Menai overnight stop

NickRobinson

NickRobinson

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Hi-

We are currently in Caernarfon and before we head off this weekend, we are having visitors who'd like a day or short overnight sail (assuming it's not snowing, etc...:rolleyes:) then to drop them off back at Caernafon.

We would like to be able to let them go ashore to stretch legs etc, so a mooring miles out or in thick mud not ideal. A pub would be good too...

The area is new to us but we've thought of Abermenai anchorage, Gazelle Pub, Porthdinllaen, Dinorwic.

Bilge keel so can dry, 1.3m draft. Tender carried.

Any thoughts?

Nick
(Rivendell)
 
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NickRobinson said:
We are currently in Caernarfon and before we head off this weekend, we are having visitors who'd like a day or short overnight sail (assuming it's not snowing, etc...:rolleyes:) then to drop them off back at Caernafon.

The area is new to us but we've thought of Abermenai anchorage, Gazelle Pub, Porthdinllaen, Dinorwic.

Any thoughts?

Nick
(Rivendell)
Click to expand...

All of the above but, the weather isn't too good until weekend so you will probably be confined to the Menia Ditch :)

Abermenia will be Ok Not pilots Cove due to the wind forecast. A trip through the Swellies would be entertaining for your guests and that would allow you to go to Menia Bridge (walk ashore, well probably over the Prince Madog) and the famous Liverpool Arms (under new management) or further on to the Gazelle.

Have a good one.

Tom
 
Hi Nick,

Croeso i Gymru. Plenty of choice for you in the Straits. As you can dry out Caernarfon town is a possibility. To stay afloat there's Victoria Dock or Port Dinorwic Marina. Outside PD marina there are several vacant Harbour Trust moorings off Y Felinheli with an easy dinghy ride to the Garddfon pub - just watch wind over tide if it's very blowey (my own mooring is there). Abermenai is a lovely spot but there's no pub (which is why it's a lovely spot!). To get to the Gazelle you would need to navigate the Swellies, best done at slack water (HW L'pool -2.25hours usually serves me well). Hope this helps,

John
 
LittleShip said:
A trip through the Swellies would be entertaining for your guests and that would allow you to go to Menia Bridge (walk ashore, well probably over the Prince Madog) and the famous Liverpool Arms (under new management) or further on to the Gazelle.

Have a good one.

Tom
Click to expand...

We arrived at Menai Bridge / Prince Madog a couple of weeks ago and would have been 7th alongside.....but a few boats were about to leave. As it was, we were 5 abreast. If you're planning for this, make sure you have some long lines and, preferably, an acrobat on board.

First time in Liverpool Arms for a while..........wow, what a transformation. Apart from the awful 1970's style carpet, of course :D There's also a new posh looking wine bar just opened next door. Not tried it yet but it looks nice.

The only problem with picking up a buoy along Menai is the constant problem of passing mobo wake. Just no consideration for other, mobo drivers :rolleyes:
 
NickRobinson said:
Hi-

We are currently in Caernarfon and before we head off this weekend, we are having visitors who'd like a day or short overnight sail (assuming it's not snowing, etc...:rolleyes:) then to drop them off back at Caernafon.

We would like to be able to let them go ashore to stretch legs etc, so a mooring miles out or in thick mud not ideal. A pub would be good too...

The area is new to us but we've thought of Abermenai anchorage, Gazelle Pub, Porthdinllaen, Dinorwic.

Bilge keel so can dry, 1.3m draft. Tender carried.

Any thoughts?


Nick
(Rivendell)
Click to expand...

The Gazelle has free moorings and plenty of them, we did it a few weeks ago, a perfect spot for what you want, and the passage is easy both ways even for newbies, the swellies are not difficult at all, enjoy.
 
NickRobinson said:
Hi-

We are currently in Caernarfon and before we head off this weekend, we are having visitors who'd like a day or short overnight sail (assuming it's not snowing, etc...:rolleyes:) then to drop them off back at Caernafon.

We would like to be able to let them go ashore to stretch legs etc, so a mooring miles out or in thick mud not ideal. A pub would be good too...

The area is new to us but we've thought of Abermenai anchorage, Gazelle Pub, Porthdinllaen, Dinorwic.

Bilge keel so can dry, 1.3m draft. Tender carried.

Any thoughts?



Nick
(Rivendell)
Click to expand...

Its about 3.5 to 4 hours to Moelfre from Caernarfon for a good sail and and overnight. Very good holding or ask a fisherman if any moorings free.

