I mainly use tides favourably (this helps a lot) and motor at my displacement speed (5 to 7 knots). It is a lot of effort to get my dinghy out from under the deck, inflate it and launch it - so I prefer to dry out to go ashore where feasible.
Wed. 29 June: Leave Liverpool Marina 10.45, view Rhos with possibility to dry out (but decide waves too lumpy), wait in Llandudno Bay until favourable tide, then enter Conway 17.10 (LW Liverpool 17.09 2.3m) with only 5 ft depth in places. Extra buoys now in place (mainly gate pairs)- see here. To Conwy marina waiting pontoon 18.00 - this dries in part (ie where I was tied up) but tide was making. Sill predicted to open at 19.21, opened at 19.45. Into Conwy marina, also refuel.
Cruise ship ASTOR at Liverpool, Colwyn Bay pier, Rhos harbour wall (with Rhosneigr wreck buoy).
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Llandudno pier, Great Orme (with old lighthouse), Conwy waiting pontoon.
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Fri. 1 July: leave Conwy marina when sill opened at 9.00 (predicted 8.34). Cross swatch channel to enter Menai Strait. Pass mussel dredger BS8 which was very close inshore.
Conwy channel, Puffin Island, Mussel Dregder BS8
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10.48: enter Port Penrhyn (leave perch to starboard) to go to Dickie's chandlery (just open - much smaller than in previous years). Tied up outside ex-lifeboat.
MARLIN alongside in Port Penrhyn, approach to Port Penrhyn, Bangor Pier
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11.25 set off from Port Penrhyn, passing Menai Bridge and through Swellies. Current strongest near bridges (6 knots or so). 11.49 leave Swellies. Info about Caernarfon and Menai Straits . Cross Caernarvon Bar 12.43. The marked channel is now south of the Grampian Castle wreck and quite different from last year. See latest chart here. Near C1 and C2 buoys, see 3 dolphins: hard to photograph.
Menai Bridge pier (St. Georges), Britannia Bridge, dolphin (look carefully behind pulpit).
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To Porth Dinllaen, arriving 15.00. Ask local advice about drying out: pick spot (52 56.581N 4 33.974W) and wait for tide to go out. Sea bed soft and weedy. Wade ashore to pub (Ty Coch) - just stopped serving food. Leave 18.15
The charlet published by Lewis Morris in 1748 (reissued unchanged by his son William Morris in 1800) shows little change to the current situation in Porth Dinllaen. The image is a large file: click here to see it.
Porth Dinllaen (Ty Coch and MARLIN aground)
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20.50: After exploring Cymyran inlet for possible sheltered anchorage (found to be too shallow), anchor 21.07 in Silver Bay (sandy bay just west of SE point of Holy Island). Little wind and no current at anchorage in 12 ft (53 14.722N, 4 33.773 W). See Rescue 122 helicopter leaving RAF Valley - hello William?
View from Cymyran entrance of Rhosneigr. Then to east and west from anchorage in Silver bay
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Saturday 2 July: leave anchorage at 6.30, pass Rhoscolyn, Maen Piscar, South Stack, North Stack into Holyhead Bay. 8.30: Pass Carmel Head (current 5.5 knots). Along north coast past Mouses, Wylfa, Amlwch to Point Lynas at 9.55.
Rhoscolyn, Rhoscolyn Beacon, Maen Piscar (unmarked reef in Trearddur Bay which is charted as drying 1.7m)
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South Stack, North Stack, Skerries
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Carmel Head (with Holyhead mountain beyond), Wylfa nuclear power station, Amlwch port entrance. Amlwch pilotage. See also here.
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Three mice: West, Middle and East
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Past Ynys Dulas to look around Moelfre Bay and then enter Traeth Bychan to look for possible alongside berth (did not look promising).
Ynys Dulas, Ynys Moelfre, Traeth Bychan (quarry entry near HW)
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Decide to enter Traeth Coch (Red Wharf Bay) to dry out and get something to eat. Discuss with local boats off Traeth Coch about suitable place to dry. Anchoring off slip suggested (near first house on right when entering: midway between red channel marker and small orange buoy). Anchor 13.00 in 5 ft at 53 18.499N 4 12.314W. Aground 14.30 (about HW+2 hrs), sandy with some small stones. Scrub and visit Ship Inn and Boathouse restaurant.
Lewis Morris published a chartlet of Traeth Coch in 1748, which is surprisingly similar to the current situation. The image is a large file: click here to see it.
Traeth Coch approach and anchorage (shortly after HW). MARLIN at LW.
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Afloat again at 22.10, leave Traeth Coch channel to anchor in 22ft at eastern end of Traeth Coch (under Bwrdd Arthur) at 53 18.761N 4 08.957W. Light SW wind, no current.
Sunday 3 July. Off 6.00 towards Liverpool. Pass Trwyn Du, Great Orme, Wind farms (Rhyl flats, North Hoyle, Burbo) to enter Mersey via Rock Channel. Into marina 11.45.
Trwyn Du, Rhyl Flats wind farm, Perch Rock (lighthouse and fort)
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If higher resolution versions of the above images are wanted, please contact me
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