Saturday night proved to be the stormiest so far for FF. Lucky we had been advised to move right inside to the back of the marina due to imminent arrival of strong north-easterly winds. Managed a quick walk into Holyhead Central again to replenish supplies at the ever-open Co-Op (where would we be without them?) before battening down the hatches and hunkering down below for the night. The link to the video clip below, taken Sunday morning, gives some idea of what it was like overnight (check out the wind noise), though by this time the wind had calmed down slightly ... strength of wind reached an unexpected gale force 9! This video clip, taken Sunday morning, gives some idea of what it was like overnight (check out the wind noise), though by this time the wind had calmed down slightly ... strength of wind reached an unexpected gale force 9!
Abandoning the plan for a sail along the coast of Anglesey to a quiet overnight anchorage with one accord, land cruising was voted the order of the day for Sunday. So off we went to visit a well known Welsh station,
then the Anglesey Sea Zoo where I came the nearest to a cuttlefish I'll ever get (apart from in the budgie's cage),
and the Menai Strait - view towards Caernarfon Castle with its infamous drying sandbanks "The Swellies", anathema to the unsuspecting yachtsman!
Monday dawned fair, sunny and, above all, calm. Determined not to send our passengers back to London without experiencing at least a short sail aboard Follyfin, we headed out to The Skerries, a small group of rocks and gullies surrounded by rocky shelves and platters about 6 miles out from Holyhead Harbour. Inside there is a lagoon, average depth only 3.5 metres, where wildlife abounds. But with strong tides over a rocky and sharply uneven ground outside, races and overalls also abound. The tide sets strongly across the entrance, which is only 50 metres wide and has rocks awash on either side. Nevertheless The Skipper, undeterred, thrust the throttle forward as soon as he saw the entry transit and just went for it. The rest of us were strangely (and unusually) silent during this surprisingly brief period ... then all of a sudden we were into this wonderful calm pool, sharing it with several seals, many terns, puffins, guillemots and gulls. Mooring up to the thoughtfully placed buoy in front of the lighthouse, we lunched and marvelled at the tranquillity of the place. A great place to watch wildlife, listen to the tide racing cross the entrance to the lagoon - and wonder if you will ever get out safely!
Laurel was so taken with the whole excursion, she was even persuaded to take the helm for a while.
Fireworks that night from the long harbour breakwater concluded an excellent day out. Next stop Whitehaven in Cumbria, an 80 mile passage which will be the longest yet.
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