Circumnavigation of Anglesey - revised dates following our AGM
Dates: Saturday16th August - Saturday 23rd August.
Proposed route options: (approx. distances as per my post in the AGM thread)
- Launch at Dinas Boatyard, Felinheli (about halfway along the Menai Strait), launch window - 1300-1900, store trailers there, he won’t let us launch ourselves. Costs to be confirmed. Other slips around but not much trailer storage (except for marinas).
Head to Caernarfon - Victoria Dock, gates open 1305-1853. (I need to check they can take us)
Evening in the Royal Welsh Yacht Club, the oldest yacht club premises in the world (part of the castle walls), eat in town maybe.
- Lazy morning, visit Caernarfon Castle? Dock gates open 1412-2008. Sail SW, cross Caernarfon Bar - recommended times around high water (1717) though Macs can probably cross at any time if weather good, or pause in the Abermenai anchorage, then to Pilots Cove, Llanddwyn - or Pen y Parc - if planning to head down to Porth Dinllaen the next day (Ty Coch Inn once voted the 2nd best beach bar in the world); or further round to Rhoscolyn - anchor in the bay, dine in the White Eagle or BBQ aboard - if not heading south.
Holyhead Harbour, visitors moorings, visit Holyhead Sailing Club or other hostelries in Holyhead, also shopping in town. Various bays to pause in on the way round.
Holyhead to Bull Bay or Borth Wen where there is an old brickworks to explore, or Llaneilian anchorages, or other bays along the way - there’s a pub in Bull Bay.
Onwards to Moelfre, anchorage with pubs and a chip shop.
My plan is to - as far as possible - follow the flood tide around.
Then Moelfre back to Felinheli or somewhere near, or detours up the Conwy River. Tide times through the Swellies to be considered but, again, Macs can push through anytime, various pubs on the way.
Or longer hops and shorter time, could get round in 2 days (1 day with engine flat out!)
Times to recover boats at Dinas on Saturday 23rd - 0755-1355.
If weather is really bad, there is the option of staying in the Menai Strait, Victoria Dock, Caernarfon, maybe up to the Conwy River (2 big marinas up there) depending on wind direction.
Fuel: as far as I know, there isn’t anywhere to get petrol at the waters edge, but Caernarfon, Holyhead, Beaumaris, Menai Bridge have petrol stations walking distance away - or bring plenty to spare.
Any questions, please ask.
This all sounds really good and well thought out Liz. Its great to have your local knowledge . I hoped we get a good group of us to this adventure . It sounds like there wouyld be a number iof fun things to do even if weather prevented us from going around the island . Maximus will be there with myself and Ros and of course you as crew too ! Looking forward to it.
Its really helpful and encouraging if as many people as possible could register an advance interest/ hope of joining this event even if you cant commit fully at this stage .
Roly ( Maximus , Imexus 27 )
This trip is definitely of interest to me. I would probably be on my own, so would welcome anyone to crew.
Time is moving on, and we don't seem to have many takers for this event! I think it promises to be a really good Big Mac.
Not having a boat, I'm planning on taking my campervan and "following the fleet", as it were, and maybe hopping on and off for a bit of crewing if there's space.
Who else is up for this one?
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Please Put us on the interested list, Nic, Neil and Poppy dog!
We're also interested but without mast....but with centreboard! Mark, Julie and Dexter.
Yay! 🥳
I am planning to take part.
Kind regards
Chris H
This is all looking good! I am now also working on a plan B - to go round anticlockwise and follow the ebb, and to overnight in some places where any land based people can join us without having a long swim! Rod and Jill may join us too. I'll post further ideas later.
Tracey and Andrew Vincent will be there with Black Shadow 26M
Update:
We now have possibly 7 boats interested in this trip.
Launching:
I have arranged launching for 6 (ideally he would prefer 5) boats from Dinas Boat Yard (£30 each launch and recovery, £10 a day trailer storage = £130 if 7 days). We can leave cars in the carpark of the Port Dinorwic Sailing Club just next door. Alternative sites - Above The Brine - where you can launch straight into Victoria Dock - £28 self launch, extra £10 for a tractor launch, they don’t really offer trailer or car storage. There is a public slipway on the Caernarfon dock wall and another in Port Dinorwic. I can add photos of these options if anyone wants more details. The Caernarfon Harbour Trust website has webcams and loads of info.
Anchoring, mooring, berthing:
Visitors pontoon in Victoria Dock - £3.62/m about £29 daily rate, electric hook-up and WiFi - showers etc.
There are a couple of heavy duty visitors moorings off the dock/river by Caernarfon.
If we get to Porth Dinllaen there are a few moorings there and anchorage areas, it’s just the distance to get to land at the pub!
Holyhead Harbour has 10 visitors moorings and they say they can fit us in anyway on other moorings if needed, there is a club launch to ferry us to and from the sailing club/land, showers etc. £22 per night. Also an anchorage area outside of the moorings.
Beaumaris and/or Menai Bridge Piers - the Pier Master assures me he will fit us on somehow. I will check again once I have more definite numbers.
Other potential overnight sites will be anchoring.
I now (or at least quite soon) need some definite numbers to book us into the dock.
Hopefully, we will have 2 camper vans joining in here and there.
I think that’s it for now.
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