Sea state, must be misleading

[Tidnock]

I am looking online at the Met office inshore waters forecast, indeed I have looked over the past few days, I am a good 40/50 miles from the coast and it is blowing a hooly here, it has been for several days.

Great Orme to the Mull of Galloway, they have marked the coast on the chart in red in this region to denote "Strong Coastal Winds" yet they continually report the sea state as "smooth or slight", this cannot be correct or am I missing something?

 

[photodog]

Look at the detail... they are saying that it will be moderate when the wind is from the NW 4/5 gust 6...(Which sounds about right to me) and then slight when it goes to the east and comes off shore and drops to 3 ...

 

[Searush]

It depends very much where you are. NW4/5 will produce nasty wind over tide conditions at all estuaries (and on E side of Anglesey) along that coast on the ebb. Otherwise, the tide streams are at right angle to the wind so not that important. There are also lots of overfalls & shallows that generate increased wave heights. But once you are in relatively deeper water it should not be that bad.

 

[omega2]

they are talking Shipping not boating

 

[timbartlett]

they are talking Shipping not boating

Calm <0.1m
Smooth 0.1m-0.5m
Slight 0.5-1.25m
Moderate 1.25-2.5m
Rough 2.5-4m
V Rough 4-6m
High 6-9m
V High 9-14m
Phenomenal >14m

"Moderate" roughly corresponds with a F5 in open water.

 

[Kawasaki]

I am looking online at the Met office inshore waters forecast,

Thats ok but not what you need for where you are based
Look at
1 - 'windguru'
A wind surfers guide to your Galaxy!
Pinpointed are , Llandudno, Red Wharf Bay, Rhosneigr and Anglesey in general.
This will give you wind direction, speed and wave height on an hourly base throught the day.
2 - 'XC Weather'
Click on the 'arrows' nearest to you. (watch out for the ones by My village they are bleedin sharp!)
Again a similar result
3 - 'Easytide'
This will give you local high and low waters. range etc.

From the above you can get a very good idea what and where the lumpy bits will be or not be.
Then you can decide to be or not to be, legging it to Deganwy!

I use those sites all the time.
Fer instance
During the last 4 weeks I have been into Your marina 3 times Conwy once, up the Strait 97 times plus v.a.t, Pwllheli 3 times and all about Puffin and the West coast of Anglesey.

These sites have been more or less correct and invaluable.

Because they give a very reasonable idea of where you may get wind against tide conditions etc etc etc, locally as oppsed to what the 'General Condtions' will be in lets say, 'St Georges channel' (Where you aint going) and the 'Mull of Galloway', unless you have an important gig to attend during Hogmanay!

Plan your visits to coincide with 'Neaps' , as you know, the river and the Strait dash about a bit during 'Springs'.

So combine the above so that you won't get wind against tide whilst leaving The Fairway bouy if going further out to the Strait or rounding the Great Orme etc.

Oh!
If you want an optimistic 'weather forecast' as opposed to a 'Shipping Forecast' look at 'Metcheck'

I reckon the Guys who put that together, 'Always look on the Bright sieed of life'!

 

[Tidnock]

Thats ok but not what you need for where you are based
Look at
1 - 'windguru'
A wind surfers guide to your Galaxy!
Pinpointed are , Llandudno, Red Wharf Bay, Rhosneigr and Anglesey in general.
This will give you wind direction, speed and wave height on an hourly base throught the day.
2 - 'XC Weather'
Click on the 'arrows' nearest to you. (watch out for the ones by My village they are bleedin sharp!)
Again a similar result
3 - 'Easytide'
This will give you local high and low waters. range etc.

From the above you can get a very good idea what and where the lumpy bits will be or not be.
Then you can decide to be or not to be, legging it to Deganwy!

Thank you, that should help with the first part of the passage or boating plans, whether to get in the car or not