Transiting the Straits Of Gibraltar

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daveg45

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I am planning to do this east bound from Portugal in a of weeks or so what maybe a stop over at the rock. The winds however seem predominantly East at the moment. Is this typical this time of year? What is the best way to approach this. Any advice welcome. Cheers all.
 
daveg45 said:
I am planning to do this east bound from Portugal in a of weeks or so what maybe a stop over at the rock. The winds however seem predominantly East at the moment. Is this typical this time of year? What is the best way to approach this. Any advice welcome. Cheers all.
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Yes, you do tend to get more easterlies in spring/early summer. However they will soon blow themselves out. Absolute pain to sail up the straits in one so would wait until blown through (Wednesday next week possibly).

As for stopping off, 2 Marinas in Gib (Oceanvillage/Marina Bay and Queensway Quay) and both should have berths. Also the La Linea Marina has plenty of room. Remember to fill up with diesel at Gib.

fair sailing

Paul
 
forecast gibraltar

as per the forecast, can expect the westerly wind in 8, 9 , 10 days (23 - 25 april)
specially on the 10th day W 15-20 kn
hope the forecast is correct :)



www.neatcss.com
 
Did it last year, we were "Levantered" (easterly) had to wait in Barbate, a great place to stopover until the "Poiente" (westerly) arrives. Have afriend who lives in Estopna who watchs boats getting beaten up and broken by the Levanter from his apartment, the wind over tide effect with this wind is no joke! Anyway they are the words to look out for in the forecasts. Last year the Poiente kicked in on the last day of April.
 
Thanks for all the good advice which is much appreciated. If the forecast is correct that would be just about perfect.
 
Hiya, here's a couple of ideas.

Its not that hard a beat up the Straits if you use the tide....and your engine a bit.

Best time to be off Cape Trafalgar or leaving Barbatte is abot 3 or 3 and a half hours before high water Gib. If you look at an Admiralty chart, you will see running along the coast some 'pecked' lines. Stay inshore of the first one and you will carry the best current and tide beyond Tarifa.

Watch your SOG, it will become obvious if you have strayed too far south.

You are very unlikely to encounter Tuna nets, virtually gone, maybe for good, but watch for lobster pot markers.

Stay North of the shoal banks to the west of Tarifa.

Listen on channel 10 at 15 mins past every even hour utc for Tarifa Traffic forecast including realtime report from them. They are often late though, don't give up.

The downwind end of the Strait is always windier. Use engine to bash past Tarifa if you need it, east of Tarifa towards the Rock the wind will ease.

If you come through on a westerly, be prepared for a sharp increase in windspeed to the east of Tarifa.

It's a great trip, I do it quite often!!

PM if you got any ??'s, happy to help :)
 
KellysEye said:
All good advice,just to add make sure you go through with the tide behind you. With any decent wind and a tide against you get nasty short period waves making life a misery.
Click to expand...

Wind against tide is wot does that. Which you have to live with beating in against an easterly.

West wind with tide, cushty.
 
Marsupial said:
Did it last year, we were "Levantered" (easterly) had to wait in Barbate, a great place to stopover until the "Poiente" (westerly) arrives. Have afriend who lives in Estopna who watchs boats getting beaten up and broken by the Levanter from his apartment, the wind over tide effect with this wind is no joke! Anyway they are the words to look out for in the forecasts. Last year the Poiente kicked in on the last day of April.
Click to expand...

"Poniente".
 
We spent a happy 8 days in Barbate a couple of years back waiting for the easterly to blow itself out. If I'd thought about it a bit more, I think I'd have stayed in Cadiz, which is a much nicer place than Barbate and only a few hours away north of Cape Trafalgar. However, if you do get stuck there, get the earplugs out on Friday/Saturday nights, as there's a rave venue a couple of hundred metres from the port entrance which plays loud techno music until about 6am.........
 
