Proposal for a CNCE « Wales » Cruise, 28th July to 4th August 2018

To begin at the beginning:

It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobblestreets silent and the hunched, courters'-and-rabbits' wood limping invisible down to the sloeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboatbobbing sea.The houses are blind as moles (though moles see fine to-night in the snouting, velvet dingles) or blind as Captain Cat there in the muffled middle by the pump and the town clock, the shops in mourning, the Welfare Hall in widows' weeds.And all the people of the lulled and dumbfound town are sleeping now…1

Introduction

The west coast of Wales is a beautiful, remote and isolated region of Europe.The harbours are small, shallow and tidal and so are rarely visited by yachts. Inaddition, there are strong currents in some areas and the prevailing winds canlend interest. Although Welsh is the first langage spoken by many in this area,English is widely spoken as well.

I am proposing a CNCE cruise in this area as the last part of Zaria’s Atlantic tripbefore returning to Belgium.

Zaria is an Ovni 395 aluminium centreboard cutter-rigged yacht of 12.77m,with a flat bottom and designed to settle upright without damage on soft

1 Dylan Thomas, http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608221.txt

ground, but still able to cope with significant weather. A boat with thesecharacteristics is highly desirable for exploring the Welsh coast.

We will be at anchor or grounded in small harbours most nights, but we willcall into marinas at Aberystwyth and Pwllheli where there are good facilities.

As most of the harbours are accessible only around high water, the cruise willconsist of either short trips of 2 to 4 hours around HW or else trips of 10 to 14hours from one HW to the next. A programme is set out below, but this may bevaried according to the weather conditions at the time. In order to sail with N-going tidal streams, this means sailing in the mornings (beginning very early,but 1hr later each day) and spending time ashore in the afternoons.

Should there be prevailing strong westerly winds during the cruise, anaternative passage along the Irish coast in the lee of the wind will be followed.

If you are interested please contact kr.patterson@yahoo.be with copy toKRPatterson@myiridium.net. Please send plain text only, no attachments, dueto bandwidth restrictions.

Caisse de bord

A financial contribution of €30/day is suggested. This does not include mealstaken in restaurant ashore, nor contribution to marina fees.

Joining and Leaving Instructions

Join the vessel at Milford Marina, Milford Haven on the afternoon of 28 July.Milford Haven can be reached by

1) Eurostar to London St Pancras, dep 08h52 arr 09h57 ( EUR 67.00 )2) Take underground, circle line to Paddington (GBP 4.00)3) Train to Milford Haven dep 11h45 arr 16h49 ; change at Swansea (GBP53.50)

It will be possible to leave the vessel at Caernarfon on Saturday 4 / Sunday 5August. There are regular train services (about one every hour in the daytime)from Bangor (13km from Caernarvon by bus) to London Euston (close toLondon St Pancras).

Ports of Call and Passage Plan

Saturday 28.07 Milford Haven Marina, HW 13h52, lock opens 22h22. Sail atlock opening, 5 miles to Dale (against tide). Moor off Dale, may ground.

Sunday 29.07 Sail with ebb tide at daybreak (05h30) to Skomer Island. This isa nature reserve and landing restrictions must be observed.

Illustration 2: Dale

Illustration 1: Milford Haven

Illustration 3: Puffins, Skomer Island

In morning, birdwatching in South Haven from anchor. Then pass Jack Soundat slack water at 10h23 (otherwise 16h48) and moor in North Haven. Rest ofday ashore in Skomer Island. To see : seals, Manx shearwaters, puffins,guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, numerous rabbits, indigenous Skomer vole.Overnight at anchor in North Haven.

Monday 30.07 Sail N at daybreak for Fishguard (ca. 23 miles). HW MilfordHaven 08h35 and 20h32. Tide sets N from 05h10 until 11h35 (at RamseySound). Arrive Fishguard before 12h00. Moor well before LW (16h03) inLower Fishguard. Overnight on mooring (avoid grounding).

Fishguard was the location for the film « Under Milk Wood » and is reputed forexcellent public houses along the harbour. Afternoon free to visit Fishguard.

Tuesday 31.07 Sail NE from Fishguard to Cardigan (weather permitting) upriver Teifi (14 miles). HW Cardigan is 10h36 and 22h53. Depart 06h00 to enterRiver Teifi some 2hrs before HW. Moor in River Teifi, opposite CambrianQuay, Cardigan (before the first bridge, in front of the castle). Afternoon free to

Illustration 4: Fishguard, Lower harbour

visit Cardigan Castle and the rest of the town (see http://www.cardigan-wales.com/).

Wednesday 01.08 HW Cardigan 11h09 and 23h27. Tide sets NE along coastfrom 08h30 until 14h30. Leave Cardigan 09h30 and head for Aberystwyth (33miles). Aberystwyth HW 23h46, accessible from 20h00.

There is a marina with facilities at Aberystwyth.

Illustration 5: Cardigan Castle

Thursday 02.08. Sail for Pwllheli, 31 miles, around 09h00. ExitingAberystwyth marina possible 08h28 to 14h28. Northbound tide starts 09h00until slack water 15h00. Pwllheli Marina is accessible (datum -1.4m) at all tidallevels.

Arrive Pwllheli mid-afternoon. Pwllheli is a large, modern marina. Eveningashore in Pwllheli.

Friday 03.08 Pwllheli-Nefyn. Aim to pass Bardsey Sound (15 miles fromPwllheli) at slack water (around 09h00) so depart Pwllheli at 06h00. Continueanother 15 miles to Morfa Nefyn by lunchtime. Anchor in the bay, may ground.Lunch ashore, afternoon free.

Illustration 6: Aberystwyth

Saturday 04.08 Nefyn-Caernarfon 15 miles. Aim to arrive Caernarfon about1hr before HW (whch is at 16h30), so depart Nefyn at slack water (10h00).Moor in front of the castle.

Other Travel Services

Illustration 8: Transport in Wales: T1 to T5, TrawsCymru bus services. M7, Megabus service; 405, National Express bus service. Grey lines, railway.

Illustration 7: Morfa Nefyn