st davids head wales

[baggypipes]

hi we have been told of an anchorage at st davids, in wales, near the life boat station, does anyone know of this? we can't find reference to it in any books or charts. we were told it is a good stopping off point to be able to go across to ireland. many thanks

 

[Ariadne]

Yep there is a small anchorage near the life-boat slip near St David's, also you can anchor in Solva and most of the other liitle old harbours if your shallow enough.

I ain't near the area for a long time so I'd get some local advice on how things are now.

 

[Pandoramark1]

Hello,

I grew up in this area I think you mean here "Click Me"

Hope this helps, would give you a chart reading, however as I am learning I think it's best i do not otherwise "Hello cork here you come"

Let me know if you need any more inform on facilities things to do etc.

Kind Regards
PMK1

 

[bluedragon]

Can't recall an anchorage by the LB house as such. Lots of local moorings / boats as you can see. You might mean opposite on Ramsey Island, just north of The Bitches, there's a quiet anchorage out of the current just off the landing stage. There's one or two mooring buoys there that you could probably use if staying on board say overnight to await a dawn departure for Ireland. I'd also consider N.Haven on Skomer depending on where your coming from, and on the weather / swell. Another thought is the large bay (with a wreck in the middle) on the mainland just before you enter Ramsey Sound from St.Brides Bay (can't remember the name) - was there two years back. It's good to have lots of options depending on weather / swell. I've also anchored happily just under St.Davids head at the north end of Whitesands Bay in settled weather, or indeed overnight at Caerfai bay in a F5 northerly. Many of these will not appear as anchorages because they are too exposed to certain prevailing winds. But in the right weather, lots of possibilities. Just go with what the chart and weather tells you.

 

[Coaster]

Another thought is the large bay (with a wreck in the middle) on the mainland just before you enter Ramsey Sound from St.Brides Bay (can't remember the name)...

Porthlysgi. A good anchorage but open to the SW. Have overnighted there several times.

There are dozens of possibilities but most are weather dependent. If weather is adverse, and you're coming from the South, use the Haven. Castlebeach Bay, Dale, Longoar Bay (E of Great Castle Head), Kilroom (N of South Hook Point) or Angle Point may be viable if wind and swell are acceptable.

 

[baggypipes]

st davids

many thanks for all the replies great help. we are comming up from the south when weather improves. wish you all a safe season

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Porthlysgi. A good anchorage but open to the SW. Have overnighted there several times.

There are dozens of possibilities but most are weather dependent. If weather is adverse, and you're coming from the South, use the Haven. Castlebeach Bay, Dale, Longoar Bay (E of Great Castle Head), Kilroom (N of South Hook Point) or Angle Point may be viable if wind and swell are acceptable.

May I ask where you would recommend in Milford Haven for a 2 night stay on passage from the south? Probably going in there on Sunday. Forecast is 20 knots or so, from the south.

2.2m draft and I don't mind anchor, buoy or marina - I just want to rest!

 

[vyv_cox]

May I ask where you would recommend in Milford Haven for a 2 night stay on passage from the south? Probably going in there on Sunday. Forecast is 20 knots or so, from the south.

2.2m draft and I don't mind anchor, buoy or marina - I just want to rest!

Dale is secure in those conditions, just inside on the west side. Plenty of anchoring space and you can get there (with only slight difficulty) in the pitch dark if necessary. If you want to go further up then Milford Haven marina is pretty good.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Dale is secure in those conditions, just inside on the west side. Plenty of anchoring space and you can get there (with only slight difficulty) in the pitch dark if necessary. If you want to go further up then Milford Haven marina is pretty good.

There is also a visitors pontoon at Dale (free). It's a long row to the pub though!

 

[bluedragon]

Dale gives good protection from the West, but if the wind backs around to SE to any E or NE it can get quite uncomfortable, and you need to be on the right side of the pontoon for any wind shifts expected. Being on the windward side of the visitors pontoon in a blow is bad news! Be ready to move side, to a buoy or anchor off (which is probably a better idea anyway) before such shifts happen. Fortunately in Milford Haven there are alternative anchorages within a mile or so almost whatever the summer weather throws at you, or as said MH Marina about 45 mins upstream from Dale.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Thanks all

 

[Coaster]

May I ask where you would recommend in Milford Haven for a 2 night stay on passage from the south? Probably going in there on Sunday. Forecast is 20 knots or so, from the south.

2.2m draft and I don't mind anchor, buoy or marina - I just want to rest!

Looking at the Passage Weather wave height and direction forecast for Sunday I'd expect the lower Haven to be substantially affected by swell So if you're looking for rest it will be necessary to go further up.

As already suggested Milford Marina is one option. Its main problem is access, which is via a large lock with limited opening times. The easiest entry is on freeflow, which runs for two hours from HW minus 2h10 to HW minus 0h10. The May lock times are published here but be wary of them as there are some errors, e.g. badly wrong times for 13 and 14 May (hours out). Freeflow on Sunday evening (8 May) is 2009 to 2209 BST. You'd need to come in at the beginning of freeflow, for the daylight, or to lock in earlier.

