Route - Lagos to Las Palmas

[stiknstring]

Any views on a route, apart from the obvious (almost) rhumb line down from Lagos to Las Palmas? Will be leaving Lagos end August and keep hearing (unsubstantiated) comments that the route can be rough due the many sea mounts en route. Can't find a copy of Jimmy Cornell's cruising guide for comment although I can se the sea mounts on the chart. Does anyone have any views/experience on this one? I don't like the look of anything I see or read about closing the Moroccan coast, except for the shelter afforded but with the facilities (or lack of) and the bureaucracy, it looks like this is a (lee) coast to keep out from?

Thanks in advance for any comments/advice.



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[AndrewB]

This passage definitely does crop up among accounts of being caught out. I suspect this is due to (i) the large number of people now going this way from north-west Europe, doing the trade route Atlantic crossing; (ii) it will be the the first time they are on a passage long enough not to be able to rely on an advance weather forecast; (iii) during the autumn and winter, major Atlantic storms can sometime be deflected this far south, down the Portuguese coast. Nicho posted a graphic account of being caught out and forced to seek refuge in a Moroccan port last autumn <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=ym&Number=424221>HERE</A>, which was subsequently published in YM.

But August should not be a problem. Regarding seamounts, the Gorringe bank (120 miles or so SW of Cape St Vincent) is certainly shallow enough to be a place to avoid during bad weather, but I've never heard of it being mentioned in these accounts. I don't have the chart to hand but from memory the direct route from Lagos to Las Palmas goes well to the south.

 

[stiknstring]

Where have I been that I did not see this about Nicho first time around? Yikes- as he said, "what an adventure".

Thanks for pointing this out to me - lots of interesting stuff and your comment about the seamount gratefully received. Thanks again

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[snowleopard]

aside from previous valid comments about avoiding the african coast, it would seem a shame to miss out on madeira as it's not far off the course. porto santo is a much better harbour than funchal ubtil they build another marina.

the salvage islands are only for the brave (or stupid).

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