Aren't we lucky?

[Csail]

No, it was definitely underpants, I was there!
Maybe you should read my post again, I was trying to put people off and keep it for us. In my opinion the Bristol channel is a great place to sail. Obviously in your opinion it is not. Fine, we can agree to disagree. I don't like too many boats or expensive berths. I like to sail a decent distance between stops and prefer anchoring to mooring. Good access to places like Ireland, the Scilly Isles and Brittany are a bonus. I prefer the interesting sailing that good tides give, I used to live in another place with 10m+ tides. I'm not as keen on Milford as Alycone, but I'm not rude enough to knock it, each to their own.
Allan

Bristol channel is rubbish after you do all the trips over 15 yrs.A few good places and good place to learn.Med or caribbean from now on.

 

[bluedragon]

Having escaped from the Bristol Channel in 2007, spent a few years hiding out in Milford, and now in S.Devon, I have to say I'm not really in a rush to get back home! But one day I'll have seen all the greener grass on the other side and nostalgia will get the better of common sense...oh and the money might run out...so as Arnie says "I'll be back"

PS - having done the Solent in years gone by I have zero interest in going back there! In fact probably nowhere east of Brixham, except on the other side of the channel. And then nowhere east of Alderney. Anyway, that still leaves a lifetime of interesting places to the SW.

 

[Alcyone]

I'm not quite convinced that we could get a plane to Greece for the two of us for the same price as a trip to Dale in Louise's Citroen Saxo, but there you go.

I've not sailed the Channel long, but, having dived Pembrokeshire for 20 odd years, as well as the rest of the world, I still don't get bored with it. I think sailing will be the same, rather than the 'been there, done that' feeling.

 

[BarryLeat]

Barry Leat

Completely agree, there are so many places to visit in the area, especially within the haven where shelter can be found fairly easily.

There is so much to offer within fairly close proximity, we recently went swimming in Watwick, lunch in Castle beach bay, afternoon in Dale on the pontoon and then when the weather turned we could easily get to the upper reaches of the haven where it feels like a completely different world. Picked up a mooring just down from Lawrenny and watched the water skiing before going into Lawrenny and picking up a mooring before going ashore for an evening meal. And then only a short trip back to Neyland!

Ian

The photo of moorings just off Lawrenny. I beleive the blue cruiser (behind the Hawkl dinghy) is me during a summers visit a copule of years ago.

 

[Matt341]

HI Barry,

The cruiser in the picture taken just off Larwrenny is a Seaward 29, the picture was taken about a month ago. The owner keeps it in the marina as well but lives near Lawrenny and I think he sometimes moors it there rather than take it back to the marina when there is nice weather forecast.

Best wishes
Ian

 

[mattonthesea]

The whole of the Bristol channel is the "back of beyond". I have been to many horrid places this year, from Lydney to Appledore and Tenby. Later in the year I plan to add Brittany and Ireland to the list. If you add the horrible tides that can drag you from Cardiff up to Lydney or down to Watermouth, I can only advice people to stay on the south coast. You really wouldn't like it up here, honest!
Allan

and I'm about to re-enter the back of beyond. Maybe Ill stay here in Scilly just that little bit longer. Rocks beat mud any day

 

[Csail]

Lucky for the next week and i'm off as soon as engine parts arrive.

 

[Anwen]

I think we are lucky

As you might know from a post from a few weeks ago, I spent last week in Milford. Vicky drove up to meet me, and we spent a few days based on the waiting pontoon in Neyland Yacht Haven. The marina people were happy for us to disappear off for a sail during the day and kept the berth free for our return.

Overall, we had a great week, and would definitely go back. In my opinion, the Haven and river offers a really wide range of sailing and reminds me a lot of Plymouth with the Sound, beaches at Cawsand, the Tamar up to Cargreen, but fewer boats and generally more relaxed.

With the car, we could also get about a bit, and one day walked from Dale, round St Annes Head and back to Dale, which was a nice level walk with tremendous scenery. Good food in the Marina Bar at the Yacht Haven and the Moorings Restaurant at Dale Yacht Club is excellent.

The sail from Swansea was a reasonable challenge - I try to sail as much as possible, and being routed through Manorbier Range and then diverted offshore for Castlemartin meant the trip up was longer than I thought it would be. Coming home on Sunday, the wind was SE and just about on the nose. I had to give up and put the engine on at Freshwater East!

I'll post some pics if I get a chance, but I don't feel that Milford is in any way inferior to the south coast, and we had the boat in Plymouth for 3 years before moving to Swansea and visited all the usual places in the SW.

 

[Alcyone]

A couple of shots from last weekend.

What more can I say?

 

[tico]

Saw you and waved on Sun morning as we came into Dale. Fixed the mooring strop on our buoy and when I looked up you'd gone.
Had a run round to Musselwick, but the surf was too much to land without drowning the o/b so anchored off to swim and clean the mackerel caught earlier. No sooner than G had said 'don't drop them' , than one slipped out of my hand into the water.
B****r, not letting it get away.... so dived in.... its a long way down to 15' without weights or fins, but retreived it in the end. Looked up to see SWMBO creased up with laughter!
PS, try the tide rip by Martin's Haven... known locally as Tescos for mackerel.

 

[Alcyone]

Ha! Could have done with bumping into you too. I needed to check a mooring for a friend and I had no bottles with me. Pity we missed you!

Catch you soon,

 

[tico]

Waved at you, you were rafted up fishing.

Yes, have full bottle and kit on board (only wetsuit tho)