Pembrokeshire summer cruise

[shaunb]

Hi all

We are planning on a lazy 2 week cruise this summer from lawrenny to Aberystwyth. 4 hours a day sailing.

These are the potential stopping off destinations we have found:

Lawrenny
Dale
Solva
Porthclais
Porthgain
Abercastle
Lower Fishguard
Newport parrog
Cardigan
Newquay
Aberaeron
Aberystwyth

We will have 3 kids on board from 7 to 14, are planning on 2 to 3 nights in Aberystwyth and lower fishguard is a definite as we have friends with a view over Fishguard bay who have promised a barbecue on arrival. We shall be on a 33" lift keel yacht that can dry out.
any suggestions on where to stop en route and return? Any pitfalls or suggestions!

Thanks

Shaun

 

[Coaster]

We shall be on a 33" lift keel yacht...

With three children such a short boat may be a bit overcrowded...

More seriously, do you have Tom Bennett's guide to the Pembrokeshire coast? If not you would be very well advised to buy it. The small chandlery at Neyland usually has it in stock or it's available on line.

 

[bitbaltic]

Are you planning on going into Porthgain, or anchoring off? If you are going in I'd be interested to know how it works out. You never see any yachts in there and the entire harbour seems to be rigged up with fishing boat fore-and-aft mooring lines from one wall to the other. I'd like to go in myself if we ever get that far west (good beer in the Sloop Inn) and the lines always look a problem as we would need to lean against a wall. Might be different with a lifting rather than fixed keel of course.

Cheers

 

[Telstar26]

Porthgain might be a bit awkward for 33' - I take my Parker 21 in fairly often (HW +/- 2 hrs), and just piggyback on the mooring lines. But you never know how many fishing boats will be there!

Anchoring off would be ok in calm weather.

Tom Bennet's book is a must.

Newport: I wouldn't think you could get a 33' boat in the river; anchoring in Cwm yr Eglwys is a better option, but the swell can come in. Or Pwllgwaelod in an easterly is great.

Cardigan: went there last weekend - the channel's now close to the northern cliffs (look for the orange buoy) and the bar quite shallow. There's a free pontoon at Prince Charles' quay in the centre of Cardigan

See you in Fishguard

 

[vyv_cox]

Cwm yr Eglwys is a super little bay, great for children. Your proposed route could be difficult or impossible in poor weather, so keep an eye on it. Hope it goes well.

 

[shaunb]

Thanks for the advice all
Tom Bennetts book ordered

Good spot coaster on my 2'9" boat error ;-)

 

[MoodySabre]

We brought my sons boat from Aberaeron to Lawrenny. There was quite a sea running into the harbour at Aberaeron and it was like a washing machine on the trots in line with entrance. Good restaurants and fish and chips but avoid in a westerly swell.

Lower Fishguard we dried out against the wall just inside.

Solva is great. We have also stayed on a buoy at Skoma and enjoyed watching the puffins.

Can't wait to go sailing there again.

 

[tico]

North Haven on visitors buoy or South haven at anchor on Skomer is a great lunch stop. If overnight avoid North Haven in a Northerly on a spring tide!
Alternative lunchtime stop between Dale and Solva is Musselwick. Through Jack sound and turn Right. Lovely beach but there can be a bit of surf when landing.
Mid Wales lunch stops Cwm Tudu or cai bach for nice beaches

Beware Aberaeron in a Westerly, big swells roll in and every year 1-2 boats end up on the opposing rocky shore. the calmest place is round to the right after entering , by the slipway.

 

[MrB]

I'm not sure if you can anchor off or beach in Little Haven but there is a very good pub there with great food,The Swan Inn. I broke down in the Jack sound (above reference) when i was younger, scared the **** out of me lol.

 

[oldharry]

This is the bar at Newport about 2 hrs flood. Newport is a little gem, and a delight for children, but in a 33 footer you may have difficulty finding space among the many small boats in the holiday season. I used quite regularly to take a 24 footer in, and that was reckoned a big boat by local standards.

This is the Parrog itself. It gets a good deal more crowded than this at peak season. The Sailing Club is the old warehouse in the centre.
The channel up is marked on the stbd side with green buoys, but the north side (seaward) is not, and is quite steep to. There is nothing to mark the bar.

 

[vyv_cox]

We have anchored off the Parrog river but the weather was very quiet at the time. Most of the beaches are subject to swell from westward and anchoring cannot be relied upon.

 

[oldharry]

Parrog river is the Nevern ( Afon Nyfer in Welsh). Parrog itself is the name of the settlement round the old harbour, as distinct from the town of Newport which lies half a mile inland.

No I wouldnt anchor off except in the most settled weather, and certainly not overnight. Cwm Yr Eglwys gives good shelter all tide, provided the wind doesnt go north or east.

The main thing to bear in mind when sailing North from Fishguard is that you are on a lee shore, and a very dangerous one at that, with nowhere to go much after 2 hours after HW. Work your tides and weather forecasts with great care. But it is also fantastically beautiful, and well worth the frustrations and limitations.