Conwy to Holyhead

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Danfarry

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Here's one for the North Wales massive!

For some reason my family want to go to Holyhead this coming bank holiday!
My charts and cruising guide are on the boat so any advice would be gratefully received.
The weather at the moment looks settled. The earliest I will be able to leave Conwy is two and it looks like light northerlies all day Saturday. Weather dependant will head back Monday with a forecasted westerly behind us.

Any advice and suggestions please....
 
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Conwy has its own problems with strong tides, but you will already know that.

The best way to get to Holyhead is to go with the outgoing tide which means going anti clockwise. Leaving Conwy around high will give you favourable tides all the way to Holyhead and hopefully you will get slack passing Carmel Head. This will depend on if you are sailing on a slow boat or running 500 hp.

Returning is the opposite..... Leave Holyhead at low or slack past Carmel head and that will take you round to Conwy at or approaching Conwy.

Just one warning.... Check the over falls and try and avoid them.

Tom.
 
I'm using the excel spreadsheet available from the NWVYC site. HW slack at the skerries on Saturday is 14.38 so will aim to be there for that, just need to get down to the boat earlier! If we leave Conwy when the gate drops, we can take our time.
 
Danfarry said:
I'm using the excel spreadsheet available from the NWVYC site. HW slack at the skerries on Saturday is 14.38 so will aim to be there for that, just need to get down to the boat earlier! If we leave Conwy when the gate drops, we can take our time.
Click to expand...

If you are aiming to get to the Skerries for HW slack you'll be going against the incoming tide all the way along the North Anglesey coast.
 
you now know how to get out of Conwy ok so that's no prob
what you need to get right is the bit from Point Lynas to Holyhead
the snags being the overfalls
This weekend its neaps so that's good
as you know what you don't want is wind against tide in the overfalls, even when neaps
so the timing needs to be right vis a vee wind and tide
There are no depth problems, ie sandbanks and stuff but there are one or two sticky up rock thinghies if you are tight in to some of the headlands around the top bit of the Island
but lobster pots are more a danger!
So get yerself outa Conwy to the tip of Puffin where the seals live and steer yerself 305 maybe 310 m to P lynas
For ease of Nav aim for 53. 26. 000 N and 04.16.000 W this will clear you of the overfalls lurkin of P Lynas
Then left hand down a bit
To 270 like, leavin middle mouse to starboard
when middle mouse is on yer right shoulder left hand down a bit again @ 255
This will feel right hairy as you will be huggin the Island on yer left hand side
Leaving the green 'H Furlong' bouy to starboard and 'West Mouse'
@ 6/7 miles ish @ 53.24.000 N and 04. 35.000 W
Left hand down a bit again to 200 fer about 4 miles when you should hit the breakwater
Leaving 'Boliver Rock' bouy to port its a pointy green thing
and you should see a flat red bouy gadget on yer nose before yer collides with the breakwater
The entrance into Holyhead is a piece of urine just keep the big wall close on yer starboard side and call the Marina on 80 and ask em where to park
I your forecast holds, I would get me butt outa Conwy asap, stemming the tide aint yer prob with your vessel
Until you reach Carmel head area where it might be choppy fer a bit
But 'tight in' you will miss the worst of the overfalls
When you check a Chart you will see that it is rife with overfalls inside the Skerries passage
The other alternative is to go outside the Skerries by some margin to miss the boiling waters thereabouts
Cheers
K :encouragement:
 
Kawasaki said:
you now know how to get out of Conwy ok so that's no prob
what you need to get right is the bit from Point Lynas to Holyhead
the snags being the overfalls
This weekend its neaps so that's good
as you know what you don't want is wind against tide in the overfalls, even when neaps
so the timing needs to be right vis a vee wind and tide
There are no depth problems, ie sandbanks and stuff but there are one or two sticky up rock thinghies if you are tight in to some of the headlands around the top bit of the Island
but lobster pots are more a danger!
So get yerself outa Conwy to the tip of Puffin where the seals live and steer yerself 305 maybe 310 m to P lynas
For ease of Nav aim for 53. 26. 000 N and 04.16.000 W this will clear you of the overfalls lurkin of P Lynas
Then left hand down a bit
To 270 like, leavin middle mouse to starboard
when middle mouse is on yer right shoulder left hand down a bit again @ 255
This will feel right hairy as you will be huggin the Island on yer left hand side
Leaving the green 'H Furlong' bouy to starboard and 'West Mouse'
@ 6/7 miles ish @ 53.24.000 N and 04. 35.000 W
Left hand down a bit again to 200 fer about 4 miles when you should hit the breakwater
Leaving 'Boliver Rock' bouy to port its a pointy green thing
and you should see a flat red bouy gadget on yer nose before yer collides with the breakwater
The entrance into Holyhead is a piece of urine just keep the big wall close on yer starboard side and call the Marina on 80 and ask em where to park
I your forecast holds, I would get me butt outa Conwy asap, stemming the tide aint yer prob with your vessel
Until you reach Carmel head area where it might be choppy fer a bit
But 'tight in' you will miss the worst of the overfalls
When you check a Chart you will see that it is rife with overfalls inside the Skerries passage
The other alternative is to go outside the Skerries by some margin to miss the boiling waters thereabouts
Cheers
K :encouragement:
Click to expand...


