Canaries => UK / UK => Canaries

[stevensuf]

Any advice on best seasons for the above trips?

[atoll]

leave uk around sept 15 to get across biscay safely,return via the azores in june or july

[Pete7]

I have only been down not back up, but after Biscay we had a pleasant down wind run with the Portuguese trades blowing us south. However, it would have been a wet and windy sail back up that coast hence Atolls advice of going out to the Azores before heading home.

I wouldn't go into Gib unless you really want to but instead cast off for the Canaries higher up the Spanish coast as getting out of Gib is again a wet sail.

Pete

[atoll]

after bayona(cape finnisterre) it is possable to hop down the west coast of europe and n africa doing over nighters all the way to agadir and stay in a cheapish marina at all your stops.
agadir to lanzarote is about 180 miles,

[goboatingnow]

From my experience be out of biscay before mid sept, definitely before the equinox. ( and avoid that week). If you have time go down to Portugal in august. Lagos is a good stop. Then the remainder can be done almost up to Dec.

As for return. Azores is one way or early to avoid portugese trades and go straight up. I've done it but it a wet ride and you can burn a fair bit of diesel.

Dave

[nigelmercier]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

From my experience be out of biscay before mid sept, definitely before the equinox. ( and avoid that week).

Could you elaborate on the reasons?

[boatman61]

Canaries -Madiera - Azores - UK
UK - Bayona - Cascais - Canaries
As for the Biscay... if you don't mind the odd bounce its been done most months of the year... just have a strong boat and nerves... sea's vary from 1m to 10m..

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by nigelmercier

Could you elaborate on the reasons?

Because that week is famous for throwing up very nasty equinox storms. Having crossed Biscay several times in Sept, Oct and Nov. I would definitely try to be clear of it by mid Sept. Preferably end of August. Witness the recent Fastnet race to see that even August at these latitudes is not without it's problems. After Sept it can become a lottery to get across Biscay. Storms tend to brew off finnisterre and force you into the Bay or way out into the Atlantic.

Sure " with strong crew and a reliable boat" type of stuff it cam be done anytime, but you can get a major hammering as well. You pays your money and takes your chances.


The later you do it the more Westing I'd have in my plan


Dave