Milford Haven and Then Northwards

[Major_Clanger]

Why go outside Skokholm and Skomer etc?

Solely because I lack local knowledge and the idea of sea room appeals! It does seem to make good sense to go inside through Jack and Ramsey Sound so I'll look at that if conditions are good.

I think my plan will be to leave MH circa 2.5hrs before HW and punch tide for a while - I want to be able to get the most from the ebb so if I can be close to Ramsey Sound at HW I'll be happy.

 

[TSB240]

I have checked my log for you.

We left Dale pontoon at about LW Milford or maybe half an hour earlier.
Total trip was 108 NM to Caernarfon Victoria Doc.
Total time 22.5 hours but that included a 4hour anchor stop for breakfast and a 3hour kip at Porth Dinllaen . This coincided with waiting for the ebb to finish and the flood to start.
Left Porth Dinllaen about an hour after local LW which meant I was easily at Caernarfon Bar at 3hours before local HW.

Looking at the hourly SOGs we had a good tide under us from St David's Head until just a few miles South of Bardsey. Bardsey to Porth Dinllaen was only made by keeping very close in to the Llyn.
Our SOG was down to 2 knots just North of Bardsey!
Staying off shore would have meant slogging against the ebb for 6 hours.

It is a long way accross Cardigan Bay but it is soon crossed if you can keep the tide under you for a full 6 hours!

 

[Major_Clanger]

I have checked my log for you.

We left Dale pontoon at about LW Milford or maybe half an hour earlier.
Total trip was 108 NM to Caernarfon Victoria Doc.
Total time 22.5 hours but that included a 4hour anchor stop for breakfast and a 3hour kip at Porth Dinllaen . This coincided with waiting for the ebb to finish and the flood to start.
Left Porth Dinllaen about an hour after local LW which meant I was easily at Caernarfon Bar at 3hours before local HW.

Looking at the hourly SOGs we had a good tide under us from St David's Head until just a few miles South of Bardsey. Bardsey to Porth Dinllaen was only made by keeping very close in to the Llyn.
Our SOG was down to 2 knots just North of Bardsey!
Staying off shore would have meant slogging against the ebb for 6 hours.

It is a long way accross Cardigan Bay but it is soon crossed if you can keep the tide under you for a full 6 hours!

That's really useful, many thanks. If I read you correctly though, are you saying that it took a whole foul tide to get from Dale to St David's Head or am I being dense? I'd worked it out that if we left Dale anchorage 2.5hrs before HW then it should be almost slack water by the time we're halfway across St Bride's Bay.

I'm starting to wish it wasn't a delivery; I like Wales and it would be good to explore a bit. I'll just have to return with my own boat at some point.

 

[Dellquay13]

That's really useful, many thanks. If I read you correctly though, are you saying that it took a whole foul tide to get from Dale to St David's Head or am I being dense? I'd worked it out that if we left Dale anchorage 2.5hrs before HW then it should be almost slack water by the time we're halfway across St Bride's Bay.

I'm starting to wish it wasn't a delivery; I like Wales and it would be good to explore a bit. I'll just have to return with my own boat at some point.

If you leave Dale at LW or just after, you have a fair eddy close in between St Anne's and Skomer, and slack water in Jack sound around LW+2. There is then another fair anticlockwise eddy around St Brides close in which takes you to Ramsey sound with a north bound tide by HW-2.

If you leave Dale around LW+2, you'll be fighting the tide out of St Anne's, but have a fairer tide to Jack sound where you'll shoot through with the flow (but it will be very lumpy with the standing waves). You'll then find fairer tides more widely across St Brides, and Ramsey sound is still north bound.

Ramsey sound might be a bit more important to time than Jack sound, if it's flowing south, then it's also hard work going around the outside of S Bishops. The N flow is roughly HW+/-3.

Those hand drawn tide charts copied from a very old local pilot book seem to be aboard most yachts in Milford Marina.

 

[TSB240]

That's really useful, many thanks. If I read you correctly though, are you saying that it took a whole foul tide to get from Dale to St David's Head or am I being dense? I'd worked it out that if we left Dale anchorage 2.5hrs before HW then it should be almost slack water by the time we're halfway across St Bride's Bay.

I'm starting to wish it wasn't a delivery; I like Wales and it would be good to explore a bit. I'll just have to return with my own boat at some point.

Just to confirm we left Dale at approx 18.00 around LW . We made our first lat long hourly mark on the chart about 1nm North of Ramsey sound at 21.30. We witnessed the inshore lift up to Jack sound and the same in St Bride's Bay to Ramsey Sound.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Those hand drawn tide charts copied from a very old local pilot book seem to be aboard most yachts in Milford Marina.

Only just had a proper look at those and can now see what's going on. The Admiralty tidal atlas can't be expected to cover fine detail and I'm really grateful for the link. Now printed off and will be well thumbed by the time we're past Ramsey.

Thanks again chaps.

 

[Beneteau381]

Solely because I lack local knowledge and the idea of sea room appeals! It does seem to make good sense to go inside through Jack and Ramsey Sound so I'll look at that if conditions are good.

I think my plan will be to leave MH circa 2.5hrs before HW and punch tide for a while - I want to be able to get the most from the ebb so if I can be close to Ramsey Sound at HW I'll be happy.

We left MH for Holyhead one filthy night, didnt fancy Jack in the dark. Crabbed towards the islands because ofthe tide and then turned right outside them. Woosh! itwas a crazy ride, 13 knots over the ground for most of the night as the tide wzzed us up towards the light house!

 

[ColinR]

I timed leaving Dale so I got a fair tide through Jack Sound and Ramsey Sound, then a good push north. I can't remember the exact timing but a good look at the tide tables is needed. Left in the afternoon so it was a night passage outside Bardsey, with dawn breaking as we were north of the Lleyn Penninsula. The most challenging bit was Caernarfon Bar, an intricate channel well offshore. I would take the warnings in the pilot seriously. You can download the latest buoy positions from the HM in Caernarfon. I would plot them before attempting it. This is speaking as a newcomer to the area. Menai Strait is very tidal and needs care and timing especially the dreaded Swellies, although very well described in the pilot.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Thanks all for your helpful advice, it really helped my passage plan.

I'm confident of my chart work but must admit to being a little apprehensive when we left last Wednesday due to thick and lingering fog. Apart from anything else, fog is so mentally tiring because we're scanning a horizon that almost doesn't exist..... Anyway, we went through both Jack and Ramsey sound with some entertaining tidal races keeping the helm occupied! Having large tankers appearing out of the gloom in St Bride's Bay wasn't pleasant though. The fog finally lifted as the Sun came up on Wednesday, which was helpful as we were shaping across for Holyhead by then, followed by an uneventful crossing of Liverpool Bay and journey's end.

Thanks again. Swapping ideas and hearing from those who've gone before is always such a help.