Portugal to UK

[Sailfree]

Still considering summer trip, leaving UK at end of June and back in UK middle of September. Thanks for alternative suggestions but the dates of the boat leaving and returning to UK are fixed. Have read Stingo's and others excellent comments and look like we would enjoy a slow sail down stopping and exploring each stopover until we feel the urge to move on.
Questions remain though
1. Are local forecasts with phrase book adequate - languages not a strong point.
Or is a Navtex a must and if so how long are forward forcasts for -only 24hrs or are longer outlooks available on Navtex?
2. Is weatherman an option, is it an independant piece of kit.
3. Has anyone returned to UK via the Azores if so how long did they take.

I have received some peoples good experiences of heading North along the coast of Portugal and France in August and September without any problems due to flat calm yet I read of the Portugese Trade Winds being Southerly, heaping the seas up and creating a 1 to 2 kts South going tide. Would appreciate other Formites actual experiences and recommendations.
Many Thanks

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Sailfree on 26/02/2004 10:19 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[AndrewB]

I last did this a few years ago so my advice is dated.

I've relied on French radio forecasts for the Portuguese coast from France Inter (162kHz) and much better, Radio Internationale (6175 kHz), which were very reliable. The latter is spoken quite slowly and (like Met Office forecasts) uses a limited vocabulary. Theoretically you can get Radio 4 (198 kHz) but the Met Ofice forecasts for southern Finesterre and Trafalgar are not very accurate, and once in southern Portugal are drowned out by African stations.

Navtex doesn't cover the whole of the coast. The La Coruna station isn't very powerful, and forecasts are local. Lisbon Monsanto is much better, but I've not picked it up north of Figueira.

I've had north or north-westerly trade winds between F3-5 every time I've sailed along that coast. My estimate of the current has been ½kt, going south. Calms and even south-westerlies are possible, but the trades can blow non-stop for days, and the south-westerlies are often gales from low-swinging Atlantic depressions (ex hurricanes).

The previous owners of my yacht elected to return from Gibraltar to Southampton via the Azores. The distance is about 2,300 miles, just about double the direct route, and they took 3 weeks, not counting time out in Horta. This is a slow cruising boat.