And onwards

Gemini1
Thu 27 Jun 2019 11:09
After Sue departed, I set sail for Lundy Island; a magical 40 nm sail, escorted by dolphins for much of the trip, which ended in a comfortable anchorage on the SE tip of the island. Then on 21st I woke up to glorious sunshine and set sail early for Milford Haven. The wind died and headed me all the way so an engine donk was needed. Dodging the Castle Martin range area, I moored up at a pontoon in Dale Bay at the entrance to The Haven Sound. And Gemini rocked about all night. But I met a couple of chaps sailing a Cornish Crabber 26, Sail No 1.
The next morning was critical on timing to get through Jack Sound, Eats of Skomer Island and then Ramsay Sound, with interesting currents and rocks to take on the unfortunate. Heading for Aberystwyth, I changed course to Pwllheli, some 88 miles from my start point. Rain, poor wind and in the wrong direction necessitated hours of donking. 16 hours later I arrived at very nearly low water.
And who should the next day but the Cornish Crabber. Drinks on board Gemini followed by a pizza in a local pizzeria in Pwllheli with the Crabber crew was fun.

25 June. The wind picked up and both the Crabber and Gemini sailed to Aberdaron Bay on SE tip of Lleyn peninsular. With much time in hand, I hove to during the passage in the rain and got out the mackerel feathers.Two minutes later I had caught 2 mackerel and a pollack, which I shared with the Crabber crew. Morale was high.

26 June. On heaving up the anchor I found the bow some 10 feet away from a huge rock jutting out of the sea, with the anchor on the far side! With careful moving of the yacht and dragging the anchor, all was well but aft of me was a crab pot, which very soon became wrapped round my prop! Wetsuit, mask and flippers and armed with a long, sharp knife I leapt into the oggin, tied on to Gemini with a rope round my waist, and cleared the rope tangle - phew, what relief! Just as I reached the top of my stern ladder I saw this dorsal fin! It was a dolphin and not a shark, but I was in no mood to consider that at the time.

Then I set sail for Caernarfon in the Menai Strait, leaving my newly acquainted Crabber crew to go their own way to the Isle of Man. They were great company. This was a wind on the nose sail, which saw me tacking for hours in increasing winds and seas. But at 1930 ish I entered the Strait and moored up outside the inner marina at around 2120 as the barrier had closed.

27 June. Glorious sunshine and now in the Victoria marina for a couple of days.

Pictures to follow.


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