Menai Straits Marina?

[C08]

When I left the area in 2009 and headed to the south coast a large marina was planned by ABC Marine tucked in behind Gallows Point. At that time the plan seemed stalled by the (sudden?) designation as a fisheries area. A designation that also seemed to place in doubt the legallity of moorings in many parts of the straits. The marina still has not proceeded as far as I am aware. Is the fisheries designation still existing, what about moorings now and will there ever be a marina?

 

[TSB240]

20 years later and there is still absolutely no chance of a new marina being constructed at Gallows Point.

The major problem is the potential for damage to the mussel seed beds all around this area caused by either or both construction or pollution from a marina.
There was a second plan (Dickies?) muted a while back for a marina in Penryn Bay between the slate dock and Bangor Pier.
A marina based close to the Measgirchen is going to have some serious security!

I think this has as much chance as the proposed Tidal lagoon off Colwyn Bay!

I do not think there are any significant waiting lists for moorings on the strait.
The area that the ABC marina proposal covered had very few permanent deep water moorings exactly because of the regular sweeping of the bottom by the mussel dredgers . Also most of that area was drying.
Plenty of swinging moorings available between Bangor and Caernarfon.

The big news recently is a plan to develop a new holiday home complex on and near the old Ferodo factory. I suspect this will create some additional demand for moorings and marina facilities.

A logical move would be to put a tidal barrage across the Seionte at Caernarfon, the chance of this happening in my lifetime is very slim.

 

[vyv_cox]

It turned out that the fishing industry is remarkably powerful, beating off attempts by Anglesey Council and the Welsh government to overrule them. Not only did they prevent the construction of the marina for very tenuous reasons, they caused many existing moorings between the Gazelle and Gallows Point to be removed. Ours being one of them.

 

[Graham376]

It turned out that the fishing industry is remarkably powerful, beating off attempts by Anglesey Council and the Welsh government to overrule them. Not only did they prevent the construction of the marina for very tenuous reasons, they caused many existing moorings between the Gazelle and Gallows Point to be removed. Ours being one of them.

15 years or so ago, when ABC were trying to obtain planning permission, we were were on one of the moorings off Gallows Point/Gazelle and watched the dredgers dropping mussels to seed beds where the marina was planned. Big export business takes priority over leisure facilities. Seem to remember at the same time, some tree-hugger type female trying to get all moorings and anchoring stopped and area designated as special category of some sort.

 

[C08]

Thanks for replies-so no change then. I was thinking about coming back to Wales and just curious, not that this will affect whether we return or not. I cannot face the 240 miles drive down the M6/A34 any longer!

 

[Skylark]

Thanks for replies-so no change then. I was thinking about coming back to Wales and just curious, not that this will affect whether we return or not. I cannot face the 240 miles drive down the M6/A34 any longer!

I had 20 years in N Wales, mostly Holyhead before being made homeless by Storm Emma. I’ve moved to The Clyde and that one-way journey is 240 miles and is a fairly consistent 4 hour journey.

I also regularly sail Lake Solent, it too is a 240 mile one way journey, M6, M42, A34 and can take anywhere from 4 to 7 hours. Often a soul destroying journey.

The waters within The Clyde are great for cruising with many options, always available.

I’d love to return to North Wales if ever a tenable marina option returns. That said, the A55 can be an evil piece of tarmac but, now retired, I can avoid the Friday and Sunday rushes.

 

[vyv_cox]

15 years or so ago, when ABC were trying to obtain planning permission, we were were on one of the moorings off Gallows Point/Gazelle and watched the dredgers dropping mussels to seed beds where the marina was planned. Big export business takes priority over leisure facilities. Seem to remember at the same time, some tree-hugger type female trying to get all moorings and anchoring stopped and area designated as special category of some sort.

Yes, their argument centred on Great Crested Grebes that nest in the Seiont. They claimed that yachts would disturb them. At the time we lived in the Netherlands and berthed at Hellevoetsluis, where many Grebes nested in the marina. I supplied many photos to ABC, who at the time had a grebes page in their marina website. This pic shows one that nested on a piece of plywood ahead of us, the white triangle being our bow..

 

[Easticks28]

Yes, their argument centred on Great Crested Grebes that nest in the Seiont. They claimed that yachts would disturb them. At the time we lived in the Netherlands and berthed at Hellevoetsluis, where many Grebes nested in the marina. I supplied many photos to ABC, who at the time had a grebes page in their marina website. This pic shows one that nested on a piece of plywood ahead of us, the white triangle being our bow..

They don't seem to be much bothered by boats on the Norfolk Broads either, where they are a relatively common sight.

 

[[3889]]

Am I right in thinking that a member of the nobility had a financial interest in blocking the Gallows Pt marina?

 

[vyv_cox]

Am I right in thinking that a member of the nobility had a financial interest in blocking the Gallows Pt marina?

I never heard that but anything is possible. Who owns the mussel fishery?

 

[Graham376]

I never heard that but anything is possible. Who owns the mussel fishery?

Trevor Jones - Bangor Mussel Producers Ltd

 

[Laysula]

I had 20 years in N Wales, mostly Holyhead before being made homeless by Storm Emma. I’ve moved to The Clyde and that one-way journey is 240 miles and is a fairly consistent 4 hour journey.

I also regularly sail Lake Solent, it too is a 240 mile one way journey, M6, M42, A34 and can take anywhere from 4 to 7 hours. Often a soul destroying journey.

The waters within The Clyde are great for cruising with many options, always available.

I’d love to return to North Wales if ever a tenable marina option returns. That said, the A55 can be an evil piece of tarmac but, now retired, I can avoid the Friday and Sunday rushes.

Or you could do the sensible thing and move to where your boat is moored. It's a lovely thing to be able to walk down to the marina and go for a sail, just because it takes your fancy.

 

[Skylark]

Or you could do the sensible thing and move to where your boat is moored. It's a lovely thing to be able to walk down to the marina and go for a sail, just because it takes your fancy.

That’s a great idea, Steve, but the boat is 240 miles away from the Trafford Centre so I’d never get the proposal through “higher authority”?

Hope you’re both keeping fit and well.