Planning a route North from Gibraltar to cross Biscay

[haydude]

I am planning a route from Gibraltar to cross Biscay and East on the English Channel.
First leg is to Cascais, then from Cascais what would be the best Marina to stop before crossing Biscay? I looked at the alternatives of Bayona and La Coruna, but neither would be on the ideal route; Bayona might be a stop too early, making Biscay a longer crossing (for fuel, water, food, crew's energy), whilst La Coruna means a day sail almost off route. Is there a marina between Bayona and La Coruna that could be recommended for a last stop before Biscay?

Moreover, once passed Ushant what would be the next best place to stop?

Thank you in advance.

 

[chinita]

I had the same dilemma a few years ago. I went to Bayona. Very pleasant Marina and town. The sail from there to Finisterre before striking out into the Bay was undemanding - even for me and one seasick crew!

I did Finisterre to Ushant in 53 hours. Just under 8kts average with the help of an unseasonal SW breeze. I motorsailed at night just to keep all the systems going.

I was heading for Dartmouth but was hit by a Northerly F8 so bore away and went straight to Lymington.

Interesting passage but with 25 tons of steel underneath me was never a problem.

Good luck and fair winds.

 

[Rowana]

What boat?
Now many crew?
What is skipper/crew experience?

 

[haydude]

I had the same dilemma a few years ago. I went to Bayona. Very pleasant Marina and town. The sail from there to Finisterre before striking out into the Bay was undemanding - even for me and one seasick crew!

I did Finisterre to Ushant in 53 hours. Just under 8kts average with the help of an unseasonal SW breeze. I motorsailed at night just to keep all the systems going.

I was heading for Dartmouth but was hit by a Northerly F8 so bore away and went straight to Lymington.

Interesting passage but with 25 tons of steel underneath me was never a problem.

Good luck and fair winds.

Thank you, so that confirms that there aren't marinas after Bayona.
What was your first stop once passed Ushant (l'ile d'Ouissant)?

 

[chinita]

Thank you, so that confirms that there aren't marinas after Bayona.
What was your first stop once passed Ushant (l'ile d'Ouissant)?

The only other being La Coruna and I reckoned that the pilotage to get there would take too much time - much as you have considered. I addition I was blessed with favourable winds so pressed on.

First and final stop was Lymington. The northerly strong gale prevented progress to Dartmouth.

 

[GrahamM376]

Thank you, so that confirms that there aren't marinas after Bayona.
What was your first stop once passed Ushant (l'ile d'Ouissant)?

How many do you want? - Sangenjo, Muros, Portosin, Camarinas and, lots of anchorages.

 

[tcm]

I'd try get prepared for any of those, and be ready to choose on the hoof. If conditions are great it would be silly to stop because it's been "planned"?

 

[activesail]

How many do you want? - Sangenjo, Muros, Portosin, Camarinas and, lots of anchorages.

I called into Muros last summer on passage to Lexious, Portugal. a great little port with stern to moorings and lazy lines.

Ria De Camarines or the little fishing village of Mugia. Also look good, according to the almanac.

 

[tudorsailor]

Are you exchanging crew in your stop. I joined yacht last summer at Bayona. It was about 2 hours in a taxi from Porta with no public transport alternative. Cost a fortune too.

Marina itself was nice -although tricky entrance in the fog.

TS

 

[25931]

I'd try get prepared for any of those, and be ready to choose on the hoof. If conditions are great it would be silly to stop because it's been "planned"?

My thoughts (from experience ) exactly.

 

[haydude]

Thank you, I looked at the suggested ports and now I have alternative plans. Although I saw that Muros is quite shallow inside. The outside walls look OK, but is it OK to berth over there?

Portosin seemed to be more suitable to a deep keel (2.20m) sailboat.

More importantly are there shops and fuel? I found out that in Spain even important marinas are far away from supermarkets.

What about the NW coast of France, soon after having crossed Biscay, any recommendation, or is it best just to sail all the way to the UK?

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Depends on the time of year

We did this trip in 2007, but only with single nights at sea. ie from 0800 one morning to the following evening. Coast hopping north is weather dependant.

All the advice I had was that we would be pushing into prevailing N'lies from early June onwards, and the recognised plan is to head NW to about 10degs West, or even the Azores, then come back in again.

The first time we left Cascais was in 5kts, but were pushed back by 25kts on the nose and big seas on the headland (name slips my mind) and SWMBO insisted we went back ... to 5kts again. Two days later, we were lucky in a way in that there was very little wind, and we motored from Cascais to Bayonna in one go - 33 hours!. Next day did Bayonna to Corunna, clearing Finisterre in 5kts of wind and less than a mile vis !