We went from Tangiers to Gib (2007) and had a good trip. Tangier itself is great (excellent for provisioning) and we were confident enough with the security to leave the boat for an overland trip to Fez (also amazing). Then got a nice westerly, tide leaving so all daylight and a good trip. It really is worth checking out exactly where you are with the tidal streams as a few 100 yards one way or the other may make quite a difference to your speed. Also crossing that shipping lane takes steely nerves and (preferably) a good engine.
 
Arrived Gibraltar yesterday, after 7 days in Barbate with a levanter. Tried to leave earlier, but the combination of headwind, ugly seas and contrary current defeated us. You need a big diesel in a heavy boat to beat a levanter.

However, Barbate has a lovely park for walks and cycle rides; and you can cycle or bus to the white hill town of Nejer de la Frontera. So, it's not all bad.

Wait somewhere nice for favourable winds! Near Cadiz I'd recommend El Puerto Santa Maria or Rota rather than Cadiz itself.

Tony MS
 
TonyMS said:
Arrived Gibraltar yesterday, after 7 days in Barbate with a levanter. Tried to leave earlier, but the combination of headwind, ugly seas and contrary current defeated us. You need a big diesel in a heavy boat to beat a levanter.

However, Barbate has a lovely park for walks and cycle rides; and you can cycle or bus to the white hill town of Nejer de la Frontera. So, it's not all bad.

Wait somewhere nice for favourable winds! Near Cadiz I'd recommend El Puerto Santa Maria or Rota rather than Cadiz itself.

Tony MS
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You mean Vejer de la Frontera, surely ?

Welcome to The Rock.

I hope you enjoy your visit.
 
TonyMS said:
Arrived Gibraltar yesterday, after 7 days in Barbate with a levanter. Tried to leave earlier, but the combination of headwind, ugly seas and contrary current defeated us. You need a big diesel in a heavy boat to beat a levanter.

However, Barbate has a lovely park for walks and cycle rides; and you can cycle or bus to the white hill town of Nejer de la Frontera. So, it's not all bad.

Wait somewhere nice for favourable winds! Near Cadiz I'd recommend El Puerto Santa Maria or Rota rather than Cadiz itself.

Tony MS
Click to expand...

Stop! You're making me *so* jealous. I spent a summer down there and adore that coastline, Cadiz without doubt one of my favorite cities anywhere, wonderful food and increadable flamenco during the summer.
Sancti Petri is worth a day or to as well to chill out.
Never did see the appeal of gib though, other than speaking english. Much prefer Ceuta. Walk across the border into Morocco and jump in a cab to Tetouan to do some souk shopping.
Great part of the world, enjoy! :cool:
 
Also try sailing from Ceuta down to Marina Smir and take a taxi from there.

Local tour guide 'Achmed' is first class and will organise taxi both ways, a walking tour through the medina and if you wish, take you to a local restaurant, El Reducto for a couple of hours.

I really enjoy it there, good food and great service....no relation!!

In fact was there last thursday!
 
Escape From The Med

I'm heading down to Gib in a few weeks from Barcelona after a year in the Med. On the inward leg through the Straits we got pretty hammered - left Barbate 3.5 hrs before HW with a F3/4 westerly forecast, expecting an easy wind-with-tide cruise, and got F7-8 and hefty, short seas. That said, we covered 35nm in well under four hours - exciting.

We plan to leave for the Canaries from Gib. It goes without saying the wind will be from the east when we leave, or we won't leave, but I'm wondering about tidal timing...

The other consideration is our route. Given we're southbound, what route would let us traverse the traffic most painlessly? I'm currently considering heading to Cadiz and leaving for the Canaries from there, crossing the Straits asap and skirting the African coast til clear of the worst traffic concentration or just zigzagging through it all...somehow.

If any of you Straits Ninjas have anywise words I'll owe you one. We'll probably be in Marina Bay (now the La Linea anchorage is a forbidden zone) in late October so I'll actually buy you one if you're there!
 
Hiya,

Do give me a call when you arrive. Happy to have a chat plus I will find you a copy of our pilot. Have also been to Canaries and back a few times as well.

Based in Marina Bay.

Cheers,

CS
 
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