Waiting for a weather window... Biscay

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ausnp84

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Anyone else currently waiting it out for a weather window to get across Biscay? We arrived in Falmouth mid-June for our first crossing south, and there hasn't really been anything longer than 2 days opening up.

Thoughts at this stage are to cross to Brest and do the coast hop route, but then of course there's the risk of getting slammed by westerlies (which would create an easier direct trip down if we just continue to wait).

I see there's a lot of international boats here as well so I'm guessing we're not the only ones......
 
ausnp84 said:
Anyone else currently waiting it out for a weather window to get across Biscay? We arrived in Falmouth mid-June for our first crossing south, and there hasn't really been anything longer than 2 days opening up.

Thoughts at this stage are to cross to Brest and do the coast hop route, but then of course there's the risk of getting slammed by westerlies (which would create an easier direct trip down if we just continue to wait).

I see there's a lot of international boats here as well so I'm guessing we're not the only ones......
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Wait it out. In a past life I've crossed Biscay in most months in both directions doing deliveries, he coast hop route as you call it, is not easier given the passages you need to make, especially around the exclusion zones on the Spanish/French border, what is the boat? - you only need 3 o 4 days to get across usually - go on the back of the next low and you will arrive on the other side as the weather changes.


looking at weatheronline.co.uk - Wednesday/Thursday/Friday this week seem ok. Should be a fetch out , then tail winds though you may a have headwinds near the Spanish coast if you take too long. So stay out west a bit, follow alongside the 'shipping lane' - you will see the line of ships
 
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I would go to some where like Camaret, only need 24 hours. From there if you do not want to do the coastal route ( on that I did enjoy the French part, weather not so good on the Northern Spanish coast, but that was April) then you only need a 3 day weather window or so to get across. You have already waited a long time and if you are not careful you could eat up the summer.
 
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Thanks for your thoughts guys. We're on a 43ft schooner and getting very conscious summer is fast disappearing, hence starting to consider getting to Brest / Camaret then blasting across. Long term plans are the Canaries and Atlantic crossing so we do have a bit of time to play with, but not a lot.

The low pressure coming through next weekend has been the killer - there's a 2 day window either side of it before the next round of weather comes through. It might just haveto be a case of sucking it up and punching headwinds.
 
Looking at passage weather, if you were in Camaret you would appear to have fairly good weather for the next 3 or so days. Appreciate does not help you as you are not there. But if you get there you are much more likely to get a good window for the shorter period and also the channel sometimes has a separate weather pattern to Biscay
 
jordanbasset said:
Looking at passage weather, if you were in Camaret you would appear to have fairly good weather for the next 3 or so days. Appreciate does not help you as you are not there. But if you get there you are much more likely to get a good window for the shorter period and also the channel sometimes has a separate weather pattern to Biscay
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Funnily enough, was just checking distances to Camaret then down to Finisterre, then comparing them to uGrib patterns. It looks like if we leave Wednesday morning we'll be in Camaret well before that next low pressure hits, then should be able to get out on Sat morn and ride the back of the next low down to La Coruna before the next big system comes through later on Monday.
 
ausnp84 said:
Funnily enough, was just checking distances to Camaret then down to Finisterre, then comparing them to uGrib patterns. It looks like if we leave Wednesday morning we'll be in Camaret well before that next low pressure hits, then should be able to get out on Sat morn and ride the back of the next low down to La Coruna before the next big system comes through later on Monday.
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Sounds like a plan to me
 
looking on the forecast can expect a favorable weather condition in the coming days
22 - WNW 5-10 kn
23 - N-ly 5-10 kn
24 - E/S 5-15 kn
25 - N/E 15- 20 kn
26 - NNE 15-25 kn
if it was me, i would depart on 22 and sail south, if any head, southern, winds on 24, change to westerly course temporary , waiting for norther to come again
final planning on 21 as there are a possibilities for wind to veer early
fair winds !
 
dolphin said:
looking on the forecast can expect a favorable weather condition in the coming days
22 - WNW 5-10 kn
23 - N-ly 5-10 kn
24 - E/S 5-15 kn
25 - N/E 15- 20 kn
26 - NNE 15-25 kn
if it was me, i would depart on 22 and sail south, if any head, southern, winds on 24, change to westerly course temporary , waiting for norther to come again
final planning on 21 as there are a possibilities for wind to veer early
fair winds !
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Thanks! That bl**dy little low looked like it was going to put a stopper on our plans, but we might just be able to get south of it and down to warmer weather. Cheers!
 
ausnp84 said:
Anyone else currently waiting it out for a weather window to get across Biscay? We arrived in Falmouth mid-June for our first crossing south, and there hasn't really been anything longer than 2 days opening up.

Thoughts at this stage are to cross to Brest and do the coast hop route, but then of course there's the risk of getting slammed by westerlies (which would create an easier direct trip down if we just continue to wait).

I see there's a lot of international boats here as well so I'm guessing we're not the only ones......
Click to expand...

Easiest way is to coast hop and then cross from the gironde estuary to bilbao or santander. Then you only need a 30 hour weather window and thats easy to get. Plus you visit the north coast of spain which is not to be missed.
 
dunedin said:
If nothing else Camaret is probably a warmer and cheaper place to wait than Falmouth - and two shorter hops much easier to find a weather window than one long one
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I would agree with that, Camaret is a decent place to wait it out, we were stuck there until 26th of July a few years ago and easily got to the Canaries by late October without feeling particularly rushed.
 
ausnp84 said:
Thanks! That bl**dy little low looked like it was going to put a stopper on our plans, but we might just be able to get south of it and down to warmer weather. Cheers!
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i have one more look on the forecast and the developing low will pass over the bay of biscay on 24th and will affect your sailing south as the winds on 22nd and 23rd are very light about 5-10 kn or less progress !
maybe the option, first to cross to camaret on 22-23, wait the low to pass and resume the passage on 25th with window for almost 3 days will be a better option
tomorrow will update on the forecast
regards
 
jordanbasset said:
I would go to some where like Camaret, only need 24 hours. From there if you do not want to do the coastal route ( on that I did enjoy the French part, weather not so good on the Northern Spanish coast, but that was April) then you only need a 3 day weather window or so to get across. You have already waited a long time and if you are not careful you could eat up the summer.
Click to expand...

You could aim for Cameret but if weather conditions and timing are OK you could continue through the Raz de Sein to somewhere like Audierne, Le Guilvenic or Loctudy. That's one obstacle less when you decide to head off.
 
dolphin said:
i have one more look on the forecast and the developing low will pass over the bay of biscay on 24th and will affect your sailing south as the winds on 22nd and 23rd are very light about 5-10 kn or less progress !
maybe the option, first to cross to camaret on 22-23, wait the low to pass and resume the passage on 25th with window for almost 3 days will be a better option
tomorrow will update on the forecast
regards
Click to expand...

We *just* checked it and came to the same conclusion.... that low is starting to look nasty. I tell you, the weather this year has been a challenge!!

For those who've been to Camaret / Brest, did you anchor or stay at a marina?
 
>go on the back of the next low and you will arrive on the other side as the weather changes.

That's what we did, it was the fastest 24 hours we ever did reaching. We stayed outside the 1,000 fathom line because in any gale you get smaller seas.
 
ausnp84 said:
We *just* checked it and came to the same conclusion.... that low is starting to look nasty. I tell you, the weather this year has been a challenge!!

For those who've been to Camaret / Brest, did you anchor or stay at a marina?
Click to expand...

We picked up a buoy at Camaret, can't remember the price but seemed to remember it was very, very reasonable.
 
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