week end crossing - what will the weather be like ?

[Danglar]

Hello.

Does anyone know whether there will be gales this week end ? I do not know whether to book a  Newhaven/Dieppe crossing on Saturday morning.

I have visited a few meteo websites and those that gave the weather in the Channel quoted winds force 5 to 6 , which might have some meaning only to a mariner.

Also, will there be roads blocked to the road leading to the harbour ? A month ago I missed the boat (!) and had to drive to Folkestone.

We got to the roundabout from where we always take the road for the ferry and it was closed up ! The divertion signs were ridicously placed and  we basically guessed our way around. After about 20 miles driving on a loop we found a lorry (which was not supposed to have been there) blocking the only route to the port. With 20 minutes left   we finally gave up. Do not want to repeat it.

Thanks 

[Gardengirl]

I can see winds of 26 mph WSW at Newhaven, 33 mph SW at Dieppe for Saturday on BBC.

I'd prefer something like zero winds myself, but I'm a terrible sailor - I used to drink cognac both ways until I discovered ginger!

Anyway, maybe those figures will help make it seem more real than 'force' whatever. Don't know about roads. Hope you have a good trip.

[nectarine]

oooh I can't face another ferry crossing, I came over last Sunday evening on the Portsmouth-Le Havre overnighter. Yikes, gale force winds, boat rocking, crockery crashing to the floor. I was in a cabin and was sliding down the bed with my feet hitting the locker, and then up the bed with my head crashing on the bunk, then tipped over and rolled me on the floor. All night. Horrible crashing and creaking sounds from the boat. No sleep all night.

Lots of grey faces, red-rimmed eyes in the morning as we tottered to our cars and tried to remember to drive on the other side of the road.

So, from now on, the sea has to be calm like a millpond before I decide to brave the waters again. (either that, or the Tunnel).

[Clarkkent]

If you are worried about weather conditions, and prepared to drive to Folkeston, why don't you use the tunnel?

[Théière]

[quote user="Danglar"]Hello.
Does anyone know whether there will be gales this week end ? I do not know whether to book a  Newhaven/Dieppe crossing on Saturday morning.
I have visited a few meteo websites and those that gave the weather in the Channel quoted winds force 5 to 6 , which might have some meaning only to a mariner.

Also, will there be roads blocked to the road leading to the harbour ? A month ago I missed the boat (!) and had to drive to Folkestone.
We got to the roundabout from where we always take the road for the ferry and it was closed up ! The divertion signs were ridicously placed and  we basically guessed our way around. After about 20 miles driving on a loop we found a lorry (which was not supposed to have been there) blocking the only route to the port. With 20 minutes left   we finally gave up. Do not want to repeat it.
Thanks 

[/quote]

The wind force is shown here on the Beaufort scale. 5-6 is only a fresh to strong breeze so it should be fine.

[La Guerriere]

It will be bumpy

http://www.windfinder.com/forecasts/superforecast_france_normandy56.htm

[Théière]

Nice La Guerriere,

That definitely isn't showing 5-6, closer to 8-9 so yep it'll be rough [+o(][+o(]

Of course some of us enjoy that [:)]

[AnOther]

What a bunch of woosies !

A couple of tips:

If it's daytime find yourself somewhere as low down in the boat as you can get and amidships but where you can see out of the front and see the horizon and then don't take your eyes off it unless you have to.

If it's night then on the basis that you're probably not going to sleep anyway forget your cabin and get yourself as close to the center of gravity of the boat as you can then lie down on your front, fore and aft with your head towards the sharp end, preferably jamming yourself somehow you won't roll about.

Get a nice greasy meal down you neck, easy in - easy out [+o(]

Once that's gone drink milk.

[MrCanary]

My wife wears rubber travel bands on her wrists that she bought from Boots. She swears by them!

As for me, I just love it. Rough seas make boring crossings interesting!

