North Cornwall, landsend and up channel in easterlies?

[steve yates]

Looking for advice from those with more experience than I. Looks like my fuel tank will be in and JoJo ready to leave ,ilford haven for Essex next Tuesday.
Forecast is basically easterly winds, between 4& 6 but with a westerly swell, around 2m.

My original idea was a a straight run down from mh to newlyn, now wondering if a westerly swell and easterly wind out at sea will be very rolly and uncomfortable. Given the wind direction it occurs to me to head towards Lundy, a year anchor there? then head in towards the coast, would it be more she.tered cloeser to the land then? And the heading down the coast towards landsend should put the wind on my quarter at best, a close reach at worst? Does that sound logical?
if anchoring at Lundy is it better to be w coast sheltered from wind or e coast sheltered from swell?
Also, given it's an easterly, if going into padstow and it was windy, does that make the entrance safer? Or to be avoided as it would be against a westerly swell? Would best entrance be after hw so it's not wind over tide?
And again, would st Ives be a tenable anchorage in easterlies, giving me a close departure to time it for lands end?

Lands end itself, if I take the tide round it will be wind over tide, will it be easier or worse going round close in or we'll out?

Lastly, any tips for heading up channel in easterlies? Given I usually want the tide with me, there will be a lot of wind over tide, am I better farther out cutting across from headland to headland? Or is it better following the coast round the bays?

I'm guessing it won't last long till the sw'lys kick back in, but so far the high is showing as staying around till at least start of next weekend, it could drift around for a while longer.

Thanks.

 

[sarabande]

Wait in Milford Haven till you can get dreckly round Land's End in decent conditions, i.e. not wind against tide. And with good clearance from the rocky bits; the last thing you want all round the Cornish coast is a lee shore in winter.

Then hop from port to port Up Channel when you get a fair wind. Tacking up toward Dover is really hard work, especially solo in short daylight.



That forecast does not look prudent; sorry. I have no doubt that the trip has been done in winter in the past, but whether it should be done now in still short daylight hours raises questions.

 

[ip485]

Coming up channel in Easterlies its inevitably better to get out into it. That way you avoid all the tidal races, are much more likely to have a comfortable passage and almost no navigation. I have come all the way up from Salcombe with just a 24 hour passage remaining south of a line to St Catherines Point, and then direct from there, obvioulsy offshore of SCP by a few miles as well.

Obviously boat and experience will determine suitable weather up to a F6 is going to be fine and comfortable, above that definitely a lot more wet, cold and more work, but as we know gentlemen always run or reach with the wind for a reason.

 

[steve yates]

I wont be out above f6 if I can help it, the wind chill will be drastic!

 

[Bru]

Leave it until later in the year when I'm heading down channel. Then you'll be guaranteed a fair wind

 

[jwilson]

The only anchorage on the west of Lundy is the pretty small (and usually empty) Jennys Cove, and you don't want much of a westerly swell if anchored there. I'd aim for a straight Milford-Newlyn run.

 

[steve yates]

I didn't think that would be very comfortable, ok. I might go mh padstow, only because I really fancy visiting it, and it will be much better without the tourists than if I go some other time. I'm also not sure I can get my timings right for lands end over such a time/distance?

 

[steve yates]

Leave it until later in the year when I'm heading down channel. Then you'll be guaranteed a fair wind

cant you just come down next week? then I'll be sorted.

 

[Ingwe]

Even if you are not intending to go in there as it is the main safe harbour on that coast I would check with Padstow Harbour to see if it is possible to go in there at present - I was up there at the weekend and they look to be doing major maintenance on the lock gates and had let the inner harbour pretty much dry out.

 

[SteveSarabande]

Padstow is closed, gate maintenance until 19 March

https://www.padstow-harbour.co.uk/ntm-13-2017-works-to-tidal-gate.pdf

 

[Yellow Ballad]

I've not been myself but I've been told to avoid Lundy when there's any East in the wind.

