Planning visit to Bristol Harbour Festival

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miko

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I am planning my first trip to the Bristol Channel; a passage I am not taking lightly, so would appreciate any local knowledge. My main concern is timing our arrival at Bristol (afternoon high tide). We will be Departing from Falmouth (maybe Penzance) non stop to Bristol with a possible overnight anchorage at Lundy. Would Lundy be considered within 'range' of Bristol or is it best to stop closer to Bristol before making the final approach. The boat is a 32 ft long keel with 3 crew. Weather permitting of course.
 
My option would be to leave from Newlyn,as you do not have the tidal gate constraints, If possible take the inshore passage around Landsend and work up to Padstow, If weather is good continue up to Ilffracome. From here on you will need to work the tides. Leave the outer anchorage about one hour before low water working close up inshore then pick up the early flood.
Options..from here..Barry to see out the tide then leave at low water and take the full flood all the way up to Avonmouth and Bristol
If you can make Portishead from Combe OK. But you will need a fair tide for Avonmouth.
Mooring at Barry Ok. No charge Lay along side a boat in the row after the lifeboat East side of my boat Dawn Star
 
Bristol is really easy after the first time. long ropes are reqd. for the lock. Just chuck your rope to the lock keeper and he will return it (aftergoing through the hoop).
On the approach to river Avon call Bristol VTS channel 12? but keep close to their 'control tower' on the pier.
Time both voyages so you have Portishead as your diversion if needed.
Also the current is strong across the Avon entrance.
 
I'll second Dawn Stars advice,If you cant make Portishead before HW dont go any further than Barry or Cardiff. No point fighting the tide above Barry. Better to wait in the Harbour then take the next flood up. You then have the option of Portishead Marina or carry on up to Bristol.

Its about 7 miles from Avonmouth to Bristol whioch takes about an hour with the tide helping. Last lock in to Bristol is usually about half an hour before HW.

011-1.jpg

No point fighting it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
It is 75M from Lundy to Portishead, so you will have to punch the tide for at least half the time, and be averaging 6kn+ through the water. Don't bother! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif The only time I could have done it was in WSW F6-7, but I bottled out of trying with wind over tide past the Holms, so I anchored off Penarth (13kn SOG next day though /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Sounds like you don't mind anchoring, so a fair wind and tide should just about get you to Watchet/Blue Anchor Bay on a tide from Lundy. It is 30M from there to the entrance of the Avon, and you should be able to get a good SOG and arrive at Bristol for just before HW.

You can also wait out the tide in Cardiff Bay, or anchor off Penarth (dodgy on springs, though there is a deeper hole if you know where it is /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ). Many boats wait over the tide at Portishead, so there is no rush to get up the river before HW.
 
Thanks to all for your very helpful contributions. Graham, the photo you posted encapsulates exactly my reasons for making this post! TMLondon, I am anticipating about 4 days for the 200NM trip from Falmouth.
 
I usually do this trip a min of twice a year and sometimes 4. But never in one go - mind you we're never 3 up. Usually just 2 in a 39 footer or my 34 footer, and with just 2 its too much like hard work.

By inclination I stop in Penzance. I like the place and Newlyn is full of big steel hulled fishing boats which makes me nervous. You can leave Penzance as the lock is about to close and either waste an hour hanging off one of their outer buoys or just sail slowly and you will catch the first of the flood on the inner passage. Incidentally the inner passage is not one to be done for the first time in the dark or in bad weahter, but its so much better than the route outside the longships light that its worth waiting a tide for.

In good conditions its not too difficult to time things so you can round both cape cornwall and the lizard in one leg, missing out Penzance and / or Newlyn altogether. If so, your next good port of call is Padstow. Going into the harbour means locking in but you can anchor subject to conditions just by Stepper point. Tide up the north cornish coast isnt too much so you need to time things so that you have the flood with you when you get to Hartland point ie you leave Padstow when the tide is still ebbing.

Up to you whether you anchor off Lundy (good in S and W but avoiid if there is E in the wind) or in the outer harbour at Ilfracombe. Either way, from these places you go with the tide unless you like really long passages. You likely wont make it from Combe to Bristol in time to go up the Avon - 60 nm (more from Lundy) and maybe 6 hours to do it in even allowing for later tides up the channel. So plan on sitting out a tide at somewhere like Barry.

So my suggested route would be either Falmouth>Padtow>Ilfracombe>Barry or Falmouth>Penzance>Ilfracombe>Barry. If you're feeling really macho then Falmouth>Ilfracombe/Lundy>Barry

But dont kid yourself that Lundy to Bristol direct will be anything other than a very long slog with lots of time spent making little or no progress against a foul tide.
 
I've made passage several times from the River Avon to Falmouth and back, in a 32' yacht. On each occasion I've left on a Friday and completed the journey by Sunday evening. When doing this I've obviously fitted the passage to the time available and so on nearly all these trips have resorted to the engine at times to maintain the required average speed. On neap tides it is possible to punch the tide below the Holms. On Spring tides it is standard practice to hole up and rest during the foul tide. It is possible to make Bristol from Watchet on one flood but only on Springs. Phone the lock at Bristol before you arrive to make sure that they are expecting you and that there are no problems locking in.
 
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