Summer Expedition 2015
4th July - 19th July
After experiencing the hottest day on record this
week, (37 degrees at Heathrow) and glorious sunshine, it was disappointing to
leave Conwy for our annual holiday aboard Nomad in windy and overcast
conditions. However, with a flotilla of 3 we set off for Menai Bridge, the
gateway to our escape from these beautiful but much sailed waters.
Leaving at 1.15pm, High Water (HW) and with the tide
heading out into the channel, we fully expected a forecasted Southerly wind to
blow us all the way to Puffin Island.
However, the wind was coming from Penmaenmawr and down the Menai
Straits, so wind against tide and shallow waters in the channel gave some very
rough conditions. The waves were deep and short causing the bow to plummet into
the first then smack down on top of the next. This continued all the way to the
Fairway and made for a very slow and
uncomfortable trip. We didn't use the spray hood because it was easier (and
more fun) to spot the waves as they approached. Instead we resorted to ducking
to avoid the spray although we didn't always manage to miss them! Beyond the
channel the water was less rough and we were able to sail for a short while
with two reefs in the Genoa. Nomad was going well in the conditions and with
the tide we were doing between 4 to 6 knots. Eventually we reached Menai Bridge
and picked up a buoy for the night.
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| Liverpool Arms, Menai Bridge |
Our flotilla consisted of ourselves aboard Nomad,
Stryker, a Hallberg Rassy 36 and Lady Jules, a Dufour 325 . Twilight was also
in Menai Bridge and kindly taxied all our crews ashore where we enjoyed a
lovely meal together at The Liverpool Arms. This was a great start to the trip!
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| SS Balmoral at Menai Bridge |
Next morning, Sunday, we watched as the ship SS
Balmoral sailed passed us and docked alongside the pier. More passengers
boarded her before she turned to make passage through the Swellies with our
flotilla in persuit. However, there was little chance of us keeping up with
her. She was passing under Britannia Bridge before we had even reached the
suspension bridge. We could only marvel at her speed and size as she made her
way 'the wrong way' around the Swellie rock! (For more information and
photos of her docking at Menai Bridge, look up her Facebook page on - MV
Balmoral.) We plodded on in what was now persistent rain and took up
moorings near the beach beyond Y Felinheli called Cable Bay.
Eventually the
rain petered out in the late afternoon and we were able to dingy ashore where
we left the tenders and walked into the village for a few drinks at Y Garddfon
pub. (The food there recently was excellent although we didn't eat in today.)
After whiling a few hours looking out onto the Menai Straits, we headed back to
the beach where the fun of getting back to ship started! There was now a
stronger on-shore wind, making it difficult to push us away from the beach and
start the little engines. Both ours and Lady Jules' engines were struggling.
Ours just seemed to be 'missing' badly and theirs just wouldn't get started. We
have learned from previous experiences of sailing in company that it is always
safer to have more than one tender to go ashore with, just in case there is a
problem. In this case we were both able to row back safely to our yachts but it
might have been a different story where the tide runs stronger or faster.
We were fortunate to be able to borrow
a friend's outboard for the rest of the trip which proved much more reliable.
Thanks P.
After a peaceful and quiet night in the bay we awoke
to torrential rain which didn't let up all day. By 12.30pm Stryker and Lady
Jules were fed up and ready to head off to Caernarfon without waiting for the
slack water at HT to make entry into the dock easier. The tide runs fiercely
past the small entrance to Victoria Dock and you have to make a run at it at
good speed, ferry-gliding your way towards the entrance then pulling back on
the throttle as soon as the boat enters the thick dock walls. We followed the others, arriving just after
1 pm. by which time the tide was beginning to slacken.
The wind strengthened and the rain became horizontal,
the sort of rain that gets under and through everything, and so it remained for
the next few days. Finally, by Wednesday evening, the wind abated and with
better weather promised, we left the safety of the dock and headed across the
river to Aber Menai, a sandy spit off the most Westerly and Southern end of
Anglesey, where we could set sail early the next morning for Bardsey Sound.
