Cruising Europe UK this coming summer

[Sandibar]

Originally Posted by picklesandjesse

Sorry Sandibar,

Did not mean to make a blanket statement. Guess we are just suited to each other. It can happen. She just seems to realize that her life is running out and it's time to embrace a new way of life. Her friends are not like that.
John

John, I was not referring at all to your posts and hope I did not offend. I was trying to point out that traits discussed in this thread, for example, about the propensity for motion sickness, problems with culture clashes etc., although possibly statistically valid, are based on averages. In my experience individuals are not representations of the average, and personal traits and subcultures play a big role, regardless of nationality.

My wife is Chinese, too. She can get seasick if it's rough, like most people (and my sister is much worse). She loves boating, when the weather cooperates. We only have been out 2-3 weeks at a time, so far.

Markus

[picklesandjesse]

Thanks Markus,

Didn't want to offend anyone here. I pick her up at the airport in 12 hours and we can translate these comments. I think she will like that idea. Nice to hear from you. John

[Dauntlessny]

Congratulations.

Get up to Scotland if can. Some of the best cruising places in all of western Europe.

[picklesandjesse]

Thanks Richard,

I believe you but not sure my wife will !!! I was looking at a boat up there a couple of years ago and I see you sent me a message then. I was a bit slow and it sold. There's a nice Contessa 32 for sale at the moment and I made an offer on it but was rejected so I bought the 28ft one instead.

I'll have to see how she deals with the Channel crossing first. John

[out42]

IMHO:
Worth remembering that it can still be really cold on the water in N Europe until the end of May and even sometimes into June. I would therefore tend to hang around the Dutch inland waterways and wait a while before day-sailing to England. The passage to England can be quite easy to do in short hops if you play the tides right and the extra time with easier and very civilised sailing in Holland gives your wife a bit of leeway around settling into a different way of life. The weather will also become more predictable if there is such a thing as predictable summer weather any more.

[picklesandjesse]

Thanks for the reminder Out,

Looking forward to the cool weather. It's been over 40 degrees here lately. But I know the reality of being there will hit hard I'm sure. I lived in Canada for 25 years and it will be much like going back there I think. We had planned to spend until early June anyway as we have to prep the boat etc.

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by picklesandjesse

Thanks for the reminder Out,

Looking forward to the cool weather. It's been over 40 degrees here lately. But I know the reality of being there will hit hard I'm sure. I lived in Canada for 25 years and it will be much like going back there I think. We had planned to spend until early June anyway as we have to prep the boat etc.

Grew up in Aus, moved to the UK, then to Canada, then back to the UK. I was looking forward to the cooler weather as well (Adelaide is just too damn hot in summer) but nothing really prepared me for the UK winters.... the snow in Canada brightens things up a bit (even when it's -35) but a cold, damp UK winter aboard? After 12 of them, I gave up and went to Portugal

n

[picklesandjesse]

I was on an island near Vancouver....... same deal !!! Wanted to kill myself. Clouds were below the tree tops sometimes.Used to drive nonstop to LA, 22 hours to see the sun and humans enjoying life.

[Delafontaine]

a few guides: The river Thames Waterways association is a nice source of information (from Lechlade to the sea), alongside with ''making the most of the Thames'' from PLA, and the ''cruising guide to the river Thames and connecting waterways.''

Guy on S/V Sabina

[Delafontaine]

The link: if you plan to lower the mast and cruise up the Thames, you can sail to South Dock Marina (ref FilBrown, post #14) They have the facilities to drop & store your mast.

Guy on S/V Sabina

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by picklesandjesse

I was on an island near Vancouver....... same deal !!! Wanted to kill myself. Clouds were below the tree tops sometimes.Used to drive nonstop to LA, 22 hours to see the sun and humans enjoying life.

Nowhere in Europe that I know of has that kind of climate. However, some find it wet and cold up here in Northern Europe. It doesn't bother me -- I come from the hot part of the U.S. and 25 years after leaving, I'm still grateful every day I no longer live in that climate. The UK South Coast gets a reasonable amount of sun and isn't all that wet, and is relatively warm in the winter, with very rare and very light frosts. Palm trees grow in Southampton. People sail year around and all facilities are open year round.

