Sailing from Gibraltar

[GrahamM376]

SWMBO and I go there regularly but we keep away from a couple of awful placed infested with expats with tattoos and No1 haircuts swearing loudly and swilling beer. They seem to be friendly to each other.

Where's your sense of adventure? In truth I only go for a years supply of cigs at £1.50/20 from the bond suppliers.

 

[VO5]

I am planning on doing my Coastal Skipper Practical early this year. Scottish West Coast too cold so thinking of doing it from Gibraltar. What is the sailing like in mid/late Feb or early March? Anyone got any recommendations for a sailing school?

TIA

In February and March the breezes blow, usually accompanied by sunny weather. February is a skittish month weatherwise usually. We call it "Febrerillo el Loco" (Little February the Mad"), but nothing serious.

You won't need lots of sweaters. Temperatures are mild.

I would second Tarik and reccomend Hercules.

Anything else you need to know just feel free to ask me.

 

[VO5]

Where's your sense of adventure? In truth I only go for a years supply of cigs at £1.50/20 from the bond suppliers.

I will explain to you.
Gib has been a Royal Navy base since the early 1700's.
We locals know the Anglo Saxon mentality better probably than you know it yourselves. There has always been a propensity among Anglo Saxon seafarers for overdrinking and rowdiness ashore. I am not surprised you know very little of what Gib has to offer. This is probably because you fiollow the habit of navigating by pubs, instead of places of interest and of doing your best to meet and befriend local people and have any interest in local activities and local culture etc., It is not your fault. We understand. We fully accept it is your mindset. Therefore you will find out that there are in Gib 6 or 7 pubs that are exclusively partonised by ex pats we keep away from.
Instead of concentrating on smoking and drinking you could get a taxi driver to give you a tour. You would soon learn there is much more to Gib than having a natter in a pub on the waterfront, seriously.

 

[maxi77]

Ha ! Ha ! Ha !

You are funny !

It hasn't rained here for the last 68 days.
Bright and sunny it is, visitors wandering around in summer clothes.

As for it being a run down council estate, you need to go to specsavers, the sooner the better..

This is a Tax Haven, not a slum.

I must admit I am back in short sleeved shirts and wondering whether to find the shorts again here in the Algarve. I seem to remember Gib got quite soggy in Jan/Feb when the Levanter blows shrouding the rock in mist.

Whilst I stopped being a regular visitor to Gib back in the mid 70s and have only made the occasional day trip recently there are some nice developments etc in the main areas but many of the old run down areas that were run down in the 70s are still there, the place is so small you can't hide them.

Even the shopping is not as good as it used to be, freinds in Sotogrande just up the coast rarely bother driving down.

 

[VO5]

I must admit I am back in short sleeved shirts and wondering whether to find the shorts again here in the Algarve. I seem to remember Gib got quite soggy in Jan/Feb when the Levanter blows shrouding the rock in mist.

Whilst I stopped being a regular visitor to Gib back in the mid 70s and have only made the occasional day trip recently there are some nice developments etc in the main areas but many of the old run down areas that were run down in the 70s are still there, the place is so small you can't hide them.

Even the shopping is not as good as it used to be, freinds in Sotogrande just up the coast rarely bother driving down.

Gosh ! What a relief !

 

[GrahamM376]

I will explain to you.
Gib has been a Royal Navy base since the early 1700's.
We locals know the Anglo Saxon mentality better probably than you know it yourselves. There has always been a propensity among Anglo Saxon seafarers for overdrinking and rowdiness ashore. I am not surprised you know very little of what Gib has to offer. This is probably because you fiollow the habit of navigating by pubs, instead of places of interest and of doing your best to meet and befriend local people and have any interest in local activities and local culture etc., It is not your fault. We understand. We fully accept it is your mindset. Therefore you will find out that there are in Gib 6 or 7 pubs that are exclusively partonised by ex pats we keep away from.
Instead of concentrating on smoking and drinking you could get a taxi driver to give you a tour. You would soon learn there is much more to Gib than having a natter in a pub on the waterfront, seriously.

