Crossing Biscay this weekend.

[Thames 4 Blood]

Hi All,
After a lot of daft questions over the past 6 months and much generous advice Sam and I are hoping to cast off and sail from Plymouth UK and head accross Biscay this weekend! First major passage.

We are lucky to have our friend and instructor, Paul, joining us for the passage.

We will then daysail down the Portuguese coast and hope to arrive in Gibralter in about 3 weeks.

Weather is looking fairly kind for the main passage so Saturday 4th May may be the big day. Cant wait to get south to some warmth!

Last few jobs to do today and my "To Do" list is DONE! YAY!!!!

Thanks to everyone who have been generous either with direct advice or general wisdom and knowledge I have read on this forum.

Mark and Samantha.

[atoll]

good luck!
baiona makes a nice first stop,you can anchor opposite the marina

[boatman61]

Hey... good on yer finally getting mobile and good luck with the trip.
The only thing to watch out for is any hint of the winds going SE-SW.. if they do its usually a bad blow that stacks up the seas.. anything else and you'll fly down..
I tend to make Baiona (good marina/anchorage) my 1st stop, as pulling into La Coruna often leaves one with a hard beat round to Finisterre.. if you want to visit the N shore pull into Viviero.. lovely little town.. old Galicia at its best
Weathers finally turned for the better down here and its getting warmer... enjoy the run..

[Thames 4 Blood]

Thanks!

[psk125]

We put into Royan, Arcachon, and St Jean de Luz on the French coast. Aracachon has well-equipped marina facilities, chandleries and capable worker/installers if you need them. Hefty currents are possible, with waves breaking on the bars, depending upon the wind.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by atoll

good luck!
baiona makes a nice first stop,you can anchor opposite the marina

2nd that , very friendly place , the yacht club is particularly welcoming. I've always used there pontoons.

( just dont turn into the channel at the first northern cardinal !!!)

Dave

[nigel1]

Wish you all the best, slightly envious

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Wish you all the best, slightly envious

Only slightly..?
Musta stopped raining... for a few minutes...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Only slightly..?
Musta stopped raining... for a few minutes...

Look here Portugal dweller , temps up to 14 degrees , summers here !!!!!!!

Dave

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Look here Portugal dweller , temps up to 14 degrees , summers here !!!!!!!

Dave

Unfortunately back at work, and much further north, missing out on the UK heatwave

[Thames 4 Blood]

Hi guys, Just an update.
We left on Saturday 4th. Crossed channel safely in double quick time close hauled and a bit lumpy but good. Rounded Ousant in 20hrs. Biscay itself was a bit tough with headwinds right on the nose for 3 days. Meant to go to Bayona but ended up in Coruna to rest and await better weather.
Then sailed to Bayona which is really beautiful! Then Cascais and finally Lagos which is where I sit now writing this.
Out of the Atlantic proper now and an easy hop sees us in Gib... Our 1st goal.

Thanks for the kind wishes!

Mark and Sam

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Thames 4 Blood

Hi guys, Just an update.
We left on Saturday 4th. Crossed channel safely in double quick time close hauled and a bit lumpy but good. Rounded Ousant in 20hrs. Biscay itself was a bit tough with headwinds right on the nose for 3 days. Meant to go to Bayona but ended up in Coruna to rest and await better weather.
Then sailed to Bayona which is really beautiful! Then Cascais and finally Lagos which is where I sit now writing this.
Out of the Atlantic proper now and an easy hop sees us in Gib... Our 1st goal.

Thanks for the kind wishes!

Mark and Sam

Well done

We left Brest on the friday, into Camerinas sunday morning just in front of that low which might have got you across Biscay.
There's a 24h self service diesel pump in Brest now which takes cards, handy to top up before the bay.

Enjoy the sardines!!!

[monte]

Congrats, just out of Lagos is Alvor, nice protected anchorage and small town if you feel like escaping the marina. Queensbay marina in Gib is good value and perfect location

[boatman61]

If Alvor is full (usually) or you don't fancy the tricky entrance Portimao is just a few miles E... a good anchorage on the E side of the entrance of the beach with the marina on the W bank...
The Faro/Olhau lagoon is a nice stop... hang a right after the entrance and anchor of Isla Culatra which has regular ferries to Faro and Olhau... or you could anchor of Olhau itself...
Enjoy your summer folks..