Cruising instructions
Sundays afternoons are typical cruising days. Cruising is organized on a more informal basis. The club is currently making an effort to have more frequent organized cruising afternoons. If you are interested in cruising, arrive at the club by 11:00 AM on Sunday. Or ask around the club on Saturday afternoon after racing to see if there are any cruises planned.
If you are planning your own cruise or want just want to understand the cruising conditions, you will need to check the tides. Knowing the tides is critical to a relaxing cruise. The objective is to always sail with the tide. If the tide is flooding during the first leg of the trip, a cruise up Badagry Creek to locations like Club 20 is easier to manage. While sailing out on an ebb tide a common destination is Tarkwa Bay.
If you are a helm and you sail with a group or decide to sail on your own, make sure that you sign the log book behind the bar. Leave your GSM number so that the OOD can contact you. When you return, make sure you sign out of the log book.
Tide Tables
Below is a link to the tide tables that are posted at the club. As a general rule, add 2.5 hours to adjust to the club location. At this tide table site, scroll to the bottom of the page. In the “Time Control” section, set the year and date for which tide information is needed. Then in the “Tide Calendar” section, use the links to print out a month or year’s worth of tide information.
Common Destinations
Under a flood tide, a common destination is Club 20 or another beach hut in the area. Under good wind conditions, this is a 1.5 to 3.0 hour sail up Badagry Creek and a 1.5 hour return.
A much shorter cruise is to sail to the Apapa Boat Club to enjoy a relaxing lunch. The calamari is highly recommended. Depending on the winds, this sail can be less than 30 minutes in each direction.
Under an ebb tide, Tarkwa Bay is a frequent choice. Tarkwa Bay is located at the harbor mouth. You should be able to get to Tarkwa Bay in about 30 to 60 minutes.
Each of these locations and their associated sailing routes has their unique challenges. We always recommend making your first sail with an experience cruising member of the club.