[Baz]

If you are a bad sailor then crossing the channel in the winter months should be left to the hardy mariners and  I would also suggest as clarkkent always use Eurotunnel at this time of the year even it add some miles to your journey. I really know what the channel can do, more so in the winter, having spent 5 years in Dover in my youth.

Baz

[confused of chalus]

before a particularly bad crossing last year  one of women who worked on the boat told me to drink cola - she said they all did in rough weather. And I made it all the way across without being sick. Sometimes I think it's as much in my mind as my stomach! Tell me something will work, and I relax enough to get through it. Suspect this only works Calais- Dover, not a long crossing.

[Gardengirl]

That's an interesting fact. When my husband was taken ill with a terrible stomach bug on a campsite in the Alps many years ago, the doctor prescribed 8 sets of tablets (of course all to be taken at different time intervals, some before, some with and some after food - food? he couldn't retain anything apart from plain boiled rice!). The doctor also said I was to give him plenty of coke that had gone flat. Strange, I thought. All the English on site said what a strange idea; all the French, Belgians, Germans and Swiss (everybody knew all the grizzly details by osmosis!) said, but of course - it was just a fact of life to them. It certainly seems good for the stomach. It's been a standard remedy for any upset stomachs in our family since then - but I never thought of taking it on a boat. I'm a convert to the tunnel now, so won't be trying it out..

[Dog]

Cola drinks are for often given for dehydration.

I did Dover - Calais Tuesday in high winds and the boat was well stabilized and not at all bad.

The ferry was delayed and the doors to the deck were locked - realised why when saw the news - some immigrants have recently decided to swim the last kilometer or so from a ferry that morning. Must be good swimmers and used to the cold.

[Cendrillon]

The ferry was delayed and the doors to the deck were locked -

realised why when saw the news - some immigrants have recently decided

to swim the last kilometer or so from a ferry that morning. Must be

good swimmers and used to the cold.

I believe they wore wetsuits under their clothing.

Back to the subject, just seen the weather forecast and this weekend will bring more rough weather.

[Judie]

[quote user="Cendrillon"]

The ferry was delayed and the doors to the deck were locked -

realised why when saw the news - some immigrants have recently decided

to swim the last kilometer or so from a ferry that morning. Must be

good swimmers and used to the cold.

I believe they wore wetsuits under their clothing.

Back to the subject, just seen the weather forecast and this weekend will bring more rough weather.

[/quote]

but the forecast for the beginning of next week is that it will be calmer if the OP decides to delay their trip.

[Théière]

Well it didn't turn out to be rough afterall

[Danglar]

Just bringing this  subject up because I am traveling this week end and I really cannot understand how to read those maps that the internet throws up at me when I run a search.

All those knots, wave heights, different shades of blue/green etc. What do they mean  in reality ?

Having traveled by sea (PO/LH) for almost two decades  to my place , several times a year,  I have now become  (but why ??) a rather difficult traveler easily feeling sick at the slightest movement.

Anyone can explain what it will be like on Saturday and Sunday ?  I want to be on the fast catamaran service to LeHavre on Sat . Will it run and smoothly ?

Thanks for your replies.

regards

[PaulT]

[quote user="AnOther"]What a bunch of woosies !

A couple of tips:

If it's daytime find yourself somewhere as low down in the boat as you can get and amidships but where you can see out of the front and see the horizon and then don't take your eyes off it unless you have to.

If it's night then on the basis that you're probably not going to sleep anyway forget your cabin and get yourself as close to the center of gravity of the boat as you can then lie down on your front, fore and aft with your head towards the sharp end, preferably jamming yourself somehow you won't roll about.

Get a nice greasy meal down you neck, easy in - easy out [+o(]

Once that's gone drink milk.

[/quote]

Just cos you are a regular....

However, I used to know someone who was a diver in the North Sea and he was always sick for the first couple of days out.

Paul

[Théière]

Sorry to here you are no longer a good sailor.

It should come as no surprise that the lower the wind and wave heights reported the smoother the crossing and from the forecast there will be a blue colour which is around 5 knot wind so nice and smooth.

Bon voyage