Actually, I avoid pubs and bars, particularly those with the type of clientele you mention. We have actually been around Gib by foot, bike and bus for maybe a total of 6/7 weeks over the last 4 years but, sorry to say
I can't share your enthusiasm for the place. Whilst I quite like it in small doses I couldn't stay long. I've rarely seen a place so deserted and dead by 8pm most evenings yet it's chaos during the day until (most?) workers return to Spain and the cruise ships leave. LaLinea has far more open air night life.

Except for cigs and alcohol, Gib is a rip-off for tourists with crazy prices to visit the rock. As an example, the WW2 tunnels were closed on the day we were there and to re-visit just that attraction would cost the two of us around £36 - forget it! As a local, you don't have to pay these prices.

Shops in the high street (and Sheppards chandlery) advertise "duty free" prices - usually far higher prices than those elsewhere.

I'll stick to my usual 10-14 day visits then back to more normal civilisation in Spain & Portugal.

 

[Lady Campanula]

If headed west from Gibraltar, what interesting 'havens' might one chose to stop at, and how far.....?

 

[crewman]

Thanks for all the input, seems that Gib is a real possibility. Tides are not too much of a problem - I sail on the Forth so I am used to them. Not too bothered about what Gib is like to visit - it is only a week and most of that will not be in Gibraltar. Having sailed until Christmas I wanted somewhere a bit warmer and drier than Edinburgh and with a bit more daylight.
Sailing to Africa seems like fun!

 

[Elessar]

I am planning on doing my Coastal Skipper Practical early this year. Scottish West Coast too cold so thinking of doing it from Gibraltar. What is the sailing like in mid/late Feb or early March? Anyone got any recommendations for a sailing school?

TIA

with the greatest respect to the guys who train there......

IMHO the solent is one of THE best places to train.

Just about anything you'll ever come across in sailing you can find in the solent, but all very close together.
Training after all is filling your experience box up with lots of tools to pull out and use in the future. With everything close together - tides, drying bits to hit and big currents, shipping, diffficult boat handling, leading lines, locks, sectored lights, clearance heights, strange ports (even if you sail there a lot you are unlikely to have been everywhere) all within a day sail you get a lot for your money.
What's more you are spoiled for choice with schools.
Yes you can get your tidal ticket out of Gib by turning right, but it isn't the same. A basically 1 way current and a couple of feet of tidal range won't tax you.
Just my opinion of course and the Gib guys have loads of happy customers.

 

[VO5]

Actually, I avoid pubs and bars, particularly those with the type of clientele you mention. We have actually been around Gib by foot, bike and bus for maybe a total of 6/7 weeks over the last 4 years but, sorry to say
I can't share your enthusiasm for the place. Whilst I quite like it in small doses I couldn't stay long. I've rarely seen a place so deserted and dead by 8pm most evenings yet it's chaos during the day until (most?) workers return to Spain and the cruise ships leave. LaLinea has far more open air night life.

Except for cigs and alcohol, Gib is a rip-off for tourists with crazy prices to visit the rock. As an example, the WW2 tunnels were closed on the day we were there and to re-visit just that attraction would cost the two of us around £36 - forget it! As a local, you don't have to pay these prices.

Shops in the high street (and Sheppards chandlery) advertise "duty free" prices - usually far higher prices than those elsewhere.

I'll stick to my usual 10-14 day visits then back to more normal civilisation in Spain & Portugal.

You are right about night life.
You have to understand the social mechanisms that drive events.
Gibraltar is totally family orientated.
It is a close community where the family and indeed children are the focus of daily life supported by wide ranging friendships and acquaintance across society. These relationships are forged through the generations. This does not mean insularity to visitors, to the contrary. You will find local people very friendly open and generous to a fault. But you cannot expect to come here and succeed in imposing values you might percieve to be the values of choice according to your priorites. You have to accept realities as they are and then you would find yourself accepted and invited just like you would find in any community anywhere in the world. The fact that the population is circa 30000 accentuates this point.