As I am very familiar with the Swellies I will usually go through 1-1.5 hours before slack. If your a swelly virgin only do this if following somebody you trust! You get a bit of a white knuckle ride but carry the tide all the way to Puffin Island.

Moelfre has lifeboat museum, pubs and walks along the coast so good for stretching legs.

Alternative is a visit to Red Wharf Bay. not so pretty IMHO

Planned to do this last weekend but chickened out at Pudffin as had a novice crew and a bit windy outside Straits.

Reverted to Plan B which was to dry out by NWVYC at Gallows Point for 1 night, Liverpool arms in Beaumaris, for food and liquid refreshment.

Noticed the next morning that the new Pier Pontoon Extension was empty all evening and night and thought surely that would have been an easier option and a shorter walk:D
 
savageseadog said:
???
Click to expand...

West to East is fine had about 1.5 to 2 knots max assist last weekend. But have seen 5 knots assist on springs at the same time:eek:

Came back East to West 1 hour before slack and tide had eased off a little with a max of 1 to 1.5 knots against. Hard work if you dont use the back eddy on Menai bridge Pier side and behind Swelly rock.

Had oncoming traffic both times so I am not a lone nutter then!:D

Familiar with but Swellies still must be treated with respect.

Steve
 
I don't understand your terminology.

Slack water at the Swellies is 2 hours before HW or LW Liverpool which isn't the same as local HW. It's possible to go through at various states of tide depending on experience and boat speed but slack water is best for first time.
 
savageseadog said:
Slack water at the Swellies is 2 hours before HW or LW Liverpool which isn't the same as local HW.
Click to expand...

Never mentioned HW or LW just Slack

I always work my passage plans around Slack water at the Swellies.:)

If you re read my post again you will see that I was illustrating that to get the most out of the tides you can with prior experience or with a pilot or leader make excellent passage west to east up to 1.5 hours before Slack in a small low powered craft.

So in your terminology up to 3.5 hours before Liverpool HW or should we use Dover?:)

I can recommend the NWVYC alamanac page and a download of the excellent tidal spreadsheet and charts for assisting any passage planning in the area.

http://www.nwvyc.org.uk/almanacs.html

Steve
 
savageseadog said:
???
Click to expand...


It's the familiarity thing.........many of the North Wales Mob will transit several hours before or after slack depending on which way they are going. Personally I will think nothing of a couple of hours with the tide but try and not push more than an hour, again depending on springs or neaps.

Remember that most were shown the route through by that very experienced rock hopper of the said parish :) :)

Tom
 
Garddfon Arms

rjp said:
Hi Nick,

Croeso i Gymru. Plenty of choice for you in the Straits. As you can dry out Caernarfon town is a possibility. To stay afloat there's Victoria Dock or Port Dinorwic Marina. Outside PD marina there are several vacant Harbour Trust moorings off Y Felinheli with an easy dinghy ride to the Garddfon pub - just watch wind over tide if it's very blowey (my own mooring is there). Abermenai is a lovely spot but there's no pub (which is why it's a lovely spot!). To get to the Gazelle you would need to navigate the Swellies, best done at slack water (HW L'pool -2.25hours usually serves me well). Hope this helps,

John
Click to expand...


I would have a potter up the Straights for a couple of hours then pick up one of the FREE moorings off Y Felinheli, about 200m down from the entrance to Port Dinorwic.
A simple dingy ashore followed by excellent food and great beer at the Gardffon.
I was in there a couple of months ago. Excellent.
Enjoy.
 
Some excellent advice there, but a trip thro the Swellies is something special so try to include that. If tide timing is difficult (I haven't checked) you can make passage at LW slack, but heading towards Caernarfon you are bucking the tide all the way. Eminently doable, but slows you down quite a bit!
 
Reporting back....

Hi All-

We had a good passage from Caernafon (where we clocked a certain boat called 'Searush'...)thought the Swellies. A little before slack but perfectly do-able.

We'd visited the Gazelle at Beaumaris by car the previous day to recce. They do have a single buoy marked Hotle. (viz) The staff member I asked said it was first come... no booking system.

After going ashore to use the pub we overnighted and headed north 4 am, via Puffin Island pushing a bit of ebb on our way to Liverpool.

Liverpool was amazing, both to sail to and walk round. The Marina is efficient though the pontoons are nearing their end of life. Rather expensive. They seem to be concentrating on their shore based, restaurant operations.

After two days we moved on to Peel and moored off the Ship, familiar territory. Then over to Fleetwood for one of the best welcomes I have ever had from Marina staff. Nice facilities too.

Nick (Rivendell)
 
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