Next Cruise: Towards Shetland (again) in April.

Another attempt at Shetland is pencilled in to start the first or third week in April for the best tides; but the weather may well change that, it usually does.

The two main options for departure to get favourable tides
to and past the Mull of Kintyre (v2).

March wind rose  (Predictwind).

If the weather cooperates leaving on, or a tad before, a Spring tide is best for a quick passage to the Inner Hebrides, with tides setting north at a sensible time each morning. 

But, with the 31st March being the highest tide of the year (a range of 7.5m / 24.6 ft at Milford and almost as high on the 29th & 30th) a couple of days later or the 15th April is probably more likely as tides on the 1st will be fierce out past The Smalls and off Tuskar and it will not take much wind to make the sea very uncomfortable and not much more to make it dangerous, especially off South Bishop. However I don't rule out the 31st if the conditions are benign and may go down a day or two early to be able to make the decision late.

Statistically, over the last 10 years, the earlier date or March is better as northerly or easterly winds predominate in April, in previous  years these have helped me along the south coast and hindered me going north from Newlyn. March is currently ruled out due to the cold, but if an early and warm spring is forecast with favourable winds March 16th or 17th could come into play so I will try and get the spring clean and general preparations done in late February or early March which fits in well with the need to replenish the desiccant water traps. 

April wind rose.

The default initial destination is Carnsore / Rosslare but if the course to Cahore gives an extra 0.5 knots under sail I'll go there, but if there is no wind I'll probably stay at Milford, motoring over again holds little attraction. If I have to, perhaps to get to Scotland before bad weather or northerly winds it would be best to go directly to Dublin arriving before midnight at 5.5 knots. 

If I can make and hopefully sustain 4.5 knots through the water then I can take advantage of the second north going tide and make for Wiklow or if 5 knots looks achievable perhaps with a nice F4 SW wind and a spinnaker (one can hope), then Sorentto bay, Dublin is an option passing south of the India bank rather than north to keep the option of Wiklow open if I can't make Sorrento by c 02:00 when the tide turns foul. 

And if it looks iffy I would probably go south of Arklow Bank to keep Arklow in play for an overnight stay.  I have been to all of these anchorages before, anchoring in the dark is not a problem at Wiklow or Sorrento but very iffy at Arklow due to pots and two outfalls that need to be avoided, so it would have to be an early decision and probably the engine for a while to get in before 20:30. 

Next day I could be away with a fair tide at c 08:00.

Easterly winds would present a bit of a problem, Milford - Fishguard is possible but the tides are wrong to go inside Ramsey Island and the outside route needs 4.5 knots to get past Strumble head before the tide turns adverse and the last 18 miles would be into the wind so would need the engine, except perhaps in a South easterly but with that I could probably make Dublin.

If easterly winds look like persisting for weeks then an option would be to head north up the west coast of Ireland, I'll be packing the charts and pilot books for that. But leaving near springs tides for the first week would be problematic and it would add at least 3 weeks to the trip and probably quite a bit more.

The route further north will be dependant on the weather but ideally from Mull (after storing at Tobermory), I would visit Coll and possibly the Treshnish Isles, cross the Sea of the Hebrides where the wild life sightings were so fantastic in 2023 and north to Stornoway via the Shiant Islands, again sailing in waters rich with wild life in 2023. But if the weather is not favourable but OK to go up the Sound of Sleat and inside Skye I will probably go that way as there is always the chance of doing the Western Isles route in reverse coming back in the summer.

The plan is then to minimise long legs and route to Stromness via Hoy Mouth (as last year), hop round to Kirkwall in one tide, then sail up through the islands to the bay of Otterswick (Sanday) before starting the 64NM leg to southern Shetland or the 78 NM direct to Lerwick.

Some potential anchorages, the same as targeted last year.