St Albans Ledge

[wheneverIcan]

Going from Lymington to Weymouth on Sunday for first "long" with rough sensistive kids on board and just wondering how much chop you get around the St Albans ledge section. Looking at the chart it would seem best to go around it or is it best to stick as close to the shore line as poss??

Thanks for any help
Simon

 

[rogerroger]

Due to a misjudgement I ended up going right through the overfalls, heading east with a F5 wind against tide. It was a bit rolly but no big deal.

I beleive the chart states that you only get overfalls on the east going tide. You can either hug the coast to go inside or round it completely by going about a mile and a half offshore.

Either way - it's no Portland Bill or Start Point so I wouldn't be over concerned unless it's really blowing.


Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[jimi]

In some conditions it can be almost as bad as Portland & is definitely to be avoided then! In these conditions you've got to be really close to shore if going inshore... particularly on a west going stream ... about 30yds or so. Watch out for the shoal areas to the west of Chapman's pool on the other side as well, they sneak up on you! However weather forecast for Sunday would indicate a bit of a flat sea so I would'nt worry too much!

Jim

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

St Albans ledge is no problem as long as you choose slack water or wind over tide in conditions more than F4. To avoid the overfalls anyway, you can either go a minimum of 4 miles off the headland or pass very close and I mean close, 50 yards off - dont worry, the water's deep. BTW, you can get similar conditions of Durlston Head and the same advice applies

 

[ccscott49]

Is it close to St. Albans?

 

[jimi]

I got a wee bit confused by that as well! I assumed he meant St Albans Head but am much too polite to mention it. Did you know St Alban was the first English martyr?

Jim

 

[ccscott49]

No I didn't, but there again I'm a Scot! tee hee.

 

[wheneverIcan]

St Albans ledge is SW off St Albans Head and goes out for approx 4 miles and around a mile wide. The chart shows it can get choppy in that area and as I am a novice the reason why advice was needed.

Cheers for the advice so far - Sunday looks good anyway but I shall stick close to the shore and see what happens.

Thanks

Simon

 

[ccscott49]

Sorry Bruv' but I don't know where St. Albans head is either! Not my area ya' see! never sailed up that way, well onl;y past it anyway. well offshore.

 

[Guest]

Wot most people said. We've been through in F4, wind over tide, and it was lumpy, but you can see it from a long way off, and it's clearly defined. Are you planning to meet up in Swanage first? It seems there may be a gaggle there on Sunday/Monday, with a trip down west for Tuesday/Wednesday...

 

[wheneverIcan]

We're probably leaving Lymington on Sunday morning and around 2 hours later having lunch at lulworth cove. then on west for a few nights.
Boats name is Octara and we're a 27' Nimbus (the one's that have an enclosed helm and the chap always has his head sticking out of the sun roof!)

Cheers for now

Simon

 

[stewart]

First hand knowledge

I've only lived in St Albans for 3 years but have not seen any sign ever of a bad chop/swell or for that matter a ledge. Come to that there's not even much water here......

 

[wheneverIcan]

Re: First hand knowledge

St Albans Head is west of Swanage and is a headland that seperates Poole Bay and the long stretch of coast towards weymouth. I can assure there is plenty of water there!

 

[Guest]

Re: First hand knowledge

No, he's right, you know. I've been there, and it's a great big cliff type thing. Absolutely bone dry (unless it rains). Loads of water just south of it, mind.

 

[Jeremy_W]

>>Did you know St Alban was the first English martyr?
He probably said something nice about raggies on this forum!

 

[peterb]

First hand knowledge

There's the Ver and the Colne and that nice lake ....

 

[burgundyben]

Not related.

Sorry for being anal but, I think St Albans head is not related to St Alban, St Albans head was Old Helms head....read it in the shell channel pilot, which, incidently 'whereverican' is a bloody good book to have for the southcoast, even tho 30 quid is a lot of diesel (well it is to me), got to Weymouth and back from Hamble on 32 quid


I am gonna spend it on wine, women and song, and blow the rest.........

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Not related.

Aha! I've heard of Old Helms head, It was the St. Albans that was foolling me!