WELSH SPORTS COUNCIL Run by John Gray Report by John Gray

Boats and Crews:

Two fee-paying participants in one Wayfarer John Gray alone in another Wayfarer Keith Jelfs (DCA) sailing his Tarpon (just along for the company)

Monday wind SW force 4

After a briefing session at Outdoor Pursuits Centre, Beaumaris, final preparation and loading of boats, we sailed late afternoon with well reefed mainsails NE from Beaumaris with the ebb on a run out of the Straits. We passed through Puffin Sound to Traeth Wen, a small quiet cove two miles west of Puffin Island.

Both Wayfarers were anchored off shore while we made camp in two tents on shore. The Wayfarers chosen were not fitted for boom tents.

Tuesday wind SW force 5-6

Sailed late morning to west intending to cross Red Wharf bay and pass Point Lynas before spending the night on the north coast of Anglesey.

Late start was partly due to both Wayfarers having their new fisherman-type anchors foul in rocks (or it may have been remains of old stone loading pier) below the low water line. Every effort was made to retrieve the anchors but eventually they had to be cut loose and both anchors with short chain wore lost.

Reaching Red Wharf Bay we were exposed to the full strength of the wind and after a determined effort to cross the bay, I could see we were making only slow progress in three foot white capped waves. As we got closer to the middle those would get worse, so we turned back to our cove on a fairly sheltered stretch of coast.

After lunch we took a walk exploring a nearby old quarry and dock.

Pitched camp again on same spot. Boats anchored using the small ‘plough’ anchors with tripping line.

Wednesday

As wind conditions appeared to be unchanged, we left the tents erected and sailed to edge of Red Wharf bay again, checking the conditions, then retraced our route to east, lunching on beach at Trwyn Du and calling personally at Penmon Coastguard Station to report.

The coastguard told us that dinghy racing in the Straits Regatta had been cancelled for Tuesday and Wednesday because of the strong wind.

Returned to our cove — Traeth Wen — pub call in evening followed by driftwood bonfire with bacon and sausages.

Boats had been brought ashore at high water.

Thursday wind westerly force 2

Boats rolled afloat near low water. Now able to sail back into Menai Straits for last two days of cruise, so late morning returned through Puffin Sound and then SW down Straits with the tide.

Off Beaumaris we encountered fleet of over 100 dinghies of several different classes, starting in a race to Caernarfon as part of Straits Regatta. We sailed through the Swellies just after high water slack and left the racing fleet — mostly overtaken us anyway — when opposite Port Dinorwic to go ashore and camp on the Anglesey side.

Friday light westerly wind force 1-2

Mid morning we sailed easy to Caernarfon with ebb tide. Brief halt off at Plas y Deri for photographs. Didn’t land at Caernarfon but turned back NE up the Straits again.

Went ashore at old ferry house and slipway opposite Plas y Deri for lunch, then on the flood tide through the Swellies at + 2 hours of flood, which made it interesting and showed it was not an area to take lightly despite the easy passage the previous day.

Ended the cruise with a pleasant run past Bangor to land at Beaumaris in mid afternoon.

Weather generally was cool and cloudy. Some periods of sunshine and a few showers.

Relationships between all concerned were excellent. One participant who had a physical disability to a leg found it a strain and tiring to camp ashore. Though it didn’t stop him walking over a mile to a pub one evening!

We all enjoyed the cruise though disappointed we hadn’t got further due to the wind on Tuesday and Wednesday. Certainly we all learnt useful lessons about dinghy cruising and ourselves.

N.b. Watch for the announcement of next year’s cruise which we hope will appear in the Spring Bulletin. DCA members welcome.