If you seek the exitement of nioght life then Gib is not for you. You will find nightlife in Spain, lots of it, whether on the Costa Del Sol or in Ibiza or Magaluff or Mallorca.

Nightlife arrives at a price is what you overlook.

Nightlife brings with it unsavoury spin offs. These unsavoury spinoffs include excessive drinking (binging), prostitution, drugs, etc.,

These spinoffs generate further spinoffs, including muggings, knifings, assaults, burglaries, and the entrenchment of an ingraiuned criminal class whose object is the provision, nurture and promotion of what you crave.

We have none of that in Gibraltar.

For this reason alone, Gibraltar is perfectly safe.

The other side of the border (Spain) is not safe.

Not only is it not safe, it cannot be made safe because these "amusements" that are part of intense commercially organised tourism are part and parcel of the excercise. Therefore the authorities in Spain may pay lip service and actually really try to preserve Law and Order to guarantee safety but because of the conditions that exist, are promoted to exist and are permitted to exist, the excercise is comparable to trying to make water run uphill.

I am very surprised at your statement with regard to the cost of visiting the WW2 tunnels.

You will notice that shops offering duty free prices are mobbed by vistors so they must be doing something right. I am not in trade. I have no business interests in the town at all, so I cannot comment fiurther, but I have observed how visitors descend on shops and walk off with carrier bags full of goods, every day of the week, all year round.

Your idea of what is normal civilisation is clouded by perception.

Normal civilisation to me means being able to feel safe, unhindered, without the slightest worry of being molested, mugged, interfered with, threatened, pestered, pickpocketed, etc., and to have the peace of mind of being able to go anywhere at night and even in places in complete darkness totally carefree.

This is the hallmark of civilised society and not what you imply.

The real test of this is that children are allowed out on their own. You see them on buses, in the street or going somewhere completely carefree and in complete safety.

Your perception of civilised society is obviously is of a different strain to ours in Gibraltar.

 

[Conachair]

Yes you can get your tidal ticket out of Gib by turning right, but it isn't the same. A basically 1 way current and a couple of feet of tidal range won't tax you.
Just my opinion of course and the Gib guys have loads of happy customers.

All true of course. Though like a car license you start to learn after you have the bit of paper. Possibly one difference is getting some high wind experience, which is where the Canaries win. With the wind acceleration zones you will be pretty much sure to have F7/8 there ready to sail into and back out of. In sunshine where it isn't so scarey. The rest you can practice on your own but deliberatly sailing into 30+knts isn't something to easily get experience with when you're starting out.

And Spain has better food

 

[SailorBill]

Interesting take on things.

For what it's worth I've been to Gibraltar and I quite liked it, and yes I felt safe, but then I did in many other places too.

 

[Conachair]

... totally family orientated.....

It is a close community where the family and indeed children are the focus of daily life supported by wide ranging friendships and acquaintance across society. These relationships are forged through the generations. This does not mean insularity to visitors, to the contrary. You will find local people very friendly open and generous to a fault.




The real test of this is that children are allowed out on their own. You see them on buses, in the street or going somewhere completely carefree and in complete safety.

Now that sounds exactly like Spain, away from the expat tourist trap coastal areas or big cities. Local squares packed at midnight with kids everywhere. But you missed out the fantastic food and quite increadable traditional music. Chas n Dave against Paco De Lucia? Like greasy chips n beans against gambas al ajillo.

 

[davidwf]

VO5 you are right re how close the community is, a couple of years ago I visited on business with a Chinese collegue who thought his UK Visa would get him into country, wrong! We finally got him in when imigration rang the HR director of the firm who we had come to see, this was at 20:00 and she was at home. I was impressed they knew her name and number, neither of which we knew.

Then next challenge was to get a taxi, the Spanish were having a bit of a tiff with Gibralter and as a result all the roads past the Airport were at a standstill, when a Taxi did arrive it was a 12 seater mini bus and the driver went out of his way to take 12 of us out of the queue and deliver us to our various destinations. Doubt that would happen in UK.

