Sunday, arrived at Porthmadog slip at 1600 to be faced with severe current past SO on her mooring just below the bridge. I reached the boat with the dinghy by paddling upstream close on the town side then drifting down with the current. However the dinghy got tangled between the stern of SO and the mooring buoy and very nearly capsized. It took some tricky manoevering to finally get the dinghy facing upstream and close under the transom to get aboard. All was in order on board, batteries fully charged.
Monday, paid a quick visit ashore at 0900 to see HM and check out. Then set off down channel half an hour before HW, retracing the track that was recorded in the chart plotter when we arrived just over a month ago. Glorious sunny day and blue sky but no wind so motored to Pwllheli to fill up on diesel. Then off again motoring to St Tudwals where the wind finally filled from north enabling a close reach to Aberdaron where I anchored for the night. The genoa furler jammed and I had to pull the genoa down, the problem was two screws holding the drum to the foil which had loosened off. Soon fixed but getting the genoa back up again while anchored and in 12kts breeze was a devil of a job.
Tuesday, left the anchorage at 0600 to catch the start of the flood tide through Bardsey. There was just enough light to see pots , of which there are many in this bay. Encountered minor tidal race on the western side. Light winds so motor sailed north till about half way to the Stacks then sailed the rest on a tight beat until tide was about to turn south so diverted into Trearddur bay. Welcomed by two inquisitive seals on arrival then anchored at HW in 8m.
Wednesday, left anchorage again at 0600 to catch the start of the north going flood past the stacks. No pots in this bay. Then it was a steady broad reach north in F4 SE for 40nm all the way to Isle of Mann. After the Stena ferry to Dublin disappeared over the horizon I saw no more boats until a group of fishing boats trawling just south of the Cow. Just off Cow Island is Chicken Rock with a lighthouse, I gave this a wide berth as there was fair old tidal race. I arrived at Peel harbour at 1830 and picked up one of four visitor buoys. There was just enough light left for a quick run ashore to Tesco.
Leaving Porthmadog
Arriving Peel Harbour
The Adventures of Sea Orchid 