The other great thing up here is the long days in the summer time (balanced by the long nights in the winter time, but that's cozy if you have the right attitude).

But if it's too cold for you, you'll need to go down into Biscay. In any case, some kind of heating system is essential, even in summer.

In any case, you will want, I think, to get out of the North Sea, which has the most difficult weather and the most challenging and even dangerous sea states. Not what you want in a smaller boat, and especially not with a novice sailor new wife.

Downside of the UK South Coast is that it is very expensive in the summer time. It's very reasonable in the winter, and it's a wonderful cruising ground, but in the summer I believe it's the most expensive berthing in Europe. Across the Channel in France is much cheaper (berthing less than half the cost), those coasts are just gorgeous -- at least as good as the UK South Coast (and that's saying something).


You might also think about the Baltic, but only for the summer (it is too cold to sail in the winter time and all the marinas are closed anyway; hell, the Eastern Baltic FREEZES). It is a cruising paradise, extremely cheap, all facilities oriented to smaller boats, with an infinite volume of things to do and see.

So one way to do it might be Baltic in the summer, and then move to the UK South Coast in the winter, which in fact is what I have been doing for the last couple of years. Moving between the Baltic and UK South coasts involves a fair bit of sailing -- about 1500 miles from the Solent to Eastern Finland, so roughly 3000 round trip, but I consider that part of the fun. YMMV.


UK South Coast, a day sail from the Solent:





As a place for overwintering in Northern Europe, I think you couldn't find a better place than the Solent, by the way. It's relatively warm, its waters are sheltered, and there are a staggeringly huge number of interesting things to see and do. In this little bit of water less than 20 mies long, you have all of these ports: Southampton, Portsmouth, Cowes, Yarmouth, Lymington, Beaulieu, Hamble . . .

It's also the world capital of the yachting industry with every conceivable service and a thriving maritime community.

It's crowded in the summer with a huge concentration of yachts and huge fleets of aggressive racers, and people hate it for that, but it's marvelous in the winter. You can spend an entire winter cruising just the Solent and not get bored. And if you want a bit of variety, Cherbourg is just 60 miles across the Channel, from the Needles, and you can make Poole on one tide, or Weymouth if you're fast.

[athene]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Nowhere in Europe that I know of has that kind of climate.

You've obviously not spent much time camping under the stars in Wales. 'Clouds below the treetops' - pah! In Wales you can sometimes only see the stems of the mushrooms.

My wife is from Carmarthen, where all the babies are born wearing cagoules and the locals fling themselves to the ground in fear if they see a huge yellow disc in the sky...

GORDON KNIGHT

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by athene

You've obviously not spent much time camping under the stars in Wales. 'Clouds below the treetops' - pah! In Wales you can sometimes only see the stems of the mushrooms.

My wife is from Carmarthen, where all the babies are born wearing cagoules and the locals fling themselves to the ground in fear if they see a huge yellow disc in the sky...

GORDON KNIGHT

Yes, I forgot about Wales. And Scotland. I have never been to either place

[athene]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Yes, I forgot about Wales. And Scotland. I have never been to either place

Don't get me started on Scotland. The babies there are born with snorkels in their mouths and the locals traditionally carry a dirk (or dagger) to cut through the fog.

And let's not get onto the Irish. They're not born with webbed feet for nothing...

GORDON KNIGHT

[picklesandjesse]

OK, I get it !!! It's going to be cold and wet, but we will not die!!( we will of course, maybe soon ) But you have to understand that 40 degrees C here in Australia is not that great either. Can anyone recommend a heating system that will suffice for the late spring and summer into Oct? I think it might make life a bit more bearable for us. I checked the weather the other day where the boat is and it was -3 degrees but should be about 7 degrees to maybe 12 degrees when we arrive April 20th. Thanks for the help John