Off Holyhead - The skerries

[andythefiddler]

I’m going from Holyhead to Conwy tomorrow.

Wind looks good, just calculating times, 1 day off neaps.

Skerries look fearsome, how fearsome are they?

Any wisdom as always appreciated.

Andy

 

[CPD]

Will be travelling that way myself in the enxt few weeks and look forward to words of wisdon anyone can give. I will be travelling Holyhead to Maryport. Looking at Navionics, I would be happy (depending upon weather on the day of course) to go between the skerries and the mainland. Others may know better tho ......

 

[Jim@sea]

I’m going from Holyhead to Conwy tomorrow.

Wind looks good, just calculating times, 1 day off neaps.

Skerries look fearsome, how fearsome are they?

Any wisdom as always appreciated.

Andy

I can still vividly remember a trip I made in 1974 when I had a 26ft power boat and went between the Skerries and Carmel Head, The weather was not that bad but I must have chosen to go round when the tide was at its fastest, supposed to be over 8 knots, there were troughs where the back of the boat would be lifted up and the boat would slide down the trough to stick its nose in the water and as the boat lifted up water would run down the gunnels, its was a bit like rallying where you spin off and wait to hit something, I knew I could not turn the boat round as the distance between the troughs was too short, I remember turning round and looking at the wife and she was on her knees praying.

In hindsight I should have gone out to sea, the other side of the Skerries. Or not gone at all. Go round when between the Skerries & Carmel head is High Water Slack. Good luck.

With another bigger sailing boat I went through at low water slack and it was flat calm, then my echo sounder started making a noise and I ignored it, yes I did glance of something, must have been the top of rocks, The echo sounders in the 1970/80 were not as good as todays, and I should have payed more attention to the depths shown on the charts.

 

[CPD]

Great info Jim - plan changed

 

[wingcommander]

Timing is everything round Anglesey. Get it right a walk 8n the park . Get it wrong not so. Saying that the three times I've been that way all fell into place and you wonder what all the fuss is about. Good luck on your decision.

 

[jdc]

As always, it's come up before: Holyhead- Skerries out or inside?

 

[peteK]

I’m going from Holyhead to Conwy tomorrow.

Wind looks good, just calculating times, 1 day off neaps.

Skerries look fearsome, how fearsome are they?

Any wisdom as always appreciated.

Andy

Leave Holyhead to time your arrival for low water slack,then make for the Conway fairway bouy,you will have the tide in your favour as you alresdy know.

 

[Seastoke]

Send a pm to skylark he has sailed the area for years.

 

[ridgy]

I had a boat it at Holyhead SC for a few years and went round there often. Always went inside, never an issue.
Lightish winds tomorrow, get there for about 1300 jobs a goodun.
Came the other way a few weeks ago from Fleetwood and went round the outside pretty much at peak ebb with 15-20 knots from the east again nothing to report..

 

[TSB240]

Slack water at Skerries about 12.30 tomorrow.

 

[Skylark]

The Ralph Morris “Cruising Anglesey and the North Wales Coast” is a very good pilotage reference for these waters. It shows slack water at Carmel Head as Dover HW+5 and this gives a fair tide for the remainder of the passage towards Conwy.

Note that even moderate winds with a northerly element can create confused seas around this north coast.

Otherwise, there’s no need to go outside The Skerries, pass close-to Carmel head. Inside West Mouse, pay attention to Harry Furlong SHM, inside Middle Mouse and outside East Mouse, then round Point Lynas. It can get lumpy around the head, too.

 

[andythefiddler]

Thanks folks, took your comments, sailed round easily.

Arrived a little early so slow in then comfortably out the other direction.

Brilliant.

Don Quixote next, wind farms off Liverpool.