Barton Seagoon
Member
Since your user name also has an oblique Goon Show reference, I suppose it takes one to know one
South Devon and Cornwall headlands
- Thread starter Barton Seagoon
- Start date
Barton Seagoon
Member
Thanks everyone for your answers, with some really helpful stuff in there.
One further question - we are thinking of an overnight stop in the Yealm on one day, but I have read that Wembury Bay gets quite rough in strong onshore winds. Since the wind next week is forecast to be all SW, what would count as strong enough to cause difficult conditions? Or does it all depend on the state of the tinal flow as well as the wind?
One further question - we are thinking of an overnight stop in the Yealm on one day, but I have read that Wembury Bay gets quite rough in strong onshore winds. Since the wind next week is forecast to be all SW, what would count as strong enough to cause difficult conditions? Or does it all depend on the state of the tinal flow as well as the wind?
Sandy
Well-known member
Depends on what you consider 'difficult conditions', the boat and strength of the crew.
Make sure you bring your wallet the Harbour Master is keen to collect the fee.
doug748
Well-known member
I would avoid the area between Shag Stone and The Mewstone if there is any dodgy swell + lively winds. It would be worth keeping well off in 20kts +. it's not a terrible place but you can see the shallow patches on the chart and it is partly enclosed so the seas can get confused. A SW wind makes it a dead lee shore bay, fringed with rocks, it would be on you in no time if problems cropped up.
Coming from Plymouth you might stand well into Cawsand Bay and then reach across esp if you were in no hurry. Once past the Mewstone and Wembury Bay proper opens up, I have found things often get better, at least when you get closer in. Watch out for the Slimers.
You are running into the mouth of a funnel and the entrance is narrow; for a first visit, I would take special care if the wind was much over the 20 kts mentioned.
It looks like Autumn is amongst us, Thurs and Fri may not be pleasure boat weather. Last night we had 40 kts the local prediction was 25.
.
Coming from Plymouth you might stand well into Cawsand Bay and then reach across esp if you were in no hurry. Once past the Mewstone and Wembury Bay proper opens up, I have found things often get better, at least when you get closer in. Watch out for the Slimers.
You are running into the mouth of a funnel and the entrance is narrow; for a first visit, I would take special care if the wind was much over the 20 kts mentioned.
It looks like Autumn is amongst us, Thurs and Fri may not be pleasure boat weather. Last night we had 40 kts the local prediction was 25.
.
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
Wembury Bay can get fairly lumpy in strong SW winds, as we found out just last month. Ebbing tide from Plymouth Sound against an onshore wind can make it rough, depending on wind strength. But if you get into the Yealm you can’t help but be impressed by a lovely river.
And it’s too early to take much notice of a wind forecast for next week, even this coming weekend is still unpredictable.
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
I was on board in Sutton last night, got woken up by the wind and rain. Just before the squall passed I reckon there was one long gust well in excess of 40kts around 03-00. Then within about 15 minutes the wind dropped to almost nothing.
doug748
Well-known member
You are spot on, Rame Head recorded a 55kt blast in the early hours.
Current Weather Conditions at Rame Head NCI
Barton Seagoon
Member
Thanks again for all the advice given in previous replies to this thread. We had a great week along the Devon coast, once the sea had calmed down a bit from the 55 kt blasts in previous days, and we felt comfortable leaving the shelter of Plymouth harbour. As people advised, Start Point was the only place where the sea got much more lively than the rest, and that was around 3 hours before HW Plymouth with wind against tide. We were a good distance off, so we got through it in one piece in about 15 minutes. Dartmouth, Salcombe and the Yealm were all beautiful and not crowded (visiting in October helped there!). It was very evidently the end of the season, as witnessed by many restaurants in Dartmouth being closed on Monday and Tuesday (the two nights we were there) and having no water taxi service in Salcombe. We will certainly be back for another visit in future years.
rotrax
Well-known member
Since your user name also has an oblique Goon Show reference, I suppose it takes one to know one
IIRC Sellers in his role in Dr. Strangelove came up with the name Colonel 'Bat' Guano.
Obviously a habit left over from the Goon Show!
