South Wales Cruising - worth moving house for?

S

stibbles

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 Feb 2005
Messages
85
Visit site
I may have to look for a new job soon and thought I might seize the opportunity to move closer to the coast and avoid the 2 1/2 ++ hour schlepp for a weekend sail.

One possibilty might be a post in South Wales. I know nothing about cruising in this area other than the tide being strong enough to strip barnacles off my bottom (!)

So, I'd be grateful for the forum's esteemed and customarily forthright views on the quality of cruising in this area. If you had a blank(ish) canvas, would you consider it?

I have read the replies to Richard Peevor's post in July, but thought during this festive season when foremites are hunched over their PCs trying to avoid their families I could get more views on the subject.

(boat in question has a fin keel and draws 1.5m, but in the long term I have aspirations to go over to the other side and get one with twice as many hulls)
 
You would have to sail a long way to beat the beauty of the south west coast of Wales. Serious sailing starts at Swansea, which is a marina and will suit your fin, but nowhere else to sail to for 30 odd miles ie Ilfracombe. Thereafter bottom surgurey will be required to stop the old girl falling over as all the harbours are tidal ie Saundersfoot and Tenby, but you will need to wait for someone to die to get a mooring that is after the ten year waiting is over! Then it's about fifty miles to Milford haven and as you rightly said tides to keep the old girls backside clean. Again nowhere realy to explore beyond the haven, which is beuatiful(once past the oil jetties) and there is a marina in Neyland which is 8 miles fron the Heads. I forgot Cardiff Bay which is behind the new barrier a very sociable spot but once outside the lock you're in the Bristol channel, enough tide to clean her bottom and remove the antifoul for the next season! Oh and don't forget your passport!!
 
Best options are Cardiff or Swansea, Cardiff is almost 24hr access.There are loads of places to go even being fin keel. Scroll down on the forum list to 'Bristol Channel Forum'
Cardiff has the choice of CBYC, CYC, Cambrian or Penarth marina. Best tip for sailing here is be wary of wind over tide (strong wind)
 
IMHO the downside of the Bristol Channel is that when you factor in the weather,the tide times and work you will struggle to get much sailing in.Because of the tides you have the options of a 2 hour thrash at the top of the tide or staying out for 12 hours.Ther are very few all weather ports to run to as pointed out above.The strength of the tides are such that it does not take a lot of wind to kick up some nasty breaking seas.I speak as one who tried it and then opted for South Devon.The tide times mean that even if the weather and work windows are open you are looking at setting out in the middle of the night to get a reasonable amount of trips in per season.A fin keeler is fine until you are really in the s**t as it makes the option of beaching very iffy.The ships that plied the Bristol Channel in the days of sail were capable of taking the ground and remaining upright which enabled them to take on/discharge cargo across the beach.Albeit you are looking to sail for pleasure I would suggest that a long keeler with legs or a lift keeler would be more suited to this area or a bilge keeler.I don't know where you are located at the moment but if you could locate your current boat in S.Wales and not move house & job until you have given it at least one season you might avoid a move you will probably come to regret!
 
My son keeps his Co32 on a mooring at Lawrenny which is further up the Haven from Neyland and in the National Park - there are other moorings in the Park too. It is beautiful and you can potter about on the upper reaches or once down past the refineries there are lovely bays in the haven or you are out and soon at Skomer and the west coast. Ireland is do-able from there or Padstow and the Scillies are 24 hours away (and worth the trip). More interesting for day sailing than being on a coastal location.
 
All depends where in SWales you are thinking of.Mil;ford haven takes some beating but if you live and work in Cardiff or Newport then your looking at driving again.

Cardiff Bay has a lot to offer in that you can sail in sheltered water behind the barrage even in strong winds.

The tides in the Channel are strong but nothing unusual except in the upper reaches and off some headlands. If you plan to use the tide it allows you to cover lots of miles in one tide.

Swansea has a large marina and a Yacht Club with its own pontoon system.Their are some bays etc on the Gower Penninsullar that can be sailed too but other harbours are a long days sail away.

Lots of fin keelers on the bristol Channel and some cats. I would hang on to the boat you have for now as your idea of the perfect boat may change when you have sailed here for a while.

Yachts on cardiff Bay Boxing Day.
020-2.jpg


Town center pontoons cardiff (not for permanent mooring)
016-1.jpg


Watchet Marina is a short day from Swansea or Cardiff.
AerialWatchet.jpg

Anchored off Exmoor Coast
VegaPorlockBay.jpg


Lots of Harbours here dry out to Sand or Mud at half tide so a boat that takes the ground on legs or leaning against the wall or a bilge or Cat can open up more places to visit.
018-1.jpg
 
The original post referred to South Wales.IMHO the Haven is more or less West Wales where the tides are not so strong.Further East the tides are such that when you emerge from your mooring into the Channel you are going to have to go west if you want to stay out for more than a couple of hours because the tide will be on the ebb & you will struggle to make any headway whatsoever.This holds good for the coast as far down as Ilfracombe on the south side and probably a similar longitude on the Welsh side.If you regularly sail east of Ilfracombe you have to accept you gotta go with it 'cos you can't go against it.A skipper based in Dartmouth has the option of turning left or right.He can set sail whenever he wants - weather permitting.For me its a no brainer if you have a Mon-Fri job.If on the other hand you are retired and want a cheap berth from which you can venture out for cruises to Ireland or the Scillies or further afield then the South Wales Coast is a very good option.You pays your money and takes your choice.But I think it is disingenuous to minimize the problems inherent with leisure sailing in the Bristol Channel.This is a stretch of water that can be very gnarly indeed and should be treated with a great deal of respect.The original post asked if it was worth a house move.In the absence of further information regarding his sailing preferences etc I would say no - definitely not!
 
