Solo in The Swellies

[Kilter]

No it didn't it 'Founderd'

Well Phuc# me......... I'm being taught to speak English by a Gibber speaking Welshman.....

Tom

I was struck by that too Tom! Of course he should have written, "Foundered"

He also said,

It's cos me ancestors were 'Wreckers'!

Only the ancestors?

 

[AndieMac]

Dont you start.I have enough problems with K as it is

Tom

Come on Tom, you know I'm a big fan of the "world according to K"

 

[Searush]

Come on Tom, you know I'm a big fan of the "world according to K"

As long as you remember that the World that Kwacker lives in is not necessarily on the same planet as we inhabit.

 

[Kilter]

Innit?

As long as you remember that the World that Kwacker lives in is not necessarily on the same planet as we inhabit.

 

[The Binman]

As long as you remember that the World that Kwacker lives in is not necessarily on the same planet as we inhabit.

Not on the same planet....but in a parallel universe!

 

[TSB240]

As long as you remember that the World that Kwacker lives in is not necessarily on the same planet as we inhabit.

I reckon we could all do with a bit of whatever he is drinking.

It certainly aint tea anylonger!

I reckon Rib riding the Straits aint a bad world to be in though..........

Only envious of your real world life Rich!

 

[Searush]

I reckon we could all do with a bit of whatever he is drinking.

It certainly aint tea anylonger!

I reckon Rib riding the Straits aint a bad world to be in though..........

Only envious of your real world life Rich!

I'll go along with that!

 

[Kawasaki]

Not on the same planet....but in a parallel universe!

Can't argue with that!
However I can argue that poor old Sgt Colon has had his thread almost nicked by all you terwats
Best advice I can pass to you Sarge
Hit the Swellies flat out with the tide behind you
You should make 30 kts
Then it will be over in a flash and your 'cheeks' won't be clenched for too long
Plus you will have no time to look at your plotter(bad move anyway) and keep yer beady eyes on the black an yellow sticky up thing and the pyramid whatsit and them white pole thinghys
Any raggie do dahs just plough straight towards em, they will wave at you a bit but you will have no time to wave a cheerie 'hello' as they rock un roll all over the shop!
Going towards Brittania from the Dinorwic end stay out a bit '(remember the lobster pot gig) and give Price's Point some respect
Doddle Mate
You can do it

 

[SgtColon]

Thanks everybody for the advice and always happy to see the banter. Got my kettle and frying pan today (What else can nautical types need apart from the facility to make a cuppa and a bacon buttie!) Just needing a few days without too much wind, Not bothered about a bit of rain, Looking promising at the moment. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[TSB240]

Can't argue with that!
However I can argue that poor old Sgt Colon has had his thread almost nicked by all you terwats

Nothing unusual there then Rich.

I think you have so confused the Sgt that you will need to offer your personal pilotage service. I assume your usual summer fee applies now you have given up drinking Tea. Bottle of Ben Bracken or better isnt it?

 

[AndieMac]

Hit the Swellies flat out with the tide behind you
You should make 30 kts
Then it will be over in a flash and your 'cheeks' won't be clenched for too long
Plus you will have no time to look at your plotter(bad move anyway) and keep yer beady eyes on the black an yellow sticky up thing and the pyramid whatsit and them white pole thinghys
Any raggie do dahs just plough straight towards em, they will wave at you a bit but you will have no time to wave a cheerie 'hello' as they rock un roll all over the shop!
Going towards Brittania from the Dinorwic end stay out a bit '(remember the lobster pot gig) and give Price's Point some respect
Doddle Mate
You can do it

This paragraph was lifted from Richard's new book 'Quintessential Quacka...transiting the Swellies'

 

[Kilter]

This paragraph was lifted from Richard's new book 'Quintessential Quacka...transiting the Swellies'

 

[Searush]

This paragraph was lifted from Richard's new book 'Quintessential Quacka...transiting the Swellies'

I'd order a copy of that. Excellent book to keep in the heads.

 

[hlb]

Remember Kwackers taking me through the Swellies, first time second, and I think the third.

No road map or anything. Just head for the white house over there. Which white house, there are loads of them. Left a bit, no not that much, right, right, RIGHT.

Then theres a sort of bus stop thingy in the middle, I thought we could stop there for some tea. But then it was green house blue house, evey colour of bloody house. I think he was just trying to confuse me, so I'd pay for his course.