When in the lower and middle Haven monitor VHF 12 to be aware of port traffic. If you want to go into Milford Haven Marina call "Pierhead" (the lock control) on VHF 14 when about half a mile off. Navigation into the lock is very straightforward and shelter in the marina is excellent. You could phone in advance, to check on berth availability (almost certainly OK) on 01646 696312.

A second option is to carry on up the Haven and go into Neyland Marina. The shelter there is pretty good, being that much further up, but Milford Marina is better being in a locked basin.

Do you like quiet surroundings? If I were a visitor, in the weather predicted for Sunday, I'd go much further up the Haven to Castle Reach, just past Lawrenny. On the steep left (West) bank of the Haven there's a folly/house called Benton Castle, painted white, which is visible through the trees. The Haven runs North/South there, giving good shelter from the West. Keep in the middle of the channel until past the rocks that extend out from the shore by Benton Castle, then pull in to the left (West). Make a few passes to see the shape of the ground (there's a drying bank that extends out from the shore) and anchor in about 9m plus rise of tide. HW on Sunday evening is 6.1m at 2219 BST. (No significant differences in times and heights of tide here.) The range is 4.4m, so you'd need a scope of perhaps 40m. We find that the current and a West wind together prevent us swinging onto the drying area.

There's a pub at Lawrenny, across the Haven and down slightly. The location is usually very quiet although there may be another boat or two at anchor in Castle Reach. There are pleasant walks on the Lawrenny side but no public footpaths on the West side of Castle Reach.

Further up the Haven there's Llangwm but the decent anchoring places are now mostly taken by local moorings.

Approximate distances:

Mouth of the Haven (1M due E of St Anns Head Lighthouse) to Milford Haven Marina - 5M

Milford Haven Marina to Neyland Marina - 4M

Neyland to Castle Reach - 3M

Good luck.

 

[vyv_cox]

On my very first ever summer cruise, 1989 I think, we were in the Milford Haven area when winds of force 10 were forecast. We anchored in Pennar Gut, where we rode out these very breezy conditions in perfect serenity for three days. Perhaps one of the most unattractive anchorages you will find anywhere, but in the conditions it was ideal.

 

[bluedragon]

Re. MH Marina, unless things have changed since we were berthed there 2 years ago, the outer lock gates are almost always open, even if access to the inner harbour is closed for tidal reasons. The lock is very sheltered and it you're happy to wait a few hours at LW, access to the marina is not as restricted as it seems. There is a waiting pontoon outside, but it's very exposed and susceptible to wash. Call the marina for advice when entering the Haven if you think you might need to go in. If you're going up to Lawrenny (which is beautiful), there are moorings at Lawrenny Quay which are not too pricey. Pick up a buoy, go ashore via. the pontoon and ask if it's OK. They didn't have marked visitor buoys when I was last there, but the outer ones are generally used for this. I've rarely been able to get them on the phone however.

But, if you're intent on going on to Ireland with only a night stay in Pembrokeshire (which would be a great pity!) then going up the Haven is adding quite a bit to your journey the next day. Look at the tidal flows as well. Punching a few knots in the Haven on springs is hard work, and when you get out to the mouth, there is a cross current that might be taking you south to Tenby! If the weather permits, we'd choose Skomer N.Haven as the best overnight / setting-off point for Ireland. It also avoids the Wild Goose race if going direct from Dale / MH.

 

[Scomber]

Can't recall an anchorage by the LB house as such. Lots of local moorings / boats as you can see. You might mean opposite on Ramsey Island, just north of The Bitches, there's a quiet anchorage out of the current just off the landing stage. There's one or two mooring buoys there that you could probably use if staying on board say overnight to await a dawn departure for Ireland. I'd also consider N.Haven on Skomer depending on where your coming from, and on the weather / swell. Another thought is the large bay (with a wreck in the middle) on the mainland just before you enter Ramsey Sound from St.Brides Bay (can't remember the name) - was there two years back. It's good to have lots of options depending on weather / swell. I've also anchored happily just under St.Davids head at the north end of Whitesands Bay in settled weather, or indeed overnight at Caerfai bay in a F5 northerly. Many of these will not appear as anchorages because they are too exposed to certain prevailing winds. But in the right weather, lots of possibilities. Just go with what the chart and weather tells you.

hi anyone know if the mooring(s) off ramsey island are maintained regularly-and any tips regarding timings of approach etc
thanks very much

 

[bluedragon]

Don't know who owns them, but you might try the Bristol Channel forum. One was pretty large and robust I can tell you that, but how well attached/maintained, don't know. Lots of info in the pilot guides and almanacs about slack water in Ramsey sound and the back eddies around the anchorage/mooring area. I don't have this to hand right now, sorry.