Post by charlieskipper on May 27, 2009 22:28:14 GMT
Some Grotty Yachties might be wondering where Charle has got to. You may recall that last year Dennis and I had an aborted trip to Dale in Pembrokeshire (yes I was very boring about it!) We’ve done it this year! and Charlie is now safely (I hope) moored just off Dale. A few days ago on Sunday May 24 we arrived in dale after an 18 hour mostly motor sail from Cardiff. We locked out of the Cardiff Bay at 05:00 in a gorgeous sunrise in order to catch the 12 metre spring tide as it turned to ebb out towards the Irish Sea and Atlantic. Light se winds meant that we kept the motor running and by the third hr of the tide we were doing 12 knots over land! We passed Nash Point (where we got stuck after 6 hours of sailing last year!) and across Swansea Bay to reach Oxwich Bay on the Gower by around 11:00 am. Decision time. We could either head for Oxwich and anchor up until next morning to pick up the next daylight ebb tide or press on against the tide. As we had stacks of daylight we decided to press on. It was painfully slow for about 4 hours against the tide off Worms Head and into some rough stuff off the bank that borders Carmarthen Bay. The wind had veered round completely and now was on the nose. Eventually the tide slackened and we sighted our cardinal mark at the end of the bank and changed course for our planned anchorage behind Caldey Island. Just enough leeway off the wind put us on a close haul and Charlie raced along at 5 knots, beating the engine!
A wonderful highlight as we were joined by a school of about 15 dolphins who stayed with us for 5 minutes playing around the boat. What a lift to the spirits. Dennis felt a bit queasy after the rough water and went below and I enjoyed a fantastic hour helming on much calmer top water on passage to Tenby. We had been going for a good 12 hours by now so when Dennis came up top I warmed Anne's wonderful beef and barley soup. It was very welcome. Wind now at 4-5 so we were grateful to find the anchorage we were looking for just off the Abbot's slipway on the North side of Caldey. Calm and peaceful out of the westerly and a sunset, gannets nesting and puffins feeding with the Victorian esplande of Tenby just a mile away.
A noisyish night at anchor until I dropped the topping lift and stopped the gaff jaws rubbing on the mast. Awake at 5, the wind had veered back to easterly so with less protection we were bobbing about and I was feeling very queasy! Quelled by the wonderful sights and sounds around me and a cup of tea we raised the anchor on top water and safely passed through Caldey Sound bound for St Govan's Head and then the Haven. After about a hour and feeling like death warmed up, a bit of navigation over the charts finally did for me and Mall de Mer emptied the tea into the Channel. Uggh. Thank goodness Dennis was feeling chirpy today and took most of the helming. Despite steering a course between two charted areas of rough water around St Govan's Head we still hit some horrible rough stuff.
We saw a couple of seal heads bobbing and sea ducks swimming before the water calmed and I began to recognise some familiar landmarks of the Milford Haven. We moored on the Dale floating pontoon at 11 ish and I was very relieved to stand on a bit of concrete at last. A row ashore, a shower and shave, a wonderful Sunday lunch at DYC and a crash out on the grass at Dale seafront and I was beginning to feel human again - and it was starting to sink in that we had indeed made it to Dale.
Of course Charlie and i will now miss all those wonderful CYC events this summer but if anyone is making for Dale please get in touch. Perhaps I'll get over to the club house one wednesday but beware all those tales of rough water and dolphin sightings as they will be much magnified and not to be believed! Now looking forward to exploring the clear waters of the Haven in a blisteringly hot summer of adventure.
Cheers
david
A wonderful highlight as we were joined by a school of about 15 dolphins who stayed with us for 5 minutes playing around the boat. What a lift to the spirits. Dennis felt a bit queasy after the rough water and went below and I enjoyed a fantastic hour helming on much calmer top water on passage to Tenby. We had been going for a good 12 hours by now so when Dennis came up top I warmed Anne's wonderful beef and barley soup. It was very welcome. Wind now at 4-5 so we were grateful to find the anchorage we were looking for just off the Abbot's slipway on the North side of Caldey. Calm and peaceful out of the westerly and a sunset, gannets nesting and puffins feeding with the Victorian esplande of Tenby just a mile away.
A noisyish night at anchor until I dropped the topping lift and stopped the gaff jaws rubbing on the mast. Awake at 5, the wind had veered back to easterly so with less protection we were bobbing about and I was feeling very queasy! Quelled by the wonderful sights and sounds around me and a cup of tea we raised the anchor on top water and safely passed through Caldey Sound bound for St Govan's Head and then the Haven. After about a hour and feeling like death warmed up, a bit of navigation over the charts finally did for me and Mall de Mer emptied the tea into the Channel. Uggh. Thank goodness Dennis was feeling chirpy today and took most of the helming. Despite steering a course between two charted areas of rough water around St Govan's Head we still hit some horrible rough stuff.
We saw a couple of seal heads bobbing and sea ducks swimming before the water calmed and I began to recognise some familiar landmarks of the Milford Haven. We moored on the Dale floating pontoon at 11 ish and I was very relieved to stand on a bit of concrete at last. A row ashore, a shower and shave, a wonderful Sunday lunch at DYC and a crash out on the grass at Dale seafront and I was beginning to feel human again - and it was starting to sink in that we had indeed made it to Dale.
Of course Charlie and i will now miss all those wonderful CYC events this summer but if anyone is making for Dale please get in touch. Perhaps I'll get over to the club house one wednesday but beware all those tales of rough water and dolphin sightings as they will be much magnified and not to be believed! Now looking forward to exploring the clear waters of the Haven in a blisteringly hot summer of adventure.
Cheers
david