You need to take care entering the anchorage as a
channel of about 8 metres depth sits very close to the pebbly shore. Aim for the
narrows then point towards the light on the end of the headland before turning
towards the anchorage. You need plenty of power as the tide is very strong.
Don't be tempted to turn directly after the red channel marker buoy as it is
sitting on the outer edge of a sandbank. Go well past it before turning or you
may well end up sitting on the bank as we have seen others do. We caught the
bank ourselves on our first visit but were able to get off the bank on a rising
tide.
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| BBQ at Aber Menai |
We anchored in about 7 meters of water opposite the sand
dunes and enjoyed our first BBQ ashore together in the sand dunes while
watching the tide fall and expose the large sand banks beyond the channel. It
was disappointing to see that others had not cleared away their rubbish after
them. It reminded me of the saying;
Take only photographs,
Leave only footprints,
Make only memories.
We made lots of memories that evening and took many
photos but we all need to do our bit to keep these beautiful places so special.
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| Sunrise over Caernarfon Bar |
We were up at dawn and set off at 5 am over Caernarfon
Bar towards Bardsey Island with a fabulous golden sunrise on our stern.
Unfortunately, the sunshine didn't last once it rose above the cloud level and
the sea was still very lumpy from the last few days' windy weather and was
uncomfortable for some of us. We needed to arrive at Bardsey Sound by 11.30 am
for slack water but we were sailing well and with the tide on our side we
arrived an hour and a half early. The wind was calm so we decided to go straight
through. The tide carried us quickly between the very tip of the Lleyn
Peninsula and Bardsey Island, which can be notoriously rough if crossed in bad
weather or against the tide. But the conditions were ideal for the porpoises
feeding just off the rocks. The other side of the peninsula was much calmer
with no waves at all and by now the sun was beginning to warm us. We motored
into Aberdaron for a nap and some breakfast (or was it lunch) before
continuing on to Pwllheli with some help from the tide, arriving after HW at
4 pm. We were lucky to see several pods of bottle nose dolphins fishing and
swimming around the St Tudwal Islands among the fishermen in their little boats
bobbing about on the water. We had the view of the mountains as a backdrop,
stretching across the whole of the skyline for as far as the eye could see. It
was quite breathtaking and this particular view is only visible from our
privileged position out at sea. All in all this was a wonderful day's sailing.
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| BBQ at Pwllheli |
After an early night, we awoke early and refreshed to
a beautiful warm and sunny day. Graham and I borrowed folding bikes from Lady
Jules and set off shopping to town. We
cycled all along the sea front until we ran out of road and marvelled at the
shimmering sea and the pristine coastline along the bay towards the Tudwals.
Our flotilla set up an afternoon BBQ on the beach behind the marina where it
felt more like the mediteranean than Wales and was exactly what we'd hoped for
on our holidays. The food, the drink and the company was first class, then we
headed back to our vessels as the skies darkened for the expected rain.
As the bright morning met us, we and Stryker made
plans for a day out; a bus trip to Llanddoged up the coast and then a walk back
along the beach. Rain was expected later so we dressed for warm sunshine and
carried rain gear as we walked the 20 minute trip to the bus station in town.
From the bus stop at Llanddoged we found our way to the beach where we had a
picnic lunch among the young families playing in the sand and sea before
climbing the rocky cliff to find the Tin Man. (Visit www.llanbedrog.info/llanbedrogtinman.htm
for more information.) There was a
fabulous view of
the bay from the top with Pwllheli and the Snowdonia mountains in the distance.
Then we descended back onto the beach
and walked the four or five miles along the beach and the golf links back to
Pwllheli and on to the marina. Halfway, the rain set in followed by howling
winds which whipped up about 6 o'clock. It couldn't be more different to the
mediterranean afernoon we had enjoyed on Saturday but then that's the British
weather and the reason we spent an extra day in Pwllheli.