K

Please can you work up a passage plan for PORTAVIDIE via PEEL, PORT PATRICK, PORT BALLATYNE? jumping off Saturday at noon? warp factor 5-6 knots and need wind up the backside all the way matey?

If possible you should build in a brewery and a distillery into the route so that I can take an appropriate bottle or two for a meet up with the venerable owner of a painted and varnished pile of matchsticks!

Steve:encouragement:
 
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In calm conditions it's fun, but I imagine in a saily boat it can be worrying.; but fun all the same. if coming in between the Skerries and Carmel head at low water springs, be aware of the West Platters along with the WW2 shipwreck complete with munitions which are just below the water surface !
 
Wow, you guys are really selling this trip to me!
BruceK, I can see the lack of appeal.

Happened to tell the kids about the Menai raft race, and they want to go to Caernarfon now, I might just go along with them.
 
Danfarry said:
Wow, you guys are really selling this trip to me!
BruceK, I can see the lack of appeal.

Happened to tell the kids about the Menai raft race, and they want to go to Caernarfon now, I might just go along with them.
Click to expand...

Do the original trip and pop into the Skerries lagoon on the way; the channel in is almost like it's been carved out by man. Safe even at low water. Loads of seals that come in very close ( watch out for 1,000 panicking seabirds and their droppings when you motor in though !). We saw puffins the first time, we thought they must be common, seen none since !
 
Danfarry said:
Wow, you guys are really selling this trip to me!
BruceK, I can see the lack of appeal.

Happened to tell the kids about the Menai raft race, and they want to go to Caernarfon now, I might just go along with them.
Click to expand...

Air Show Saturday at Llandudno? Sea zoo on way down to Caernarfon? Stay on Mooring at Rowan Bay? Beach Barbecue then raft race Sunday. Afraid its all about the kiddies now!You might even get kwack to give them a ride whilst you have some quality time to yourselves?:rolleyes:

I should be a Kidsparty organiser.
 
TSB240 said:
Air Show Saturday at Llandudno? Sea zoo on way down to Caernarfon? Stay on Mooring at Rowan Bay? Beach Barbecue then raft race Sunday. Afraid its all about the kiddies now!You might even get kwack to give them a ride whilst you have some quality time to yourselves?:rolleyes:

I should be a Kidsparty organiser.
Click to expand...

Join in the fun on the raft race! (somewhere I have a video, taken during the raft race of 2013, of passing TSB40 at great speed in one of Kwacks ribs, another forumite at the wheel!)

Gissa call out on the control Boat (VHF Channel 69!)
 
I am thinking of changing my plans and scrapping Porth Wen for the Menai raft race too. If you decide on the Menai, let me know, the (my) Admiral will want to moor in Vicky dock I imagine.
 
Bruce, it's looking more and more like Caernarfon at the moment. It might just be me and Jack on Saturday, being joined by the girls on Sunday. No firm plan yet!

Thanks everyone for the Holyhead advice, it will be put to use
 
GrahamHR said:
In calm conditions it's fun, but I imagine in a saily boat it can be worrying.; but fun all the same. if coming in between the Skerries and Carmel head at low water springs, be aware of the West Platters along with the WW2 shipwreck complete with munitions which are just below the water surface !
Click to expand...

What ever you do DONT go in-between the Skerries light at LW and the little out crop there is a thumping big rock lying in-between them with less than 6ft over it.
It's possible one that even K has missed in the past. :encouragement:
O and the Skerries and Carmel head in a F6 can be quite interesting at any stage of the tide.
 
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