We were leaving the boat for a few weeks at a time so wanted to be somewhere secure. Hence, I was happy to burn fuel just to make sure we got to where we wanted to be in good time, to fly home again.

Only other tip is that there are many pots of the coast, up to 10 miles out, they have flags on them - in black material.

With regard to Brittany, we stopped in Vannes for a few days around 14th July, which was fantastic, even though it was out of the way. Next stop was Loctudy then round to Aberwrach - just as the new pontoons there had been opened up. No shops nearby, but a convenient place to stop, then a good 20 hour passage to Weymouth, then home.

 

[HinewaisMan]

What about the NW coast of France, soon after having crossed Biscay, any recommendation, or is it best just to sail all the way to the UK?

We came up from the Med last year doing Biscay mid-August - bit of a slog up Portugal and Finisterre was fun - then around to La Coruna for a few days waiting for the right weather.

From there it was a nice 3 days over to Camaret near Brest - an absolutley beautiful place to stop for a couple of days - and well friendly.

From Camaret, after an early start to catch the tide in the Chanel de Four, it was an easy overnighter up to Falmouth.

We chose that route cos we like an easy life - and you can pick up the back of a front from Spain and be pretty confident with the weather forecast for the next 3 days - less confident with a 5 day trip direct to the UK.

 

[GrahamM376]

Thank you, I looked at the suggested ports and now I have alternative plans. Although I saw that Muros is quite shallow inside. The outside walls look OK, but is it OK to berth over there?

Portosin seemed to be more suitable to a deep keel (2.20m) sailboat.

More importantly are there shops and fuel? I found out that in Spain even important marinas are far away from supermarkets.

What about the NW coast of France, soon after having crossed Biscay, any recommendation, or is it best just to sail all the way to the UK?

Portosin is more suitable for deep keel and there are shops.

Biscay crossing routes depend on how much time you have, what the weather's like and what you want to see. If time is available, it's well worth visiting the rias and, if local weather OK but not good enough to cross Biscay, you can day hop along the north Spain coast and then cross from either Viveiro or Gijon (Gijon to LaRochelle 40 hrs @ 6 kts)

Weather may dictate where you make landfall but, as someone else has commented, Camaret is a pleasant stopover and short sail to the Chenal du Four. If approaching from the south and your timing is wrong for the Raz, there are visitor's moorings at St Evette, just outside Audierne - east of the Raz. Trouble with delivery trips is that so many good spots are missed.

 

[jordanbasset]

Thank you, I looked at the suggested ports and now I have alternative plans. Although I saw that Muros is quite shallow inside. The outside walls look OK, but is it OK to berth over there?

Portosin seemed to be more suitable to a deep keel (2.20m) sailboat.

More importantly are there shops and fuel? I found out that in Spain even important marinas are far away from supermarkets.

What about the NW coast of France, soon after having crossed Biscay, any recommendation, or is it best just to sail all the way to the UK?

Last year they were no spaces for visiting yachts at Muros. Portosin was a good marina (June 2010) but if my memory serves me correct the there was no large supermarkets in the town, only mini markets. Good bus connections to larger towns, we visited Santiago de Compostelo from here. Portosin itself is okay a few restaurants and bars but nothing special

 

[Hayling]

Did it the other way a couple of years ago. Hamble - Camarinas- Vigo - Cascais - Sines - Lagos.
Camarinas; Nice little port, water, fuel, food, Best seafood and cheap!.
Vigo; Marinas, water, fuel, shops, restaurants Etc.,
Cascais; Marina, fuel, food, restaurants etc
Sines; little marina, fuel, one horse town and the horse is lame!
We pushed on and did a couple of over nights and long days to take advantage of the weather, 4 days to Cama then 6 to Lagos.
Great trip, would love to do it more slowly and stop more.

 

[KellysEye]

Bear in mind off the west coast of Portugal you will be going upwind, upcurrent often in big seas. Because of time restraints we did it once - but never, ever again. Best route, that we were going to do, is south Portugal, Azores, UK.

 

[haydude]

Bear in mind off the west coast of Portugal you will be going upwind, upcurrent often in big seas. Because of time restraints we did it once - but never, ever again. Best route, that we were going to do, is south Portugal, Azores, UK.

That is in fact one concern I have. I am looking at this week's weather pattern which is showing exactly this condition. My alternative route would be to head out, but this would then mean having to carry enough fuel, water and food for an up to 7 days passage to the UK (no more stops in NW Spain).

 

[haydude]

Biscay crossing routes depend on how much time you have, what the weather's like and what you want to see.

Although it is my boat, I am afraid I have to take it almost as a delivery because I have little time off work to spend pottering about. In fact I allowed extra days only in case of adverse weather conditions.