• First is that just because you can see water, it doesn’t mean that it is safe to go there 
• Next is the tides, which at least you can predict because they are dictated by the phases of the moon, and finally
• The weather, over which you have no control; forecasting seems to be a dark art which is rarely correct. 

So a simple 50 mile journey at 5 knots which should take 10 hours, could take 7 hours or 17, depending on whether the tides and weather are with you or not. For example, the planned milage so far to La Rochelle was about 450; in reality we have done nearer 550. Don’t forget, any plan is just a basis for change.

Staying off the “putty” (Naval slang for not going aground) requires close study of the charts and making sure your plan avoids any known hazards such as rocks and sand bars. Offshore wind and fish farms are a new hazard which need to be planned for, and all of this while avoiding all the other ships that are using the same space. Thankfully there are a clear set of internationally recognised rules which everybody follows to achieve this (unless of course you are a fishing vessel)!

'Tidal gates' are places on the planet where the tide has a particularly strong impact on your plan, and getting your timing right is vital. Arrive at the right time with the tide with you, and you could be doing 9 knots; arrive at the wrong time with the tide against you and you could be doing 3 knots. We had to negotiate a number of these on our way here: the Alderney Race being the first of these, between Alderney and mainland France; Chanel du Four, which is between Ushant and mainland France; and Ras de Sein, which is between a collection of islands and mainland France. All require careful timing to make the most of the conditions.

The weather dictates how fast you can go, and in what direction. Invariably you can go slowly in the required direction or quickly in a different direction! Some understanding of geometry is required. It can also change quickly. One minute you are flapping about in 5 knots of wind going nowhere fast, the next, the wind can be 20 knots and you are flying along in another direction completely.

All of these factors require constant monitoring of the situation and re-visiting your plan on a regular basis. And no plan survives contact with the enemy (the weather in this case). Never a dull moment!

Our next passage involves a 48-hour trip from La Rochelle, France to Gijon in Northern Spain, across the Bay of Biscay. It will involve two nights at sea and no doubt a variety of different weather conditions - thankfully it is pretty much a straight line between the two – what could possibly go wrong!

Nigel (Vasco/Navs/Pilot)