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| The Tin Man - Llanddoged |
With the weather still unsettled and forecasting
strong southerly winds, we set off northwards at 9.30 am and followed the
channel gingerly out of Pwllheli marina where the water level dropped to 3 metres in
places. We had by now abandoned our plans of sailing south into Milford Haven,
Fishguard and around Skomer Island as the weather pattern was so changeable
with frontal systems passing over us every few days. So with strong SW winds
forecast for Tues we headed north for the shelter of Porth Dinllaen on the
north coast of the Lleyn Peninsula. Once out beyond the Fairway buoy we found
enough wind for a fantastic sail, tacking out and back across the bay while
making our way towards the Tudwal Islands. Stryker followed behind while Lady
Jules motored on up ahead. Through the sound of the two islands we saw dolphins
once again, jumping playfully next to the boat. I went on deck for a better
view and watched as one rode our bow wave, crossing the boat from one side to
the other before heading off back towards Stryker. They too got a thrilling
look at them as they played and jumped close to the boat. The conditions were
quite choppy and there was a good swell thanks to the winds of the previous
night but by the time we reached Aberdaron for a quick lunch stop, the sea
state was much calmer. We passed through Bardsey Sound at Slack water and then
headed east along the opposite coast of the peninsula. The sea was flat and
calm here with very little wind. After motoring for a short while we put up
sails and sauntered along the coast on route to Porth Dinllaen. We were in no
hurry to
arrive as there were no tide restrictions for getting in or out,
unlike the marinas we have visited on this trip. We tried fishing along the way
but we lost one set of tackle to the sea and then as the wind started to build
up again we were just "too fast for fishing"! Eventually we sailed
into the bay and then anchored beyond the buoys in the middle of the bay. It
had been a beautiful day's sailing. As the evening was still and calm I got out
my fishing rod to try again. Miraculously, I caught my first mackrel within a
few minutes. It was so exciting but as I landed the catch into the cockpit, the
poor fish started flapping and splattering blood everywhere. I quickly learned
that you need a bucket at the ready! Graham gutted it ready for our next meal.
Fresh makrel for breakfast. Lovely!
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| The calm before the storm - Porth Dinllaen |
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| Fishing for makrel |
The wind blew up fiercely during the night as expected
and by morning it was clear we would be spending the day aboard, keeping
ourselves busy and enjoying some 'quality time' together. The wind peaked at lunch time to Force 6 from the
land, so although there were no sea waves it was still a little rough as the
boat swung around on the chain and bobbed about on the mini waves. By tea time
some of us suffered from 'cabin fever' and were keen to go ashore in the
tenders. We blew ours up ready but then retreated below for a cuppa as the wind
still seemed very strong on deck. We watched a guy row to his yacht just behind
us and when he eventually was able to row safely back to shore we decided it
was safe to have a go ourselves, especially as we all had outboard engines. So
we all set off to meet on the shore by the Ty Coch (Red House) pub on the
beach. On shore it was like a different world. It was peaceful and sheltered
from the wind. Young children played in the sea and sand while parents watched
on from the pub wall, pints in hands. We had a lovely time, regaling all the
wonderful things we had got up to during the day. The list included; bread
making, pedicures, showering, mending leaks and colouring, to name but a few.
Sally & John were keen to eat out so as the Ty Coch stops serving food at
4 pm, we set off in the dinghies once more to cross the bay towards Morfa Nefyn
where the road from the beach leads into the village. The Cliff Inn served food
so we set off in convoy, looking and feeling like the over 50s SAS! We enjoyed
our meal together, planned our sailing
for the following day then headed back to our
respective yachts for the night. Both Sally and Graham had a mishap
getting back on board the dinghies which
only added to the fun of the trip. Our trip back out into the bay was in
stark contrast to when we went ashore a few hours earlier. The sea was now calm
and the wind had dropped completely. There was only a slight rolling motion on
board as the light winds changed to a northerly direction.
