How the Bay of Biscay earned its reputation as Europe’s Bermuda Triangle

Sara Macefield explores the history and geography of the Atlantic gulf renowned for its wild waters and challenging cruise crossings

It is said to strike fear into the hearts of seafarers who liken its churning waters and capricious winds to the hell of being trapped in a giant washing machine. This can only be the Bay of Biscay – the notorious gulf stretching between France’s west coast and the northern shoreline of Spain. Its mercurial moods and remorseless conditions have given it legendary status as the wildest stretch of water in the Atlantic Ocean.

Sea battles and shipwrecks

The fearsome reputation of Northern Europe’s so-called Bermuda Triangle has been shaped over centuries as its unpredictable temperament dictated sea battles and claimed a formidably long tally of shipwrecks that litter the seabed. During the Second World War, German U-boat crews named it the Valley of Death, though this had more to do with the RAF’s lethal firepower than anything else.

Since then, advances in ship design and improved maritime navigation methods have helped to take some of the sting out of Biscay’s rocky conditions, lessening the casualty rate among ships and enabling more comfortable passages.

Nevertheless, this wild child can never be underestimated, as proven by the stormy conditions encountered by Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Discovery earlier this month that left 100 guests injured and many fearing for their lives as the ship pitched and rolled in the tempestuous seas.

So why is the Bay of Biscay such a force to be reckoned with – and does the infamous expanse of water deserve its formidable reputation?

A perfect storm

Covering 86,000sqm over a roughly triangular-shaped area, the bay’s topography varies in depth from about 15,500ft at its deepest point to just 300ft where the continental shelf protrudes around 100 miles from the coast of Brittany and 40 miles from northern Spain.

This gives added firepower to forceful swells blown across the Atlantic by prevailing westerly winds, accelerating in size and strength over thousands of miles and racing into the bay where they crash into the submerged landmass, splintering into a maelstrom of pounding waves.

Another aggravating factor is the clockwise circulation of the North Atlantic’s waters driven by the Gulf Stream. This influences the bay’s currents accordingly, unleashing powerful waves exacerbated by violent storms and gale-force winds that come from different directions.

According to Davor Dubravica, a captain with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, the worst areas are near the entrance to the English Channel. There, heightened swells present challenges for ships which are subjected to increased rolling and pitching.

The situation worsens, not surprisingly, during the winter months when the area is battered by low pressure systems and the tail end of hurricanes originating in the Caribbean and North America.

“The Bay of Biscay has some of the world’s most powerful and destructive storms,” says Dubravica. “Recently, sea conditions escalated to heights of 10 to 12 metres (32ft to 40ft) accompanied by winds reaching 50-60 knots.”

The silky summer months

The above paints a picture of the worstcase scenario, but it is a different story in late spring and early summer which are considered to be the best times to cross this feared stretch of water, though fog can sometimes be a problem. There are many occasions when the bay can be silkily calm, as Mike Deegan, head of fleet operations for boutique line Noble Caledonia points out.

“The bay can sometimes be challenging, but nine times out of 10 it can be like a millpond,” he says. “Besides that, this area is one of the last great wildernesses and the marine and bird life to be seen there are amazing. Around a third of the planet’s cetacean species can be spotted as the combination of cold and warm waters, along with deep canyons, make ideal feeding grounds.

“Some of the birds on migratory flights that are thousands of miles bring to life how amazing this phenomenon is and the vast distances covered.”

Be prepared

For cruise passengers wanting to sail between the UK and the Mediterranean or further westwards, there is no way of avoiding the Bay of Biscay. For ship’s captains, the only way to mitigate this is constant monitoring of the weather conditions and, if necessary, delaying departure or finding an alternative port, though some cannot handle larger ships or may have to close in rough conditions.

Dubravica stresses that such vigilance is crucial if storms threaten and ships need to prepare by securing heavy items, closing portholes and shutters as necessary, as well as emptying swimming pools and hot tubs.

“Masters, responsible for navigating the ship, play a crucial role in storm avoidance,” he explains. “They must be familiar with potential storms, understanding their characteristics and behavioural patterns. Taking action depends on multiple variables, including the ship’s circumstances and whether it is at anchor, moored or at sea.”

According to Dubravica, it would be highly unlikely for a storm to blow up without prior warning via radio, navigational warning systems and satellite alerts, though ship’s captains may need to take early action to ensure an effective response to the conditions. Above all, they should never underestimate what the bay is capable of.

“The Bay of Biscay deserves its reputation,” Dubravica concludes. “Ships’ crews should be aware of the dangers and must monitor the weather conditions accordingly.”