Mind you it was around Easter and boy it did rain a lot, but at least it was warm. I found Gib an interesting place but a week was long enough.

 

[maxi77]

Thanks for all the input, seems that Gib is a real possibility. Tides are not too much of a problem - I sail on the Forth so I am used to them. Not too bothered about what Gib is like to visit - it is only a week and most of that will not be in Gibraltar. Having sailed until Christmas I wanted somewhere a bit warmer and drier than Edinburgh and with a bit more daylight.
Sailing to Africa seems like fun!

There is a twice weekly Ryanair flight from Turnhouse to Faro and as far as I am aware the Algarve schools will arange transfers from the airport. The tides are much kinder than the Forth, the sailing can be good, and the natives are freindly.

 

[jonic]

Gib is one of the safest places I know for children. It has to be discovered and what you see on the surface is by no means the real Gib.

It takes some getting used to, mainly because it was a garrison town for so long , but it is changing for the better, and I have a real affection for it.

When we did the trip to Africa we were given "Intercontinental Yachtsman" T shirts.

Everything V05 is saying is true.

 

[GrahamM376]

Your idea of what is normal civilisation is clouded by perception.

Not in the least, why do you seem to think we all want booze and whores? I happen to be a pensioner (just) and these days am more moderate in behaviour.

Normal to me is Portugal (where I have residence) and Spain outside the tourist areas. All the good things you quote about Gib apply there as well.

Maybe we will meet over a pint in a quiet bar next summer and discuss this further.

Have a good New Year everyone.

 

[VO5]

Thank you Jonic for supporting me and as a consequence of your own experience here.

Let me say I have been sailing since the late sixties.

I passed my Yachtmaster Ocean in 1974.

I will keep this brief.

Handling tide is an important element of sailing, of that there is no doubt, there is plenty of opportunity to do this off the Coast of England, Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, The Channel Islands, etc.,

What we have here is The Straits, that opens like a funnel into the Atlantic.

Therefore in mid straits it is as if you were in the ocean because you get these long swells when it is fair.

When its not fair you get a sea on top.

The wind only whips up into a frenzy in winter, normally.

At other times of the year if the wind gets up it is not sudden, but you can get strong blows, and there is plenty of time to prepare.

I think for a Coastal ticket on balance it is more imprtant to master open water / rough water / windy sailing first, then tides later.

The straits are not free of current. The currents are significant. They substitute tidal streams to some extent. So it is not a pond.

You then have a choice of flat water sailing with current on the Med side or open water sailing on the Atlantic side with current and the prospect of a good heave ho.

Ideally either option occurs in sunny weather.

We do get serious howlers, but in the winter, so serious I remember as a child seeing a piano rolling down a street in town. This was in the 50's in the tail end of a hurricane.

So there is a bit of everything.

In late summer also there is a possibility of fog, so that's another challenge, as the straits are one of the busiest waterways in the world.

Then the bay is an anchorage for ships awaiting orders.

One gets plenty of practice at anticipating the antics of bunkerers and pilot vessels and ships either anchored and swinging, or letting go and heaving in, plus observing and identifying what signals they are flying, eg., dangerous goods, diving, etc.,

Very varied and interesting waters.

 

[VO5]

Not in the least, why do you seem to think we all want booze and whores? I happen to be a pensioner (just) and these days am more moderate in behaviour.

Normal to me is Portugal (where I have residence) and Spain outside the tourist areas. All the good things you quote about Gib apply there as well.

Maybe we will meet over a pint in a quiet bar next summer and discuss this further.

Have a good New Year everyone.

Yes, send me a PM next time you plan to visit.
I will give you a detailed guided tour and the opportunity to meet local people.
You will then have cause to change your perception which appears common to many visitors limited to an external and disconnected experience.

Happy New Year.

 

[rib]

vo5,you mention no muggings in gib,what about the in house exchange rates that the retailers do,i saw 7 bad examples in one week doing the unweary and old. i kid you not