Dave_Snelson
Active member
A weather window was all that was needed and we got it - a few calls to Kawasaki and the plan was made. A return trip to Port Dinorwic which would include the Menai Straits
Fueling up at Pwllheli was painful - I have never put so much petrol in before - 70 galls (plus 40 LPG)...OUCH! And here's me on my way leaving Pwllheli behind.
Heading out towards St Tudwals East & West, the weather was distinctly better ahead that behind.
With the old quarry and the Warren at Abersoch on my stbd side
From there, its on to Bardsey and it was here that things got a bit more tasty in terms of sea conditions. What is it about Bardsey? I'm not a believer in ghosts, but this place casts a gloom even on a sunny day. It is reckoned that 50,000 saints are buried there!! Well maybe they should have buried the patron saint of "happiness" or perhaps "jollity" or something. This place gives me the creeps.
I was glad to leave it behind as I headed north up the west coast of the Llyn Peninsular.
Those that know the peninsular, will know that it really is a tale of two places. The side that faces south and east is endowed with beautiful beaches and bays - bu the west facing side is almost like an "Atlantic" coast, even though its the Irish Sea. Its rocky with bluffs and outcrops and jagged rocks. I was heading roughly north through an area called "the tripods" - and the overfalls were quite active on that day, so I couldn't take piccies (I was single handed). Here's the best-ish sandy bay on the way up called Porth Dinllaen - this is the old lighthouse.
After Porth Dinllaen, things calmed down a little and I continued up past the lost village - lost somewhere in these mountains...
And cruised from there up to a way point - the quarries, where I turned across Caernarfon Bay directly towards Llandwyn Island.
Now at this stage I could get all boasty about doing "the straits" - but there's nowt like local knowledge to help out and after 60 - odd nm look who turns up! Mr Kawasaki.
We headed up the straits and K showed me a couple of useful channels that I would never have otherwise known if I had followed the buoyage.
And here's Caernarfon castle!
And here's what local councils like to spend your money on!
Now we come to the caption competition. K was obviously wanting a try with CI, so he transferred across and here he is at the helm. Sorry K, but this is hilarious. My caption is "CI really isn't that scary - honest!"
Anyway, I have stuff to do, so I will post part II later. Big thanks to Mr & Mrs K for their hospitality and arranging a berth in Port Dinorwic harbour which is where I will pick up in part II.
Fueling up at Pwllheli was painful - I have never put so much petrol in before - 70 galls (plus 40 LPG)...OUCH! And here's me on my way leaving Pwllheli behind.
Heading out towards St Tudwals East & West, the weather was distinctly better ahead that behind.
With the old quarry and the Warren at Abersoch on my stbd side
From there, its on to Bardsey and it was here that things got a bit more tasty in terms of sea conditions. What is it about Bardsey? I'm not a believer in ghosts, but this place casts a gloom even on a sunny day. It is reckoned that 50,000 saints are buried there!! Well maybe they should have buried the patron saint of "happiness" or perhaps "jollity" or something. This place gives me the creeps.
I was glad to leave it behind as I headed north up the west coast of the Llyn Peninsular.
Those that know the peninsular, will know that it really is a tale of two places. The side that faces south and east is endowed with beautiful beaches and bays - bu the west facing side is almost like an "Atlantic" coast, even though its the Irish Sea. Its rocky with bluffs and outcrops and jagged rocks. I was heading roughly north through an area called "the tripods" - and the overfalls were quite active on that day, so I couldn't take piccies (I was single handed). Here's the best-ish sandy bay on the way up called Porth Dinllaen - this is the old lighthouse.
After Porth Dinllaen, things calmed down a little and I continued up past the lost village - lost somewhere in these mountains...
And cruised from there up to a way point - the quarries, where I turned across Caernarfon Bay directly towards Llandwyn Island.
Now at this stage I could get all boasty about doing "the straits" - but there's nowt like local knowledge to help out and after 60 - odd nm look who turns up! Mr Kawasaki.
We headed up the straits and K showed me a couple of useful channels that I would never have otherwise known if I had followed the buoyage.
And here's Caernarfon castle!
And here's what local councils like to spend your money on!
Now we come to the caption competition. K was obviously wanting a try with CI, so he transferred across and here he is at the helm. Sorry K, but this is hilarious. My caption is "CI really isn't that scary - honest!"
Anyway, I have stuff to do, so I will post part II later. Big thanks to Mr & Mrs K for their hospitality and arranging a berth in Port Dinorwic harbour which is where I will pick up in part II.
