Winter Gales in the Channel

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I'm sure I could have thought of a few more appropriate words. But you being a teacher and all...

That will be me tomorrow morning early on the tide! Not in a Lightning, fortunately, but single handed!

So fire away with the epithets . . . .

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by DotDun

hmm...good day to stay at the marina????

WOW!

That is some swell and surf conditions.

Notice that area is colored black on the display, as in when one is in those wave troughs it must seem like one is in a deep dark hole....yikes!

80 feet!

That would be halfway up the Fastnet lighthouse.

The Fastnet lighthouse that was struck by a rogue wave 157 feet high in 1985. Awesome wave! The focal point of that light is 159 feet high. I will post a photo of the lighthouse so people can get a sense of scale.

You folks get some BIG waves in that part of the Atlantic.

[DeepFrz]

DH, all I can say is "good luck".

If you were in a Lightening I might say something else...

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

DH, all I can say is "good luck".

If you were in a Lightening I might say something else...

Well, it's not as bad here as it is in Scotland. Just a F6, maybe F7. Quite normal conditions hereabouts. And downwind. Should not be a big challenge.

And don't forget -- even a bad day at sea, is better than a good day on land

[Dockhead]

It's presently blowing like stink, and I have every fender I own deployed on the port side keeping the boat from grinding against the pontoon.

I had to take a break from drinking G&T's to go on deck and throw a line on my forestay to dampen the oscillations from the wind -- the sail is off (destroyed in a storm in the Baltic in August), and it is for some reason more sensitive being bare. I don't like these oscillations -- cyclical loads on the rig.

Sure hope it pipes down a bit by morning.

[Moody46CC]

Sunny day in Western Europe for the hardy folks.

One of the reviews on my boat, a Moody 46, was done in the Solent when the wind was blowing F8. Boat handled well, according to the review. Alway nice to know one did not go low-bidder when heading out of sight of land.

But I'm in the snug at home tonight watching my fire. But as the English say about the Irish and the Americans say about the English, "they're different."

[Exile]

Seems to sum up DH's attitude on the whole affair:

"I'm glad there is a gale, because if I weren't glad, there would still be a gale."

[carstenb]

Here in copenhagen we are warming up for the weekend blow (coming to us courtesty of the UK and Scotland) Friday evening and night forecast?

Gale force (F8) wind with gusts up to 60+ knots.

I'll be double checking Capri's lines later today, although she's been tied up in worse and made it without problems

But I won't be taking her out

[UNCIVILIZED]

This, ladies & gents, is why I own (and always pack) a Drysuit, courtesy of Musto Ltd. in the UK. It's gotten me some dirty looks over the years by those who in the past mocked me for being "paranoid", but in the end, having it surely beats sitting on the weather rail or on deck in salt soaked undergarments.
- Plus, it has a nicely sized thigh pocket, which holds a gentleman's flask of rum quite well ;-)

[atoll]

Originally Posted by nigel1

See that the sea state "phenomenal" gets a mention in a forecast area's around the NW and N coast of Scotland for this evening.
Was meant to have started a tow from Wick a few days ago, but sense prevailed and the job is postponed until March next year.

the wife is currently on the island of Eigg visiting a friend !
right in the middle of it!

[roland stockham]

Yes I sat watching the weather bouys in the channel on a night shift a few years back 50+ waves and 70+kn wind. Talking to the local lighthouse keepers here they regularly get windows obscured by salt and spray driving around the building - at 250ft! last week weather showed wave heights to 130ft offshore, but this is the edge of the gulf of Alaska...

[Cruisingoneday]

L


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by atoll

the wife is currently on the island of Eigg visiting a friend !
right in the middle of it!

[achil]

Originally Posted by nagrom snoyl

Winds up to 130km/hr here on the west coast of Ireland normal winter weather ...

I was born on the West coast of Ireland and spent my first 16 years there. I recall people getting lost at sea in storms, mostly traveling to or from the islands in Currachs. I remember people talking about waves as big as houses which would be 25-30 ft , but I can't even imagine a wave 80 ft high! That is equivalent to an 8 story building.

I live in the US now and my goal is to someday sail to Ireland. This coming Spring or Fall I am going to take the easy way and fly. Most of my experience is on inland waters on day-sailors and I can't help but wonder what the blazes you would do if you had the misfortune to get caught in a sea such as the above? I know you would try to get to safe land or get out of its way, but what if you couldn't?

I hope all you sailors affected by this storm are safe.

[goboatingnow]

They shut the cliffs of Moher ( 720 feet high)visitor centre this week, as the waves were dumping rocks on the centre. reports of peak wave heights approaching 70 Metres !!

( The centre is on top near the edge)

Cliffs of Moher Tourist Attraction in Ireland, Things to Do in Ireland | Ireland’s most visited natural attraction