We departed Port Dinorwic at 1500hrs. The marina fee was a special £0 on account of us sailing to raise funds for charity. Thank you Port Dinorwic! We really appreciate your support! I must say also that the staff at the marina were also extremely helpful giving directions, advice and helping with our lines.
It had to be a 1500hrs departure since we needed the high water to lock out of the marina. It was dry, and a little overcast. In the marina we picked up a new would-be crew member, John. We had been chatting to John and Avril who had a motor cruiser, Bliss, which they were taking back to Pwllheli. John expressed interest in sailing and said he would give us a ring with a view to joining us for the next leg from Pwllheli to Milford Haven, and of course he would make a donation to the CF Trust. We decided not to race them to Pwllheli, especially since we cruise at 5 knots and Bliss goes at about 20 knots! It needs to be remembered however that Bliss requires about 30 litres of diesel per hour, whereas Blue Star needs about 50 litres per average week, depending on how much we use wind power.
The journey to Pwllheli took us 12 hours. We wormed our way
out of the channel past Caernarfon which seemed to take forever, and then set a
course for Bardsey Sound at the end of the Lleyn Peninsula.
Initially we were able to sail, but before we reached Bardsey the wind had
backed from north-west to south-west and we had to motor instead, almost
directly into the wind. Darkness came after we had passed Porth Dinllaen but
before Bardsey Island was reached. Night sailing brings
a different sensation to the sailing experience, with only stars, a range of
shore and navigation lights, and a series of silhouettes and half-lit clouds to
break the pitch black night. Even so, I am not a great fan. Whilst the sailing
experience itself is valued, I cannot help but feel that you miss out on the
scenery, and arrive at your destination too tired to do justice to the
following day. After Bardsey, Aberdaron was lit up, and then onwards past Hells
Mouth, Porth Ceiriad, Abersoch, and finally we picked out the leading lights
for Pwllheli marina.
A week or so ago I had arrived home to find a package on my
doorstep. It tuned out to be a cake, left by my good friend David Shepherd from
SCCC. When I telephoned to thank him David had said that he always felt that it
was ‘really nice’ to have a cup of hot tea and ‘nice piece of cake’ when on
night watch. ‘But then’, he went on to say, ‘you always do day sailing so it
doesn’t really apply to you!’. I can now report that in the dark, somewhere off
Aberdarron and with Bardsey just astern, we partook of a ‘nice cup of tea’ with
a piece of Shepcake! Very nice too! Thank you David!
Layton’s
jokes:
Q. Why do cows have lips?
A. If they didn’t they would go ‘Oooo!’
Q. Why do seagulls live in the sea?
A. Because if they lived in the bay they would be bagels!
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| The lock and Port Dinorwic with the marina beyond |
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| The other side of the lock at low water |
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| John and Avril, aboard Bliss, locking out with us |
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| Sailing into the dark around midnight |
Today? We walked into Pwllheli in the rain, bought some groceries, floor cloths and a flashlight in readiness for our next night-time entry to a port (probably Milford Haven).
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