slightly longer - but avoids broad sound and the messy bits till clear of the islands)

Once clear of the islands things normally settle down a bit to whatever you're getting for the crossing

Have a good trip

 

[MarkJohnson12345]

I have done Dale to Kilmore Quay a couple of times.

60 nm I think. Its a days sail, best done in the day. Waterford is of course a few more miles.

So I think the tides just about cancel each other out. You do get a taken up the channel quite some distance.

I came back from Waterford in a f7 once..., my main concern was staying well clear of the Smalls. I aimed 5 miles south, but as I got there the tide taking me south anyway. I think I left Waterford at 6am, and did not arrive in Dale until early in the morning the next day. The Irish Ferry was fun, in the dark.

Good luck

 

[Heckler]

This weekend I am planning to cross from Milford Haven to Waterford. Having looked at the tides I can't decide on a good time to leave. Is there any conventional wisdom of good and bad times to make the trip?
Allan

For what its worth, I found out that the tides really sweep from Kilmore to Tusker, so if you get it wrong you will be pushing a hefty tide. Going from Kilmore to Pwllheli we left on high tide and were pushed all the way around tusker and half way up the irish sea. You need to make sure you go to waterford with the tide, when it changes you will be hard pushed to make way against it. and a s Jools says, v difficult in the dark. You can cut close inshore toward kilmore but make sure you go thru the "gate" to make sure you keep away from the lumps off kilmore.
Stu

 

[Richard10002]

Sounds to me like it's worth doing Milford to Dunmore in one daylight leg, then after a day, (or a few days), in Dunmore, head up the river to Waterford with much more control over your time of arrival at the entrance....

Spent a few very nice days in Dunmore some years ago.

Are you in a rush to get to Waterford, or is it a holiday or delivery?

 

[MoodySabre]

I have done Milford to Kilmore and then Kilmore to Waterford. Heading down the coast there were lots of fishing nets, some quite long, and a close watch and weaving round them was required. This may not be such a problem going direct to Waterford but I would want to get there not just to have the tide up the river but to do all that in daylight. Leaving the Haven in the dark (from Dale) seemed quite straightforward.

The electronic fob for the pontoon gate was obtained at the Town Hall which is a little walk away. The showers in the hotel were communal but better than the showers in some grotty marinas.

 

[kds]

M H to Waterford.

As above - you can't miss buccking the tide for some hours - on my 23ft. waterline I took over 12 hours. The tides to avoid are;
Any N or S which would set you onto the Smalls.
The Easterly flow along South Irish coast on approach to Dunmore.
Do not try to fight the tide up to Waterford - I tied up against a fishing boat overnight.
Waterford now has a good system for gate entry - by mobile phone - and it works.
I left MH at dusk and sailed overnight, giving me loads of light and no pressure for the approach to Ireland. Watch for loads of fishin boats at South end of TSS. SCARY !! Good luck.
ken