Ramsey and Jack sounds, help please

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Heckler

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Am plotting and planning the summer cruise to the Bristop Channel, (oh ok am actually going to pick No 2 bits and pieces from Swansea Uni.)
Now my prob is according to Reeds, I need to go through Ramsey sound first, at slack water high, Milford Haven HW plus 3.
HW on Tues 15th June is 09.03 so slack is 12.03 BUT then we have to do an hour and a bit to Jack Sound where slack is MH high plus 2, i.e 11.03.
Now do we try to go through Ramsey 2hrs ish early, pushing the tide to get to Jack for slack?
Stu
 
Going S, I have done it by going through Ramsey and outside Jack. Going N, I waited in Solva for a tide - the non drying 'hole' outside the harbour is a lovely spot to catch up on your sleep and sort yourself out ready for the passage across Cardigan bay.
 
Although the tide runs strongly in Ramsey sound, it's wide and not too difficult to navigate, so going through with a bit of contrary tide is not too much of a problem. You might get whirlpooled if you are lucky - it adds to the fun.

However, Jack sound is a different beast altogether. The safe passage is narrow, the leading lines are particular rocks (amongst the many), and tips of scary looking rocks poke out far too close for comfort.

I would aim for the best conditions at Jack.
 
ym / boatowner

there was an article about jack and ramsey sounds a while back 4 or five pages about tides etc best time plus anchorages and leading marks... i think it was prac' boatowner
 
waves

I tried to do a search on pbo for the article if nobody else finds it I will have a look at back mags and see if I can find what year month mag it was in ... I thing there was something about tides , overfalls , and waves in the same mag .
 
skipper_stu said:
Am plotting and planning the summer cruise to the Bristop Channel, (oh ok am actually going to pick No 2 bits and pieces from Swansea Uni.)
Now my prob is according to Reeds, I need to go through Ramsey sound first, at slack water high, Milford Haven HW plus 3.
HW on Tues 15th June is 09.03 so slack is 12.03 BUT then we have to do an hour and a bit to Jack Sound where slack is MH high plus 2, i.e 11.03.
Now do we try to go through Ramsey 2hrs ish early, pushing the tide to get to Jack for slack?
Stu
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There are couple of people around here who you may wish to contact. Alcyone has been diving in that area for years and Cardiffcruiser planned a trip that a group of us did from Bangor to Cardiff that a group of us did in January.
Allan
 
Ramsey and Jack Sounds

I've done this a few times in good weather, but it was years ago. In decent weather, I've not found Ramsey Sound to be a problem, provided you have a detailed chart.

One memorable calm summer's day, we waited for fog to lift while anchored in Whitesands Bay, just N of Ramsey Sd (good anchorage if the wind is in the right direction, BTW), then went through with a full spring tide pushing us. Nice and quick, though there were some interesting standing waves at the south end of the sound which swept the decks. In a SW blow, it would not have been so much fun!

Jack Sound is fine as long as the visibility is good enough to get your leading lines right.

Skomer Island has a couple of nice places to stop, if you have time and the weather is right. N Haven has (or used to have) mooring buoys - anchoring prohibited, while S Haven allowed you to drop your own hook. I found S Haven useful when I ran out of favourable tide, or just as a pleasantly quiet overnight escape from Milford Haven.
 
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Yes, I've dived Ramsey for 20 years. Never sailed through the sound, but I have sailed Jack Sound. I'd aim for slack at Jack Sound, running with the current Southwards through Ramsey.

North end of Ramsey sound is fine. First hazard is Horse rock, in the middle. Stay well East, nasty whirlpools, and very bad if strong wind over tide. Keep to the East as you pass the Bitches and then move further out as you approach Carn-ar-Wig in the South East to clear shoe rock.

You can wait at Solva, as mentioned, or North Haven, Skomer, where there are three mooring buoys. Then go through Jack Sound at slack.

Ramsey. Water runs North for 6 hrs around high tide and South for 6hrs around low tide, Milford. Slack is actually 3hrs after HW, 2.5 hrs after low, but there is precious little on a big Spring (7m). Jack Sound is similar.

So, if you run South with the current any time after HW + 3, you'll have a South going current for 6 hours until the next slack. Plenty of time to do the two sounds, waiting at (my preference) North Haven, Skomer, if you arrive at Jack Sound early.

You can go outside the sounds, as others have said, but study the charts. There are lots of reefs and odd rocks that break the surface. I've dived shipwrecks on most of them......
 
arto said:
I've done this a few times in good weather, but it was years ago. In decent weather, I've not found Ramsey Sound to be a problem, provided you have a detailed chart.

One memorable calm summer's day, we waited for fog to lift while anchored in Whitesands Bay, just N of Ramsey Sd (good anchorage if the wind is in the right direction, BTW), then went through with a full spring tide pushing us. Nice and quick, though there were some interesting standing waves at the south end of the sound which swept the decks. In a SW blow, it would not have been so much fun!

Jack Sound is fine as long as the visibility is good enough to get your leading lines right.

Skomer Island has a couple of nice places to stop, if you have time and the weather is right. N Haven has (or used to have) mooring buoys - anchoring prohibited, while S Haven allowed you to drop your own hook. I found S Haven useful when I ran out of favourable tide, or just as a pleasantly quiet overnight escape from Milford Haven.
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Good point, I'd forgotten about those standing waves. THey tend to be nearer the Island on the South end. Once past Carn-ar-Wig, as above, do not go much further West than say, half way across the Sound if you see white water. If concerned, head South East, into St Brides Bay until well clear of the island.

The standing waves off Ynys Eilun, and the ones on Horse rock, can seem benign, and then one will suddenly rear up! Great fun in a Rib, when you are used to it, but I wouldn't fancy it in my yacht.
 
Alcyone said:
Good point, I'd forgotten about those standing waves. THey tend to be nearer the Island on the South end. Once past Carn-ar-Wig, as above, do not go much further West than say, half way across the Sound if you see white water. If concerned, head South East, into St Brides Bay until well clear of the island.

The standing waves off Ynys Eilun, and the ones on Horse rock, can seem benign, and then one will suddenly rear up! Great fun in a Rib, when you are used to it, but I wouldn't fancy it in my yacht.
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Thanks all
the answer i was looking for was if necessary I can stop in between.
I did the north bound last year in my mates 46 moody, jack was white horses, we left dale at 8.00 am, 2 hours befor hi and hit ramsey on dead slack so it was a pussy. Going south is a bit different as you guys have said
Stu
 
As others have said - if you want to stop between my favorite would be a visitor mooring in N Haven Skomer. Well maintained and a lovely stop (providing its not blowing from the North).

Both sounds need treating with caution but with care can be passed at a range of times - though pushing peak flow is likely to see you standing still.

The one thing others haven't said - is do take care in any wind against tide situations - especially at the S end of Jack sound. If there is a Southerly blowing of any strength, the S flowing tide can set up some fairly nasty standing waves as you exit the sound. The worst can often be missed if you can skirt them to the W. I'm normally happy to shoot through on the tide - but with wind over tide conditions I'd definitely wait till slack
 
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