The Rio Guadiana

[Fascadale]

ISailor gives a charted depth of about a meters over the bar, Navionics is a bit more optimistic. There seems to be a buoyed channel, but no suggestion that the water in the channel is any deeper than that around it.

Is there any “best advice” on getting out of this river? Wind against tide over the bar? Any quirks?

Boat draws 2 ms, now in Ayamonte

Thanks

 

[zoidberg]

Is there any “best advice” on getting out of this river? Wind against tide over the bar? Any quirks?

You really need to ask our good friend 'viago' about this. He keeps a boat there and has recently developed a good set of Pilotage Notes with details of the hazards. I do believe he has published it 'elsewhere' but is possibly a little shy regarding this place, given the reputation of Scuttlebut for savage satire and censorious scathing comment. However, you could ask him....

 

[GHA]

Follow the Faro sailing school boat out, he goes out most states of tide I think

Not so much wind over tide as swell over tide, it can get a bit bouncy on the ebb if there's any swell coming in from the south as there often is. Most entrances are the same, Faro can get quite exciting full ebb with a swell, best stick to near slack water for most entrances.
This is a link to the Spanish charts online >
http://ideihm.covam.es/visor

No spot depths between the buoys though. I've been in and out a load of times, never any cause for concern though probably never lower than mid tide.

 

[Heckler]

ISailor gives a charted depth of about a meters over the bar, Navionics is a bit more optimistic. There seems to be a buoyed channel, but no suggestion that the water in the channel is any deeper than that around it.

Is there any “best advice” on getting out of this river? Wind against tide over the bar? Any quirks?

Boat draws 2 ms, now in Ayamonte

Thanks

Last time I was there two years ago, they had just dredged. The red and green cans are usually ok to follow. As GHA says watch the wind over tide for nasty and a good rule of thumb is go at full to half tide.

 

[richardh10]

The wate in the channel is definitely deeper than the water around! If in doubt, stick closer to the breakwater

 

[Graham376]

As Stu says, it was dredged a couple of years ago. Last year we entered at half flood and never had less than 4m. Stay mid way between each pair of buoys.

 

[Yngmar]

Not a big deal. Been in and out last autumn. Just don't go around low tide. Stick to the marked channel. Navionics Sonarchart was fairly accurate (it often is for frequently traveled areas). That goes for the whole river too.

Additional info on our blog, including some links we found helpful then: https://sdfjkl.org/blog/2017-11-12-the-rio-guadiana/

 

[skipperwales]

On a similar issue can I ask for some advice from those with local knowledge?

I planned to stay a couple of nights in Culatra and then go up up the Guadiana after a night or two in Ayamonte. To arrive at the Guadiana around high water I'd need to leave Culatra around the low water slack and Ill be on Spring tides. The chart makes it seem quite doable, but common sense is ringing bells. Any comments?

thanks

 

[KellysEye]

We went up the Guadiana a number of times and always did it at high tide both ways.

 

[GHA]

On a similar issue can I ask for some advice from those with local knowledge?

I planned to stay a couple of nights in Culatra and then go up up the Guadiana after a night or two in Ayamonte. To arrive at the Guadiana around high water I'd need to leave Culatra around the low water slack and Ill be on Spring tides. The chart makes it seem quite doable, but common sense is ringing bells. Any comments?

thanks

Should be plenty water to get out, just be a bit wary leaving if there's still some ebb running and there's any swell from the south , Faro entrance can get quite exiting!

Done Faro - Alcoutim in a oner before arriving Ayamonte not too long after low water, you get a fair tide up the river for about 8 hours going up. Less coming back down again. Enjoy

 

[Graham376]

Done Faro - Alcoutim in a oner before arriving Ayamonte not too long after low water, you get a fair tide up the river for about 8 hours going up. Less coming back down again. Enjoy

We leave Ria Formosa entrance 3 hours after HW, (hug the west breakwater to avoid overfalls) arrive Guadiana on the flood which carries all the way to Alcoutim.

 

[GHA]

We leave Ria Formosa entrance 3 hours after HW, (hug the west breakwater to avoid overfalls) arrive Guadiana on the flood which carries all the way to Alcoutim.

Braver than I!!!

Did it on the ebb once with a biggish swell from the south and the entrance was fierce all the way across with big standing waves. Little too exciting...

 

[skipperwales]

Thanks all, plan sorted!

Just need to fix mozzie nets now!

 

[Graham376]

Braver than I!!!

Did it on the ebb once with a biggish swell from the south and the entrance was fierce all the way across with big standing waves. Little too exciting...

It can be fun at times but, with hatches closed not a problem going through the standing waves, only last a minute or so before through. Usually, there's calm water (sometimes a back eddy) around the end of the west breakwater and you can tuck in towards the beach which shelves steeply.

We made the mistake of going out with BIG SE swell one time, didn't realise just how big it was until too late to turn back. Took quite a while to crab out way out, up and down hill, to flatter water.

 

[Graham376]

We went up the Guadiana a number of times and always did it at high tide both ways.

What's the point in pushing tide for 2 -3 hours when there's plenty of depth to go with it?