Swanage to Weymouth

[Pkewish]

I'm planning a trip via Swanage, heading West to Weymouth. I've had a good look at the charts and have a few concerns over the a) Firing Range and b) The Ledge of St Alban's Head.
a) I know there is a number I can call beforehand to check when firing is likely and also a Red Light System etc but how much attention should I pay to this? Is there a realy chance of being blown out of the water?
b) Exactly how choppy does the water get over the Ledge (I'll be in a 21 footer) as it seems to be a very long way round to avoid it. All this is assuming reasonable weather and sailing with the tide?

Hopefully, one of you out there has some experience of these waters.

Cheers

Pete

 

[Giblets]

http://harbour.weymouth.gov.uk/harboursafety/documents/INF_LulworthInformationForMariners_2015.pdf

 

[Pkewish]

Thanks Giblets, A very useful guide that didn't come up on my Google search. I've printed it off and put it in my boat file. Am I right in thinking that next Friday and Saturday, I will be safe to cross 'the line'? P

 

[DJE]

You can get the firing times from the regular vhf safety and weather broadcasts from the coastguard. They rarely fire over summer weekends but if you are going on a weekday then the range may well be active. AFAIK they only fire when the range is clear of boats but you will get severely hassled by the range safety boat and told in no uncertain terms to get out of the way. I've been through there on an early morning passage when I knew the range would be active from 09:00. I wasn't quite clear by then; the range safety boat came alongside and asked me to clear the area by the shortest possible route (which was just about where I was going anyway).

St. Albans Ledge can get very rough in wind against tide conditions. Don't underestimate it especially in a 21 footer. There is often a relatively flat area very close to St. Albans head. You have to anticipate the likely conditions on the day - in fresh onshore winds I would go well offshore.

 

[Robin]

I'm planning a trip via Swanage, heading West to Weymouth. I've had a good look at the charts and have a few concerns over the a) Firing Range and b) The Ledge of St Alban's Head.
a) I know there is a number I can call beforehand to check when firing is likely and also a Red Light System etc but how much attention should I pay to this? Is there a realy chance of being blown out of the water?
b) Exactly how choppy does the water get over the Ledge (I'll be in a 21 footer) as it seems to be a very long way round to avoid it. All this is assuming reasonable weather and sailing with the tide?

Hopefully, one of you out there has some experience of these waters.

Cheers

Pete

there is calm(er) water inshore of the tide race but you need to be very close in to st albans head, if really cautious there is a back eddy tide inshore you can use to get you at the head at slack water about 45 minutes before High water Dover IIRC. DO not get tken inside of Peveril ledge buoy. Watch out for pot markers and diver support boats along this stretch as the support boats can get agressive chasing folk away from their diver down area There is deep water right up to the cliffs so don't get nervy and go too far out, you could almost throw an apple core ashore off St ALbans head if in the right spot. Look up when the firing range is operating or call the CG on the VHF, they will know for sure, if it is in use there are DZ buoys marking it's outer limits. technically you are allowed to pass through anyway but there are range safety boats out there that will try and force you not to andtell you to head farther out. Never ever heard bullets whistling over head nor found extra holes in the sails. When you return there will be rough waters all along between St Albans and anvil Point unless again you go inshore by the cliffs. Target the head on your return to be a bit left then follow it round so as not to be sucked into the race bit inadvertently. Are you a sail boat or motor boat? If you do get in the race rough stuff slow down wedge the coffe cups and and let the tide carry you through

Btw the ledge may cause the rough water but the surface waterrough bits will be either side of it, west on the ebb and east on the flood tide you can usually see it and hear itclearly enough

Enjoy!!

 

[jimmyk]

Whichever route you decide. Make sure you have the tide with you. I spent four hours last summer looking at a yellow bouy off St. Albans.

 

[SimonD]

Sound advice to which I would only add that you could give the NCI a call on channel 65, callsign "NCI St Albans Head" (http://www.nci.org.uk/stalbanshead). They should be able to tell what conditions are like before you plough in.

 

[wiggy]

St. Albans Head- close enough to throw your biscuit on the beach, same as rounding Portland Bill.

 

[LadyInBed]

Have you got this:
http://montymariner.co.uk/tide-stream-charts/anvil-point/
(Chartlet at bottom of page)
Working hours Range # 01929 404712

 

[Robin]

St. Albans Head- close enough to throw your biscuit on the beach, same as rounding Portland Bill.

And give the mermaids a kiss for luck on the way past both.

