Reading Doug Heslop’s account of an “Anglesey Weekend” in Bulletin 141 caused me to reflect on my last outing of 1993. Three days exploring the west coast of Anglesey and encompassing, coincidentally, the places mentioned at the end of Doug’s account as “future venues”. I planned to take a look at the Cymyran Strait, tempted by the fascinating account of the area in Doctor Kemp’s “Cruising Guide to Anglesey”. Armed with a set of photographs of the entrance taken earlier in the year — very difficult to reach by road — a chartlet of the channel across Llanddwyn bay from the very helpful Caernarfon Harbourmaster, Admiralty charts 1970 and 1464, O/Survey Landranger 114, and a pocket P.C. with the tidal information for the next three days programmed in, we were set to go on Saturday the 23rd of October.

Phil Davies and myself arrived at Port Dinorwic late Friday night, stepped the mast, warmed the cabin with the Tilley lamp and turned in, still on the trailer and with ice on the deck. Up soon after six to rig the boat and finish unloading the car, we had to be away by eight, in fact it was 0815 before the car and trailer were parked and “Karmatoo”, under engine, was taking us down the Menai Straits on the last of the ebb.

About the boat:- M/ply, L/keel, “dinghy with lid on” cruiser. Weight 1500 lbs. l.o.a.18’. beam 7’. Draft plate up 11” plate down 3’. Sail area 150 square feet. Unstayed mast with a single Junk sail. Built by myself from scratch, designed as building proceeded “on the spot” so to speak. Could have sailed like a shed but luckily seems to have the makings of a good cruising boat. Back to the plot.

Motoring out from Aber Menai Point, my first miscalculation. We ran out of fuel, opposite the wreck just past the C4 buoy, with Phil nervously testing an oar in the water as he wasn’t sure if the engine hadn’t stopped for some other reason. It hadn’t, so we left the channel at C3, there being plenty of water at neaps, and headed straight for Pilot’s Cove with brilliant sunshine from the mainland and a light breeze giving a gentle start to “Karmatoo’s” sea trials. Anchoring at Pilot’s Cove, we could see another boat anchored in Mermaid’s Cove flying the Blue Ensign. Whilst bearing in mind that we were on a lee shore, we had breakfast and rested after our hasty exit from the Straits giving me time to reflect on my shortcomings, i.e. I can muster the ability to fashion this vessel from bits of old furniture and sheets of ply only to go and forget the gas for the stove! Phil says it’s okay, don’t worry. I think he went to R.A.D.A.

The Blue Ensign departed and we set sail about 1100, rounded Llanddwyn south cardinal buoy and set a course of 320 deg.T towards Rhoscolyn Beacon trailing the Walker log. The NE 3 had arrived and we could enjoy a gentle reach with the slight flood. Sailing from Llanddwyn Rhoscolyn was uneventful, seeing only one other yacht. I donned my usual weekend migraine attack and have to thank Phil for helming all day — I think he was pleased to have the chance playing with the Junk rig without me interfering! One useful “leading light” for sailing up this coast is Rhoscolyn beacon in line with the South Stack light, which can be seen above the Penrhyn Mawr Headland. We peeped into Borth Wen around 1500 but Silversand bay was to be our first stop. It should be approached from 035 T. Anchoring is in the west of the bay where we waited to enter the Cymyran Strait just before HW. Whilst at anchor the scene was fairly busy compared to our solitary sail up the coast. A group of canoeists were “fluttering” around North Rock and a powerboat came out of the Straits along the beach. This is the southern entrance but we were to use the western approach.

