On the way to St Ives

Posted at sea off Newquay. Its hzrd go lress tbe right ldttrf

17 July 2014 – Lundy to Padstow

We found that another boat had arrived overnight, Moody 31 Ardua. We both set off at about the same time in rather light following wind. Had dolphins with the boat for a while. Played with cruising chute. Entered the river Camel as soon as we arrived as the HM said there was plenty of water and picked up a mooring in The Pool to wait for the harbour to open. Rafted up alongside Ardua who had entered the moment the gate opened. We were the goldfish in the bowl, with lots of people wandering round the harbour.

Pentire point, approaching the Camel estuary

16 July 2014 – Dale to Lundy

Early start, seemed to take forever to get to Turbot Bank buoy (see yesterday), then at last we had a good sail to Lundy, arriving there around slack tide, so the claimed overfalls were not operating. On the way the weather forecast changed, predicting wind from NE. That meant we would not be able to spend a full day on the island, but would probably be able to make an overnight stay. Going ashore we found the top of the island in mist. Walked up to the village, such as it is, and had an evening meal in The Tavern. As NT members we did not have to pay the landing fee – our NT membership might be paid for with all this year’s visits.
First view of Lundy
Getting a bit closer
Steamer pier and landing place. This pier was built in 2000. Before that the ferry had to land on a tiny slipway very close to the shore.
The anchorage (off SE corner of the island)
Mist is down and another boat has arrived.

15 July 2014 – Llangwym to Dale

For a while we had hoped to get down the river, leave the harbour and go to Lundy.  However it all took too long and we headed slowly in again with light wind. There is a firing range near here and whilst we were sailing about the safety boat came bounding across the waves like an excited puppy. They told us that to avoid the range we had to go to Turbot Bank buoy before heading for Lundy. OK, but strangely this range is not mentioned in the coastguard’s daily broadcasts.

The upper parts of the river are quiet and wooded

There are lots of oil and gas installations

Landing pontoon at Dale

14 July 2014 – Dale to Llangwym

We had been told that The Cleddau river, which is past all the oil jetties and the Cleddau bridge is worth exploring, so we headed up against some tide. Did not go too far or it might take forever to get back. Weather wet and a bit windy so glad we did not stay at Skomer.

Cleddau Bridge. Which span should we go through?

13 July 2014 – Fishguard to Dale

We had arranged to meet Jan and Christine Newman, who have a P325 based at Milford marina. No problem, we just go through Ramsey Sound, Jack Sound and into Skomer South Haven, the meeting place. We took the ebb through Ramsey Sound, which was no problem, so continued across St Bride’s Bay and through Jack Sound on the last of the ebb with a light following wind – ideal conditions.  All very smooth until leaving the S end of the sound where we had a real “bucking bronco” ride through a whole train of short steep waves. As we had very little speed with the light wind we did not leap over waves and crash into the next but did have to hang on tight. The rough part was quite narrow but we did not feel quite confident enough of the pilotage to steer clear of them. Maybe most of the time it’s better just to go right round the island, which is quite small. Maybe it’s also best avoided on a big spring tide with coefficient about 106! Jan and Christine arrived in South Haven soon after us – it’s a small inlet with lots of puffins, guillemots and others constantly flying to and from the cliffs. Shared lunch on J and C’s boat and thought they were very relaxed about going back against the tide – well they are locals so it must be OK.  The trip back required some hard motoring against the tide, which was a bit hard to avoid as South Haven did not seem a good overnight stop.

Lunch in Skomer S Haven

Blue Moon leaving S Haven

Skokholm and some strong tide

St Ann’s Head at last

Milford Haven by night

12 July 2014 – Cardigan to Fishguard

A bit of excitement on leaving.  Just after leaving the pontoon the engine exhaust changed to a hollow “bob bob bob..” sound, whereas it should be “bob splosh gurgle bob…”. No water was coming out. However there was just time to get through the narrows before overheating and then the rest of the channel was downwind. So we soon turned off the engine and started tinkering with the cooling water, remembering to start with all the simple reasons for it not working before dismantling it all. It turned out that a plug of mud was blocking the water inlet in the bottom of the boat, presumably it got there when we sat on the mud at low tide in the night.