 

[Pkewish]

Thanks guys, I knew the information I needed was out there somewhere. So, to conclude, I think I would be right in saying that unless I get the tides absolutely bob-on, I would be well advised to go round the long way. I've plotted it and it looks like it only takes 1hr to 1.5hrs longer depending on wind direction. Also, I'm rather partial to my biscuits and apples and don't like throwing them away unnecessarily. As for the mermaids, well, I'm not sure the wife would be too happy if I was caught kissing them!

Thanks for the advice, maybe one day I'll find somewhere in the world that none of you lot have been to and will be able to right my own charts!

 

[SimonFa]

If you call that number that LiB gave at about 9am they will give you exact details of the extent of the exclusion zone and wat time they expect to finish. Last Thursday for instance it was only as far out as atomic buoy.

I've never used the inner passage at St Albans and what I tend to do from the Swanage end is sail towards the centre of the three buoys and get the bino's out and see how bad the race looks as I get closer and either cut in early or bear away a bit depending on what I can see. But I generally find its ok that far out.

As others have said, don't both trying to punch the tide round there, have another cup of tea and enjoy the views in Swanage Bay.

 

[Giblets]

We're off to Dartmouth from The Solent on Monday and have plotted waypoints well clear of St Alban's Head & Portland Bill. Can't be doing with all the stress of "Will we get there on time? Do we need the engine on to make the tidal gate?" Sailing's about relaxing not stressing!

 

[dslittle]

St. Albans Ledge can get very rough in wind against tide conditions. Don't underestimate it especially in a 21 footer. There is often a relatively flat area very close to St. Albans head. You have to anticipate the likely conditions on the day - in fresh onshore winds I would go well offshore.

Did the trip from Studland Bay to Weymouth last week in lovely conditions, wind with tide and sunny!!! Even then we could see the sea breaking over the ledge and gave it a wide berth. Going 'over the top' in a 21 footer will be interesting...

 

[chanelyacht]

Look up when the firing range is operating or call the CG on the VHF, they will know for sure,

Or save the CG the work and call Lulworth Range Control, Ch16. If you want an update on conditions, give St Albans's Coastwatch a call - 01929 439220 or VHF Ch65.

Here's this year's weekend activity and complete closures -

Weekend Firing
Territorial Army training is annual and firing takes place at weekends, but this only occurs a maximum of 6 times a year and is programmed well in advance. The following weekends in 2015 have been reserved for firing:

17/18 January 2015
7/8 March 2015
9/10 May 2015
4/5 July 2015
26/27 September 2015
14/15 November 2015

Non-firing periods
There will be no firing during the periods below (all dates inclusive):

Christmas/NewYear 20 Dec 2014 - 04 Jan 2015
Easter 3 Apr 2015 - 12 Apr 2015
Bank Holiday 2 May 2015 - 04 May 2015
Spring 23 May 2015 - 31 May 2015
Summer 25 Jul 2015 – 30 Aug 2015
Christmas/NewYear 19 Dec 2015 - 03 Jan 2016

 

[chanelyacht]

Did the trip from Studland Bay to Weymouth last week in lovely conditions, wind with tide and sunny!!! Even then we could see the sea breaking over the ledge and gave it a wide berth. Going 'over the top' in a 21 footer will be interesting...

You'll get into the race OK on a 21 footer. You'll come out OK too, but it will be on the end of a rope via Swanage Lifeboat. Used to be one of our regular calls.

 

[Robin]

You'll get into the race OK on a 21 footer. You'll come out OK too, but it will be on the end of a rope via Swanage Lifeboat. Used to be one of our regular calls.

I went through the Race once many years ago in my then Liz30, with the tide, sailing upwind into a steady SW F7 at the same time as one of the round Britain powerboat races was in progress. We actually overtook many of the racing powerboats who really cold not handle the situation and several became customers of Swanage lifeboat even in the approach stretch from Peveril Ledge/Anvil Point to St Albans Head. I had 3 mates on board my Liz for a 'lads' booze cruise weekender to Cherbourg leaving from Poole that Friday night after work and returning Sunday, but we aborted Cherbourg when just a few miles out from Poole and returned to Studland to anchor overnight in view of a new gale warning and a forecasted wind increase from the SW F7 we started off in to SW F8 and so we went to Weymouth Saturday morning instead, with the tide. The whole St Albans Head area can be a really nasty place especially with wind against tide. It was nice to wave at the racing powerboats as we sailed past them mind!