By 6 am we considered getting up and moving on in the
outgoing tide because the motion of the boat was so severe. Although the winds
were very light as forecast, the swell made it very uncomfortable to be on
board, in fact it was like sailing along in a strong wind. We were unable to
stand up without holding on and it was impossible to concentrate on any tasks.
We waited until 8 am before contacting the others for fear of waking them up,
only to discover that everyone had been awake since the early hours, all
thinking the same thing. So we weighed anchor and set off about 9 am for Pilot's
Cove on Llanddwyn Island on South West Anglesey. We had expected to be pushing
the tide all the way but amazingly, we had a knot of tide with us. There must
be some kind of 'eddie' which circulates the water in the wrong direction. This
phenomena was certainly not shown on any of our tidal diagrams. Still, we were
far from complaining and within an hour we had the white lighthouse of
Llanddwyn Island in our sights. An hour later we were arriving at the rocky
outcrops off the headland, just where we caught sight of a small group of
dolphins making their way leisurely in the opposite direction.
We spent the day at Pilot's Cove, my favourite place
in North Wales where the waters were calm and it was warm in the sunshine and
out of the northerly wind. We spent
time both on board and ashore where I enjoyed the sand between my toes
and yoga on the beach. Stryker and Lady Jules left to cross the bar at ****
to meet up with family and shop for vitles while we stayed at the cove
overnight.
The next day was the most wonderful day and made the
holiday for us! We awoke to clear blue skies and bright sunshine in beautiful
Pilot's Cove on Llanddwyn Island. Only four boats had stayed over night, two
yachts and two motor cruisers so it was quiet and peaceful before the visiting
walkers arrived from nearby Newborough beach. We spent some time ashore;
walking, taking photographs and just admiring the majestic views of the
Snowdonia mountains and the West coast of Anglesey. The sky was so clear and
blue today that through the binoculars, you could see the cafe on Snowdon's
summit, the railway track making its way down to Llanberis and even the main
walking paths, etched into the mountain on both sides.
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| Pilot's Cove |
We went back on board for lunch just as our flotilla
partners arrived and anchored in the bay after enjoying a leisurely sail out in
the bay. We spent the afternoon sunbathing, relaxing, fishing and baking bread.
We watched the rocks around us rising out of the water as the tide slowly ebbed
out, and as it was nearly spring tide, the water went out further than normal.
By 4 pm it was LW and Graham and I motored ashore to take photographs of the
topography of the two bays for future reference. Later we all met ashore for
tea on the beach before walking over the brow of the hill to
watch the sun go
down over the Irish Sea. We had a wonderful time. Just as we were getting back
in our tenders to go out to our yachts, a nosy seal kept bobbing up in the bay
to see what we were doing. It really was a super day, the sort that holidays
are made of.
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| Llanddwyn Island lighthouse at sunset |
Although there were three days left of our holiday, we
left Pilot's Cove for home at 8 am because of strong to gale force winds
forecast for Thursday night. Leaving at ***** we could follow the tide across
the bar and through the narrows, go through the Swellies 45 minutes early,
before slack water, and still have enough tide to take us up to Beaumaris. We
then followed our track on the GPS to cross the sandbanks via the Swatchway.
This was Lady Jules' first trip across this way and they were keen to make a
track for future use. We turned into the Swatch just before the red marker buoy
**** and were able to sail gently on a broad reach. We had fun 'racing' each
other for a while until the wind died and we needed to use the engines. Our
definition of racing is - "When sailing along and you are the boat in
front!"
As we approached the headland at Penmaenmawr we could
see the strong winds coming towards us across the water and instantly we were
heeling over hard. The wind was very gusty but we managed to sail towards the
perch, not always in the channel, then let the main down when we headed
directly into the wind as we motored up the river towards the marina. Once we
were safely alongside we congratulated ourselves on a wonderful and successful
holiday. We hadn't done everything we'd planned, but then that's sailing for
you. You can plan the day, the time, the tide, the company but you can't plan
the weather. Here's to the next trip!
Carol & Graham
Nomad - Moody S31
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