# Plymouth to Santander



## Jede (Dec 7, 2007)

Hi all,

We are off to Spain/Portugal in late November sailing Plymouth to Santander. Having never traveled this route, info on what this crossing is like in winter would be very helpful.

many thanks

John


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Winter*

Can be.....

Like a millpond

can be like this

Click Me

Trev


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## adbe (May 1, 2005)

I wish I hadn't looked


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*yaucht*

Best not look at this then!

Nearly Yauchtcha!<click


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## Jede (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks Trev, as I'd rather be in charge of my own destiny it'll be the highways for us .

John


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

The P&O boat from Portsmouth to Bilbao is more stable than the Brittany Ferry to Santander but its only 1 night P&O 2 nights


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## PhilK (Jul 1, 2005)

*Plymouth Santander*

Morning Jede,

We did the Portsmouth Santander sailing three times last year, Feb, July and October and March and october the year before. The Summer sailing was for a long break down in the South of France, all the others where one week breaks, returning North using aires. Get on, get to the restaurant and book a meal, enjoy it before you know the boat is moving, read a book for an hour or two go to sleep. Get woken up by particularly annoying music early doors the next morning followed really quickly afterwards by a polite knock and breakfast on a tray. Nothing to it. If its rough, your asleep anyway.

Karen and Phil


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

*Re: Winter*



teemyob said:


> Can be.....
> 
> Like a millpond
> 
> ...


Gosh I feel sea sick in my own home  
I watched that with the rain lashing it down outside it added to the effects 
I will stick to the toll roads thanks :wink:


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## tomnjune (May 1, 2005)

hi
travelled on plymouth and santander route, and in march this year portsmouth / santander. but we where badly let down by brittany for a return on 16th nov, last sailing this year from santander. we had a call on our mobile while travelling through france on our way to portugal,to tell us that they had cancelled the sailing of the pont aven, and as we have a dog there was no alternative date available. we booked the sailing in june 6 months before,and planned the trip and sites in advance. as we didnt fancy the journey back to the channel in middle of nov we decided to cut the trip by 4 weeks. rub salt in the wound couldnt get a discount off brittany for a channel crossing.. waiting for a reply from cust relations manager. i know he is going to say did you read the small print. PS, WE ALWAYS book this early to make sure we can get the dog on. 
tomnjune


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## RVNUT (Apr 8, 2008)

We've done it 3 times Portsmouth/Bilbao in February, and we are rotten sailors no problems- millpond. Just lucky I guess, avoid January!!
I found it much cheaper, more pleasant and quicker than driving through France at that time of year


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## mickyc (Jan 20, 2006)

The Bay of Biscay is a notorious stretch of water, my sister went on 4 day "mini cruise" a fortnight ago in the really bad winds.

Big mistake, 3 people were airlifted from the boat with serious injuries, and many pople got off in northern spain to find another route home.

Having said that, if the weathers mild there's obviously no problem :lol: 


Personally I wouldn't risk it in winter, but then again I like driving through France and consider the Aires on route to be part of our holiday


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

tomnjune said:


> hi
> travelled on plymouth and santander route, and in march this year portsmouth / santander. but we where badly let down by brittany for a return on 16th nov, last sailing this year from santander. we had a call on our mobile while travelling through france on our way to portugal,to tell us that they had cancelled the sailing of the pont aven, and as we have a dog there was no alternative date available. we booked the sailing in june 6 months before,and planned the trip and sites in advance. as we didnt fancy the journey back to the channel in middle of nov we decided to cut the trip by 4 weeks. rub salt in the wound couldnt get a discount off brittany for a channel crossing.. waiting for a reply from cust relations manager. i know he is going to say did you read the small print. PS, WE ALWAYS book this early to make sure we can get the dog on.
> tomnjune


Why did they cancel?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Stable*



38Rover said:


> The P&O boat from Portsmouth to Bilbao is more stable than the Brittany Ferry to Santander but its only 1 night P&O 2 nights


What makes you say that?

Are you referring to Brittanty Ferries mv Bretagne or mv Pont Aven?


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## tomnjune (May 1, 2005)

hi mavis
the message off brittany was that they where taking the pont aven out of service and the ship replacing it could not accomodate dogs, none of the other weeks prior had dog places. we have since had a £50.00 discount voucher off brittany. not too happy but i suppose its better than nothing.
tomnjune


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Waving*



tomnjune said:


> hi mavis
> the message off brittany was that they where taking the pont aven out of service and the ship replacing it could not accomodate dogs, none of the other weeks prior had dog places. we have since had a £50.00 discount voucher off brittany. not too happy but i suppose its better than nothing.
> tomnjune


Thanks for the reply, I thought that may be the case, not good enough realy is it. Surely they could have made provisions, especialy in light of what they charge!.

By the way, I am Trev AKA Tee Myob

I am waving to Mavis on the Forum who is battling against Mesothelioma.

More info if you click here!

Trev


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## imlach (May 13, 2008)

Hello John if you go to the met office web site and look at the latest pressure charts there work in advance of 84 hours and if the isobars are close together its going to be windy and if there is a lot of space between them its going to be calm also the direction of the wind plays a big part if the wind is comming from the stern of the ship its alot more comfortable than having on the bow as this is when you are punching into it, so its inthe hands of the gods good luck and have a pleasent crossingthe blessing is that if is rough you can allways get served at the bar best regards Imlach


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Imlach:
_
if the wind is coming from the stern of the ship it's a lot more comfortable_

Well, yes and no.

If a ship gets "pooped" then that is very dangerous and causes more sinkings than heavy weather on the bows.

Pooping occurs when a wave overtakes a ship and crashes onto the stern.

If you have ever been on a ship that has been pooped - and I have - then you will know what I mean about it being a very frightening experience.

The sharp end is designed to take it, the blunt end isn't!


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## tomnjune (May 1, 2005)

sorry trev, will you give mavis a wave from tomnjune


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## imlach (May 13, 2008)

Hello Pippin I think the correct terminolgy is broaching and having spent forty three years at sea for a vessel the size of the pont aven to broach it would have be something out of the movies regards Imlach


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## mickyc (Jan 20, 2006)

If you click the link, this forcast will tell you the weather in the Bay of Biscay including wind speed and wave height

Sunday night looks intresting with waves over 8 metres 8O

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/gascogne_buoy

TheBrittany buoy has waves predicted over 10 metres at the same time !

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/brittanybuoy

Edit,

Just found this on youtube 8O 8O 8O


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