The forecast for Saturday was Irish Sea N 4-5, and this meant that our usual overnight anchorage at Abermenai would be a lee shore. However, the two coves at Llanddwyn Island promised a peaceful night, as long as there was no east in the wind.

Five boats launched at Port Dinorwic and set sail early Saturday afternoon, en route down the Straits, over the bar and across to Llanddwyn. The wind was in fact N 4-5, and with wind and tide together we had a very peaceful and rapid sail. David and Antony (Wayfarer) took the inshore passage across the bar, whilst Gerald and Philip (Lugger), Antony and Phyl (Pirate), Brian (Cornish Coble) and Peter and Rachel (Coaster) followed the buoyed channel out past the Mussel Bank and the wreck. The Lugger explored the coast beyond Llanddwyn before returning to Mermaid’s Cove, where everyone anchored for the night. Later on Gerry Eardley and son (Wayfarer) arrived via the inshore passage, having launched from Plas Menai. The Coaster and Pirate stayed afloat but the other boats beached for a couple of hours at low water.

The wind stayed in the north, and we had a reasonably peaceful night, undisturbed by the seals on the nearby islet in the cove. Sunday was dry, with the same wind, and David and Antony decided to stay an extra day and go westward along the Anglesey coast towards Rhosneigr, but the remainder of the fleet set off back to Dinorwic with the flood just after 1000 hrs.

The first leg across to buoys 2 and 3 of the channel allowed a fine beam reach, but as the channel swung more northerly, the wind became dead ahead, and then it was a brisk beat, with wind against the 2-3 knot tide, and plenty of tacking. Gerald managed to touch bottom once, opposite Caernarfon, but only momentarily. The wind against tide conditions can produce some very short steep seas in the Straits, particularly at springs, but this weekend (50% neaps) wasn’t too uncomfortable.

Back at Port Dinorwic, all the crews had lunch at the pontoons, where Joan Abrams and Tony arrived for a cup of tea and a chat, and then Brian’s Landrover (and Brian!) did an excellent job recovering the four boats. This was the best attended Menai rally yet, and one of the most enjoyable.