Winter F6 WOT doesn't sound great to me, are you solo or taking crew?

 

[macd]

Padstow is closed, gate maintenance until 19 March

That's perhaps the best port of refuge out of the equation. I'd be seriously re-thinking my strategy, especially if short-handed.

 

[SteveSarabande]

I would wait in my for good weather. Easterlies are pretty good to get around lands end, head for Newlyn.

The weather this week is so changeable, I am in Brighton waiting to go to Cardiff

 

[LittleSister]

I am in Brighton waiting to go to Cardiff

Couldn't the two of you just swap boats?

 

[steve yates]

I've not been myself but I've been told to avoid Lundy when there's any East in the wind.

Winter F6 WOT doesn't sound great to me, are you solo or taking crew?

My mate is coming for this bit tom, so two up. He normally only cooks and fixes stuff when he comes, but he'll have to do some watches and steer on this trip. Time he learned

 

[steve yates]

I would wait in my for good weather. Easterlies are pretty good to get around lands end, head for Newlyn.

The weather this week is so changeable, I am in Brighton waiting to go to Cardiff

We'll look out for you won't leave till wed at earliest, tank installation should be done by Monday, but keeping a day in hand in case of any problems. Then first chance from wed onwards that looks doable, depending on tuesdays forecast.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

My mate is coming for this bit tom, so two up. He normally only cooks and fixes stuff when he comes, but he'll have to do some watches and steer on this trip. Time he learned

In that case, if your both game and the boat is sorted I would say there's no real reason not to but I'm guessing it'll be all or nothing with Padstow out.

Looking at Windy.com Tuesday is looking like a nice Northerly now, Wednesday looks light so might actually work out well.

A mate did the same journey last year in light SW winds and said going across the BC to Padstow was like a washing machine so I imagine this will be the toughest bit. If the tides allow (which Tuesday evening it would) there's always Ilfracombe to duck into and although the wind decreases it's still from the North so might not be ideal but would at least let you rest.

Looks like there's better wind at the end of the week though which should push you along the South coast but as always this can and probably will change.

Good luck, but you've sailed in worse I'm sure.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Lundy is a nightmare unless its due westerly as you don't really want to be in Jennys cove on east. Padstow outer harbour could enable you to dry out against wall or you can anchor just outside Doombar by the fishing boats but not wonderful and you need to know where you are. St Ives bay is exposed in easterly with only limited shelter from Godrevy though Hayle might be ok if you get there at highish tide and can navigate the entrance.

However a good easterly should get you clear from Milford to Landsend in one push and in reasonable visibility and reasonable seas you can perhaps sneak through the tidal gates at Landsend by going right inside. I would concur that Ilfracombe, Lundy to Padstow is a washing machine so pleasant to avoid it, the bigger seas further out seem easier. F6 doesn't sound much fun for such a long trip however and an easterly would be right on your nose as you go up the English Channel.

 

[[3889]]

I've not been myself but I've been told to avoid Lundy when there's any East in the wind.

I've learned the hard way that this is correct. Padstow offers good shelter without the harbour. Anchor immediately N of the preferred channel marker (to avoid abandoned chains) though this time of year I'd expect to find a vacant buoy for an overnight stop. The ferry will divert to act as a water taxi if you don't fancy faffing with the dinghy, but it finishes early in winter - 5pm?

 

[C08]

The only anchorage on the west of Lundy is the pretty small (and usually empty) Jennys Cove, and you don't want much of a westerly swell if anchored there. I'd aim for a straight Milford-Newlyn run.

When I anchored in a strong easterly in JC it seemed very deep until uncomfortably close in to the the rocks. The next morning it was of course blowing a westerly and I was even closer to the cliffs (15M) and it was not easy to get off from there. I wish I had accepted a bit of a roly night and gone into the bay on the east and picked up a buoy for the night.