 

[LittleShip]

I'd order a copy of that. Excellent book to keep in the heads.

On a nail

Tom

 

[SgtColon]

Tuesday 19th June ….. 4am Out of bed … 7am At last leave the storage yard in Manchester hauling Tryben on its trailer (That bloody canopy will be the death of me, I’ll get the hang of it some day) …. 11.30am Oh my God I’m on the water – Alone!! The launch was effortless thanks to Chris Seddon just south of Caernarfon putting it into the water with his tractor. He even parked up my Jeep in his yard as I had told him it would be Thursday that I was expecting to return. Several minutes later all attempts at retaining my dignity atop my vessel was abandoned as lacking an extra pair of arms I struggled against the wind to grip my charts, written instructions, steering and throttle whilst fixedly staring ahead to seek out the channel bouys and figure out on which side of them I should be. I could have made life easier by slowing down but by this time I was already nearly 2 hours behind my planned approach to The Swellies.
Some time after mid-day … (Couldn’t release my death grip on the steering wheel to look at what time it was) I would love to say that I threw caution to the wind and shot through The Swellies … I would have to describe it as more of a drunken wobbling course against the on-rushing waters …. How far did they say I had to stay away from the shore? … Keep that point just to starboard wasn’t it? Ehm starboard, was that to the left or the right? Which of those houses was it I was supposed to be aiming for? Suddenly I was … Ok After what seemed like an age I was through safe and sound.
Now definitely feeling like the salty seadog I steamed on past Beumaris, wheeled around Puffin Island (Where I quickly retreated upon seeing all the lobster pots on the North side) and onwards to my first overnight mooring in Conway.

Wednesday 20th June … The overnight stay in Conway Marina had been a joy (We wont mention trying to set off with a line still attached) as was the short peaceful sightseeing cruise to see Conway Castle from the river. After leaving the river channel I confidently pointed Tryben towards Puffin Island and opened the throttle …. OH MY GOD … Immediately closing the throttles, What the hell !! To you experienced types I’m sure you would have thought nothing of it but to me it was incredibly rough throwing poor Tryben in all directions. Could it always be like this? It was not a pleasure. We made it steadily after experimenting with various speeds and trim tab positions but I was very pleased to get back into the Menai Starights and what seemed like blissfully calm conditions. I was again later than I had planned to enter The Swellies so could not dawdle around. I wobbled back through them (Next time I’m sure more speed will give me easier steerage) and emerged victorious and exhilarated.

Thursday 21st June … After an overnight stay at Port Dinorwic I was anxious to get the boat out of the water before the wind became strong. Chris Seddon knew it was my first retrieval from the water and how worried I was about it. He had reassured me that it did not matter how many times it took to line the boat up on to the trailer and he was there waiting on the beach. As it happens it must have been the calm before the storm. The air and the water were virtually still and Tryben was safely on the trailer first attempt.

Friday 22nd June …. Back to the real world and work.

Graham

 

[Searush]

Excellent, Graham, thanks for the report,

Coming out of Conway (or entering) on the ebb in a NW'ly F4 or above can be utterly 'orrible. The fetch is 100's of miles, the water is shoaling & the tide is strong. Running in downwind SR corkscrews dreadfully & beating out she rises out of the water on the short steep waves & then drops down into the back of the next one shedding green water over the foredeck. It's one of the several reasons why we left Conway for Caernarfon.

Wind & tide directions are critical to sea state & overfalls in that part of the world. Even in a MoBo it is important to understand this.

Sometime, try the Swellies at slack so you can relax & view the scenery, it is beautiful. I trust you remembered that the direction of bouyage changes at Caernarfon?

 

[hlb]

A story like they used to be written, many years ago, that made the mobo forum great and made Mobo, the most read forum of the lot.

To/from Conwy, you really do need a big Mucky Farter type boat. to flatten down the lumps and a couple of engines to stear by. A rudder becomes a wast of time once the tide is doing 8 knots.

 

[Kilter]

Great write up Graham!

 

[akyaka]

I was again later than I had planned to enter The Swellies so could not dawdle around. I wobbled back through them (Next time I’m sure more speed will give me easier steerage) and emerged victorious and exhilarated.

The maxim for the Swellies is from Menai Bridge late but not early and from Caernarfon early but not late as you have the tide with you. Its not uncommon for even small engined boats to pass through 2 hours late/early to take advantage of the tide. Oh and if there are other boats making passage respect their speed and if you must pass do it slowly.