Ashore at Fishguard, Geoff Turner came to meet us and took us for tea at the cafe. As he is the Welsh rep for the PSSA I had contacted him earlier.

Old harbour at Fishguard

On waiting buoy outside. The other boat is Geoff Turner’s Parker 21

Raft race, part of the Sea Scouts day.  They had arranged very fine safety boat cover for just 4 rafts.

Carrying the shopping back

11 July 2014 - Aberystwyth to Cardigan (Teifi Boating club)

We wanted to go to Fishguard, but did not have much wind, so started looking for alternatives. After a number of phone calls I got the number for the person who seems to be responsible for the buoyage and got some clear instructions about the entrance.  Tied up to the boating club pontoon, and later had a drink in the boating club. Everyone very friendly and helpful. I think only the really keen ones do much boating as it’s very limited by the tide.

Cardigan Island, at the mouth of the bay

Entrance channel. Use the mark and your imagination

Moored at the Boating Club pontoon

The whole estuary dries to sandy mud.

10 July 2014 – Porthmadog to Aberystwyth

A longer trip than you might think as we had to come well out into Cardigan Bay to go round the outer end of St Patrick’s Causeway which is a long rocky ridge running out from the shore. There is also a firing range in the area, but we did not need to go into the range

Aberystwyth harbour entrance – on the leading line

Just inside

Moored

The prom.

9 July 2014 – Porthmadog and Portmeirion

Portmeirion is just a couple of miles away.  We decided to cover this short distance by bike rather than by boat, as it’s extremely tricky to find the channel into Portmeirion, which is a little further up the main very wide shallow sandy estuary (Porthmadog harbour is in a side channel).

8 July 2014 – Abersoch to Porthmadog

Clouds

Somewhere ahead is Porthmadog

Now we are among the channel marks

Approaching the harbour

Moored at the quay

Ffestiniog Railway engine – a special double ended one.  Although an old design, this particular one was built in 1992

Escape from Anglesey – 3 to 7 July 2014

3 July 2014 Caernarfon

Spent the day at Helen’s. Washed clothes

4 July 2014 – Caernarfon

Spent the day at Helen’s. Rained all day

5 July 2014 - Caernarfon to Porth Dinllaen

A fine morning and a bit more activity in the harbour. Left harbour at 2pm and beat very slowly against the tide towards Belan Narrows.  Crossed the bar with no drama and sailed to Porth Dinllaen.  This is a bay which is protected from the W by a rocky headland and so is a handy stopping point if the wind is from the W or S.  We visited the pub on the beach and found the whole place had a relaxed quiet holiday feel to it.

Leaving Caernarfon. Harbour is to R of the castle

Just outside Belan Narrows, looking back to Caernarfon

Lleyn peninsula

Caernarfon bar at I like to see it, calm, enough wind to sail and mountains in the background

6 July 2014 – Perth Dinllaen to Porth Dinllaen

The plan was to go through Bardsey Sound at HW slack.  Problem was this meant going against the tide all the way there. After 3 hours of beating we had not made much progress, so headed back to try another day.

Beach at Porth Dinllaen

Beach from the cliff

New lifeboat house, moorings beyond.

The red building is the pub. You can just see the see on the other side of the peninsula

7 July 2014 – Porth Dinllaen to Abersoch

Early start at 7 to get to Bardsey Sound for the LW slack.  This is a much better way to do it – with a lighter wind than yesterday it did not take long to pass the furthest point of our previous effort.  Saw lots of Manx Shearwaters. Not really the occasion to land at Bardsey as the anchorage requires settled weather from the N, so we carried on rather slowly and picked up a mooring at Abersoch.  The moorings are all run by South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club, quite a big establishment which has 3 launches to ferry people to and from their boats. The moorings seem a long way from the shore – maybe they allow room for a dinghy regatta between the moorings and the beach. Anyway the launch man said we could use a mooring. Going ashore, the outboard motor had been a bit sick and this time we had to give up and row.  We have hardly used the outboard at all, preferring to row as the dinghy is then very light to carry up the beach, so I think the motor is sulking through neglect.  Later, back at the boat, I took off the carburettor and removed a load of rubbish from the bowl. I think it was the result of corrosion, but I don’t know why it occurred.