Passage Planning - Swansea to Cardiff

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Anwen

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Going to sit down and do the planning for Friday's trip, and having read the passage information in Reeds, I'm wondering about the best course to take around Scarweather and Nash Sands. It says:-

On E going stream there are heavy overfalls off Nash Pt and at W end of Nash Sands.

So, should the Nash Passage be avoided going East? I suspect that much depends on wind and sea state, but would appreciate any advice from them whats done it.

Any other advice gratefully received. It looks like I'm going to be singlehanded, which with all the locking in and out is making me nrevous...
 
I always go miles out off shore except once on a very calm night sail. It is catch 22 cuz if the wind is on shore you are sheltered but if anythig goes wrong your in trouble. Single handed i would head out to that racon s off swansea and stay off shore. After that it really is easy.
 
Thanks Andy, much appreciated. I have planned accordingly and will be staying well off Scarweather and Nash Sands. The way the forecast is looking, the wind will be SW to NW, and if it is SW, then I don't want to be too close in.

All being well, I'll see you mid afternoon on Friday!
 
I'm in agreement with Andy, especially with the forecast you've got for tomorrow. It does save a surprising amount of time though (partially 'cos it's less distance, partially 'cos we can do the shorter distance with a fair tide the whole way), so wouldn't hesitate in better conditions. It's one of those times when a handheld or cockpit mounted plotter is really useful too!
 
Agree about hand held /plotter .I enter a waypoint near the East Nash and stay within 2 clearing bearings from the waypoint to keep in the channel.You can do something similar with a hand bearing compass .

In a westerly wind and incoming tide there wont be any significant overfalls to worry about.
 
You have done it now, so not much use reading this.

Been up to Cardiff twice over the last few years, both times through Nash Passage.

Coming back in a f6 /7 was 'interesting', again through the passage.

Both sails during spring tides.

Must do it again soon.

Mj
 
Thanks Mark, and also to Graham. On the way back yesterday, I went through Nash Passage, and the overfalls were "interesting". I think if I had stuck much closer inshore around the point it would have been calmer, but chickened out so came in from a few hundred metres offshore.

I had a couple of comments about wearing oilie dungarees when I left Mermaid Quay, but in the overfalls, managed to get water over the top of the sprayhood which drenched the cockpit and me! After that, I put my jacket on too.

All in all, it went pretty well. The wind was on the nose for most of the way, but I got the sails up across Swansea bay, so it wasn't an engine only trip. Arrived at Tawe Lock at 7:45pm, and got onto my berth at 9:00pm (ref Marks other post, I was at the back of the queue, although I called ahead to get on the list)

Great to meet everybody over the weekend. Does anyone know if Trev4 made it to Ireland??
 
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