All very nice in theory but you will soon get fed up with eating sea weed and listening to groups of men standing about singing
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Thanks for all these informative replies so quickly - once again the forum has not disappointed.

Seems like I would have go fairly far west to get the best range of sailing, so minimising the benefit of moving as my job would be tied to a big(gish) city (not St Davids!)

Still, I'm sure it would be an improvement on where I am now in terms of time spent in the car and I like the sound of hopping over to Devon. Not ruling it out for sure.

I currently sail on the East Coast so already claim some affinity for mud and dirty bottoms!
 
From Lands End to Avonmouth on the English side there is nowhere you can get into outside of the High Water window.You can get into the outer harbour at Ilfracombe but it can get pretty lively in there!The coast is completelyexposed to the prevailing south westerlys......I could go on......try before you buy!!!
 
Somerset talks a lot of sense and after 15 years of sailing in the Bristol channel I would agree with him. However, I think that his overall balance is a bit too negative.

On the plus side of sailing in the Bristol channel is more reasonable mooring fees (my 33 footer is £1100 pa on a fully fitted club marina, and if you wisjh you can still get free moorings round here), lack of crowding (its not like the M25 every sunny Sunday afternoon), fewer marinas and more small ports. In many ways, its old fashioned sailing and still fairly club based - I was goping to say "like you used to get in the Solent 30 years ago" but I dont know the Solent except by reputation.

The tides are both plus and minus. You dont sail against them in the upper reaches but conversely I have averaged 10 knots in a 39 footer over 7 hours thanks to the tide. But in my view (others will disagree) you miss the best of the Bristol channel unless you have a bilge keeler or a cat.

Lastly, as an Englishman I have found south east wales to be a lovely place to live. Friendly people, lovely countryside, sensible house prices, lots of rain.

If you are uncertain. conside Bristol because that gives you the choice. Plymouth is reasonably accessible from there as obviously is the Bristol channel. Probably more jobs too.
 
I live in Bristol and keep my boat in Cardiff. I also sail with my brother in the Solent. I agree with everything Somerset says. The only difference being that I see most of the "problems" that Somerset points out as pluses.
Allan
 
your quite right to point out that the Bristol Channel is a challenging place to sail.

You have to learn to use the tide to your advantage .Very often there wont be a cosy bolthole available so you treat the weather with respect and make sure your boat is well equipped.

Doesnt suit everyone (thankGod) or it would be crowded and overpriced like the Solent.
 
[ QUOTE ]
the benefit of moving as my job would be tied to a big(gish) city (not St Davids!)

[/ QUOTE ]

That being the case, I'd certainly recommend to you - and to me - Exeter. In my book, that's about as good as it gets, until one considers Truro.....

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Can only add that the Bristol Channel is where I live (Swansea). Its the place I live therefoe where I keep the old tub.

If I lived inshore, I would have a theoretical choice as to how far I wanted to drive to keep the boat.

If you live near the sea, then keep the boat nearbye. (COMMON SENSE)

The Bristol Channel has no fears, the tide can be a bit strong, but treat that as an advantage. GO WITH THE FLO.....

From Swansea we can do Cardiff (if you really must) in 5 hours with a flood tide, and have some great passage to get thru!!!!

But if going west, tides are not so strong, but good seamanship will tell you to go with it rather than against it.

We sail south for cruises, only port of call is Padstow, and you will not regret going there. Many of us stay there for several days (weeks) and enjoy every minute. The next port of call is the Scillies, I can't say any more.

West Wales (Dale, Solva, Skomer, Tenby) and west England (Penzance?, Fowey) are well with reach, and I callenge you to find better cruising grounds. Ireland is not too far away if you like proper Guiness, order it 10 miles from port!!!

Have no worries, its a great sailing venue, as much of UK's fantastic coast is. Just add that rip of Britain has yet to reach South Wales, and prices and charegs are still very reasonable............... ish

Damm where /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif is thar credit card................ /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
Hi there - Sorry for the tardy post - Not checking the site very often over Xmas!

I settled on Swansea in the end. I am working in Cardiff but have chosen to live just outside Swansea (Tons more house for the money!)

I did try to get a marina berth with the Cardiff yacht clubs but the recent berth expansion had been filled which only left me with the private marina which was about £800 more per year than the yacht club! I would have liked to have had the bay to potter in with a one year old and a three year old but heh ho!!

I chose Swansea as I have had the boat on a mooring for 5 yrs in the SOlent 1.5 hrs from home and with new kids I didnt give it much TLC.. The marina is now only 15 mins from the boat which will be great to get my boat back to looking the part. (the marina has the usual restaurants around so will be good with the kids when they get bored of the boat and I still have jobs to do! My plan is the initial year in Swansea getting the boat sorted. Short day sails with the kids around the Gower and maybe BurryPort marina (which not many have mentioned having a marina for the fin keels) and maybe Ilfracombe. My Summer plans are to sail up to Milford haven either single handed or with a mate and then get the family down for 4-5 days for sheltered sailing and then sail back again. A longer trip will be planned sampling more of the Channel with the 'Boys'.

I will review my plans for 2009 during the year after seeing how things go.

Of note the Imray Irish sea and Lundy pilot is out of date (2001 or 2002?) with a marina or two missing (?BurryPort and Watchet - though I dont have it to hand). The BCYC Blue book is also good and well recommended by forumites..

Good luck with the decisions..

Richard
 
Good to hear from you, Richard.

Yes, I noticed the Irish Sea Pilot was looking a bit aged. I found the same publisher is intending to bring out a new edition of their "Bristol Channel and River Severn Cruising Guide" in Feb 08 Imray

Any views on the previous edition(s)?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top