Leaving Uk for the Med in Aug/Sep?

[davethedog]

Hello all,

We are looking to become liveaboards in 2019 and already starting to plan. I am currently planning to leave work July 19 and we want to set sail as soon as possible from the Solent to the Med. So, would anyone recommend departing the Solent area in Aug/Sep?
Thanks in advance

DTD

[conachair]

Originally Posted by davethedog

Hello all,

We are looking to become liveaboards in 2019 and already starting to plan. I am currently planning to leave work July 19 and we want to set sail as soon as possible from the Solent to the Med. So, would anyone recommend departing the Solent area in Aug/Sep?
Thanks in advance

DTD

I'd be tempted to get straight across Biscay soon as quick as poss round that time of year, get it out of the way . Cruising, you're always late leaving
Pity to miss out on some time in Brittany as its lovely but so is everywhere else.
West coast Portugal can get feisty closer to winter so maybe set your sights on getting round St Vincent, then everything changes, winter is a much more pleasant season than further north.


Then you can stop planning

[davethedog]

Thanks for the reply and we dont want to rush so could take our time and visit Brittany etc

[Pete7]

Indeed the Gulf of Morbihan and the off lying islands are just fabulous. We loved La Turballe and Le Croisic. Piriac a challenge when we got the tides wrong and arrived to find a weir to get in, worth the wait. This is just 25m of coast to do the whole lot you will need a complete summer.

[Klaus-Marco]

Originally Posted by davethedog

Hello all,

We are looking to become liveaboards in 2019 and already starting to plan. I am currently planning to leave work July 19 and we want to set sail as soon as possible from the Solent to the Med. So, would anyone recommend departing the Solent area in Aug/Sep?
Thanks in advance

DTD

Hi Dave (the dog),
I am totally newly registered on this site, so this is my very first posting. I was looking for place to introduce myself to this (virtually) floating community, got lost in the abundance of options and then stumbled across your post, which mirrors my intention for Aug/sept. '18 !
My plan is to leave Portland Harbour(Homeport) in late August, head for Falmouth as the jump-off point for crossing, or rather going around the Bay of Biscay, as an initial W-ly
heading puts us into a better position, should winds become Sw-Ly or S-ly.
I have done this passage many years ago with my own boat and family, now I am one of so many retired sailors heading for the sun !
My partner will be with me , as well as a yet to be found 3rd crew member. Our boat is a
29ft. bilge keel Sadler29, built 1984.
Looking fwd. to hear from you ! Klaus-Marco Koppenhagen

[boatman61]

Season goes on the turn in the Biscay mid September on so be prepared for some wind and sea's..
August is a time for fogs on the N Spain coast.. and I'm talking thick fogs.. so you may have to stand off or.. if you arrive in good weather be prepared to be stuck in a Ria for a few days.. its also pretty wet.
Once you get past Ushant you've two choices.. hop down the coast to Bordeaux then a run down to Santander and along the N Spanish coast stopping along the way or.. a non stop straight across..
I would suggest going straight past Finisterre and down to Baiona if you choose that option rather than La Coruna.. can be a bitch getting round that corner if you get a spell of prolonged SW'lies..
From there onwards its pretty straight forward.. just pick and choose the ports you stop at along W Portugal as they are mainly on rivers and can be dangerous to enter if there's a swell running.. capsizes are not uncommon.. think the Salcombe bar in a S'ly..
Once round San Vincente its a different sea.. and quieter weather.
Enjoy the trip.. just don't be to slow..

[conachair]

Originally Posted by davethedog

Thanks for the reply and we dont want to rush so could take our time and visit Brittany etc

Certainly well worth taking some time round, lovely up there.

Might well ending up there for the winter though, not the end of the world for sure but round St Vincent is *much* nicer over winter.

[Lionelsole]

Hi,
We left [Ireland] early August 2015 and had a nice cruise down to Portugal coast hopping most of the way, including round the outside of Biscay and a few weeks in the Spanish Rias (well worth seeing).
Our blog is at:
Lionelandelsie.blogspot.uk
If it helps

[davethedog]

Thanks for the reply and you blog does not appear to be there, could you please resend the link?

[out42]

No problem other than getting the weather right(!) and then picking where to stop on the way. I would suggest going straight past Ushant rather than getting diverted into Brittany as you will need another year, as someone has already said. La Coruna is a good first stop if you are having a reasonable run of weather, but if not, go into Camarinas or Muros as a first stop. It's further, but the weather is totally different there from the North coast.
Ria Arousa is a great place to victual, fuel, repair, etc and if you go right down to Baiona you miss one of the best cruising grounds in the world IMHO.

Portugal is weather-determined until Cape St Vincent after which it's fine until the Strait of Gibraltar, where you may be blocked for a few days if a Levanter blows.

It's a good trip and apart from the weather, the only problems are pot buoys (stay well out to sea) and tearing yourself away from the Rias Baixas.

[Lionelsole]

Originally Posted by davethedog

Thanks for the reply and you blog does not appear to be there, could you please resend the link?

Apologies.
Should have been:
Lionelandelsie.blogspot.com

[davethedog]

Thanks you and will have a good read of that!

[Sea Angel1]

if you want to go to the Med, go direct as fast as possible. But do believe, that the weather in winter in southern Spain is nice b ut not warm. Also in southern Italy you will encounter rain and wind at temps around 5 - 10 degr C. You must like it.
Also the distances in the Med are not huge. So to my opinion you will have seen all countires in 4 - 5 years. After having done these trips we still liked Brittany and the North coast of Spain and North of Portugal very much and should have stayed longer. But everyone has their own likes and dislikes. And it is harder to go back later on. Good luck on making up your mind.
wishing you a prosperous and healthy new year to you and all readers.

[boatman61]

If there's prolonged E'lies in the Straits Porto Sherry or Cadiz across the bay is a good place to wait for a window.. either in marina's or on the hook.
From there all one needs is an 12/18hr window to get to Gib if you average 5kts.. if the window closes early and you've rounded Trafalgar don't try fighting it.. head into Barbate to wait it out.

[Bobcat]

Thanks for asking the question DTD - all useful advice. We also hope to get down to the Med from near Edinburgh but via the West of Scotland … hopefully getting away a bit earlier!