What is the water state at Borth likely to be tomorrow? Forecast F 5-6 SW after easterlies today. Basically, I am looking for some waves but I have heard horror stories about Borth in strong westerlies. I want to avoid being faced with wall to wall white water out to the horizon. How soon after high tide is good to avoid shorebreak and groynes?

Advice from the locals would be much appreciated before I set out on the long drive (the alternative is probably my local lake which is fine, but not as good as waves).

Hi Johmo,

I would imagine there will be waves tomorrow from SW wind blown swell. It shouldn't be 'whitewater to the horizon' though. Although some of the waves out the back can get quite big occassionally.

Having said that, last time out there I broke a mast.

Al should be able to give a better idea of the swell but xcweather.co.uk isn't showing much swell at the moment.

I'll be out tomorrow but haven't decided where as yet.

By the way, I had a look around Blithfield last weekend. Not sure I want to pay a membership fee though as I prefer to go out to the coast to sail. But if they did day tickets I'd probably launch there a few times a year. Nice peice of water though, looks like it catches the wind pretty well.

Andy

Johmo.... It shouldn't be too mad tomorrow I woudn't think, The forecast seems to show a fiar bit of southerly in the wind so it won't be dead onshore and there it is dead flat out there at the moment... Where have you heard these horror stories... after a few days of solid 30 knot Westerlies Borth is pure joy!!!.... well, I like it anyway, and there are plenty of flattish areas anyway.

Tides aren't huge this weekend so you should pretty much be able to sail at any state of the tide. Hight Tides are around midday.

I'll be out tomorrow. I had an epic sesion last Monday but managed to rip a toenail off in the process, so I'm looking forward to a day on the water after a hard week at work.
See you there.

Al.

Just phoned Steve and he is on his way down for tomorrow as well so you won't be on your own Johmo.

Al.

Johmo, in case you aren't on your way already, I've just been over to the beach. The wind is still a bit gusty... SSW around 20-25 knots but it does drop off to 15 know and then but there is hardly any whitewater at all, just a little 2 foot messy wave. The forecast is for it to wing around to SW so should settle down to around 25 knots when it does.

I should go out now, but I'm waiting for Steve to turn up at around 10am. Maybe see you on the beach later.

Al.

Thanks for all the advice,guys. In the event I could not face the 3 hour drive to Borth and went to Blithfield instead. Interestingly it looks as though we had similar wind conditions at Blithfield to Borth, as we were out on 5.3's and 4.7's, but it was gusty. I must try Borth next time.

Andy, you can get a day ticket at Blithfield (£8). There should be a limit of 3 day tickets and then the club encourages you to join, but I imagine this rule is flexible. You would be welcome at Blithfield if ever you can't make it to the coast.

Johmo


[Edited on 29-5-2005 by Johmo]

I would imagine the waves were a little bigger here though!

Al.