Scattred black flags outside Pwllheli port?

Tryweryn

Tryweryn

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Left port for the first time yesterday, Pwllheli. Went out a few miles then came back and moored. A real adrenalin rush. Boat was so stable and responsive. Very additive. Noticed loads of tiny black flags scattered about a mile of shore. Are these lobster-pot markings or something?
 
Sounds like it! There are some areas I've visited where you couldn't steer a compass course they were so thick and extended for miles!

Rob.
 
Tryweryn said:
Are these lobster-pot markings or something?
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Jihadists

or the black dragon welsh nationalist flag

100px-Black_Dragon_Flag.svg.png
 
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Mmmmm let me think Vic...no my moneys on the lobster pots. Y Ddraig Ddu or "The Black Dragon" used by the "Cymru 1400" republican movement i would have noticed. I'm shocked how many lobster pots and the area covered. I assume it was ok to sail through them. Well i did lol ooops.
 
Or even jihadist, lobster pots.
Incidentally, before people start slagging off black pot markings - they show up on 0.125nm range on radar - very useful it is too

PS Good Muslims are forbidden shellfish, pork or alcohol, so perhaps the jihadist connection is unlikely.
 
Tryweryn said:
Vic...no my moneys on the lobster pots. I'm shocked how many lobster pots and the area covered. I assume it was ok to sail through them.
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Seriously be careful

there is always a possibility of floating lines linking these things.

We once sailed between two big pink buoys not especially close to each other ( fortunately the skipper was on the helm, not me) but linked by a long floating rope.

There we were attached to the sea bed by the rudder and bang in the path of a X channel ferry!
 
Pot markers often have two floats joined together by a short rope so that the guys have a better target for throwing a grapel. Depending on the tide and more importantly the tidal range there might be quite a bit of loose line attached.
Its best to give them a bit of a wide berth especially if they are well marked with dhans and flags or bright floats. If you do get snagged, the fishing boat will usually have marked his floats so give a shout on the VHF and see if he's about to come and help you get clear, if they were not well marked give him a piece of your mind and if they were apologise. either way he will have a winch to pull them up making it easier and safer to get free otherwise is a knife and snorkel job.
Creels can be about £30 -£50 each (+ ropes+ markers +anchors+ catch) so you can see why they might get annoyed if you cut away a fleet of 30 that were well marked. obviously if they are not well marked then it's his own fault.
 
Did the ferry get caught on the line also? Or cut you free?
VicS said:
Seriously be careful

there is always a possibility of floating lines linking these things.

We once sailed between two big pink buoys not especially close to each other ( fortunately the skipper was on the helm, not me) but linked by a long floating rope.

There we were attached to the sea bed by the rudder and bang in the path of a X channel ferry!
Click to expand...
 
VicS said:
Seriously be careful

there is always a possibility of floating lines linking these things.

We once sailed between two big pink buoys not especially close to each other ( fortunately the skipper was on the helm, not me) but linked by a long floating rope.

There we were attached to the sea bed by the rudder and bang in the path of a X channel ferry!
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Quick. Run up the NUC signal!
 
Tryweryn said:
Thanks for all that info, i didnt realise that they could be joined together. Hundreds of the sods.
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The ones with marker buoys (or empty milk containers) are likely to be individual ones. Big commercial fishers may have strings a mile long but only have marker buoys at each end.
 
We sail through that area regularly and there are often several lobster pots off Pwllheli - usually in groups of 3 - 5.

This year they seem to be better marked - in the past there have been several that are "marked" only with a bouy the size of a small football and sometimes black!

There are many groups around Llanbedrog, St Tudwals islands and along the peninsular down to Bardsey Sound.
 
Very large numbers of lobster pots out everywhere round North Wales including Pwllheli.

Came back to Liverpool through the Swellies last week. Some idiot has placed lobster pots with small markers South of the Britannia bridge directly in line with the approach. Some of the buoys were underwater with the current, absolutely stupid.
 
savageseadog said:
Came back to Liverpool through the Swellies last week. Some idiot has placed lobster pots with small markers South of the Britannia bridge directly in line with the approach. Some of the buoys were underwater with the current, absolutely stupid.
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If you are talking about the ones that I think you are they have been there for at least 12months or more!

I believe from reading one of the tags that the idiots that have placed them there are from Bangor University Dept of Marine Research! They are very much in the area marked on the chart that is of Historical interest and no anchoring allowed!
 
TSB240 said:
If you are talking about the ones that I think you are they have been there for at least 12months or more!

I believe from reading one of the tags that the idiots that have placed them there are from Bangor University Dept of Marine Research! They are very much in the area marked on the chart that is of Historical interest and no anchoring allowed!
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No. They are within 100- 150m of the bridge definitely nowhere near the historic wreck site
 
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