Doctor Kemp’s description of the passage proved to be easy to follow in the calm conditions we had. Once you’ve threaded your way inside North Rock and past Outer Ebb then Inner Ebb rocks, then you are safe with the first pool to port opposite the white house to starboard. The channel then takes a horseshoe route to port, closing with the shore of Holy Island up to Ynys Las where there is another pool. We anchored here and had a very peaceful night, turning in early as we would have to be out of the Straits by 0500 Sunday. Up at 0415 and slowly motoring down the channel by 0445, it would have been pitch dark but for the lights on the hangars at Valley Airfield. They gave us just enough light to see where there were a few boats moored giving some indication of where the channel was. Coming past Cymyran point we touched the edge of Inner Ebb stopping dead and rocking Phil on his knees in the bow as he took soundings. We were soon off and nearly made the mistake of following the shore. Do this and you’re trying to go inshore of Outer Ebb Rock and into trouble. It’s easily done in the dark. Outer Ebb juts out one cable south of Inner Ebb. Past North Rock we were into Silversand Bay and anchored, standing on deck till sunrise, looking out to sea with the incredible backdrop of the heavens, shooting stars and all, crystal clear, awe inspiring as always and the certain cue for us to ramble on in the never ending quest to explain it all. Don’t you? By the way, don’t be put off by the mention of Valley Airfield. In the Straits there is peace and seclusion and there seems to be no flying at the weekend. After breakfast, brewing up on our emergency back-packer’s stove, we sailed away from the coast and viewed the panorama of Wales. Anglesey down to Llanddwyn, and Snowdonia reaching down to the Lleyn Peninsula to Bardsey Isle. With this sort of weather it was like a huge lake and we seemed to have it all to ourselves. Suddenly, astern of us, two finned backs broke the surface, then another pair abeam, and again, then ahead of us until we seemed to be surrounded. Porpoises, dolphins or whatever, we had no idea but they were roughly two metres in length. Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone. A magical moment. I’ve since heard there is a colony of seals around Rhoscolyn Beacon. Maybe next time we’ll take a look.

Sailing down as far as Ynys Melbion, on which there is a radar installation and a rifle range, we failed to see any of the three beacons that are marked on the chart. We backtracked round Careg Goch reef and anchored in Crigyll Bay opposite Rhosneigr. I rowed ashore for some gas and to find a phone to “report to headquarters”! Phil declined to stretch his legs, staying aboard and having lunch.

On my return, we decided to make for Trecastell bay for our last night afloat. A pleasant high sided and narrow bay calling for bower and kedge, fore and aft, when the brick hut is abeam to starboard. Anchoring presented an element of what I call the “Laurel and Hardy” syndrome. I lost the kedge — tie the damn thing on, you fool ! Phil said, “Don’t worry it’ll give us something to do tomorrow”. Now I know he went to R.A.D.A.: it was his anchor! I forgot to mention, Trecastell bay, whilst easily seen sailing up the coast, coming from Rhosneigr it is impossible to see until you are at the entrance. It’s best to study the Ordnance Survey map.

Monday morning, after recovering the kedge, we set off on the last leg “home”. Another pleasant sail during which only one other sail appeared, probably from Treaddur Bay. A trawler crossed our track as we approached Llanddwyn Island and we hesitated, not knowing how far astern his gear was, but he seemed to sweep Maltraeth Bay and was soon abeam. Past Llanddwyn south cardinal buoy the wind was on the nose at Caernarfon bar, so sailing across the CI/C2 “gate” towards Llanddwyn until we could tack favourably again, we entered the channel with C3 to starboard. We’d been keeping our eyes on a large ketch as it made its way up the coast towards the bar. As we went in through the “side door” the ketch came in through the “front” and followed us up the channel until we cleared C6 when he overtook us. Although the ketch came in under power we never gave our engine a thought as we had come all the way on the one tack even getting past Mussel Bank buoy by being lee-bowed by the flood.

A spot of tacking by the entrance to the Straits and we were in past Belan Point into the swirling water opposite Foryd bay. With the help of the flood we continued tacking up the Straits until we were well past Caernarfon but finally had to resort to the “noisy one” as the light was going. Port Dinorwic was soon reached and the chore of retrieval tackled.

Whether weekend or week, a sailing trip is over all too soon, and the next so far away. So this was “Karmatoo’s” sea trial, a fifty mile round trip of beautiful scenery, exceptionally kind weather and a promise of things to come. Roll on ‘94!