Llandudno
After weekends of bad weather and other engagements, we decided to go for just the Sunday. As low water was around 8:45 we left home early for a Sunday (07:00). On the way up, the rain was bucketing down hard as seems to be traditional now in the British summer. I had, however, cleverly checked the satellite picture at 06:30 which showed better weather near Conwy. And true to the prediction, we arrived in Conwy in bright sunshine. We rowed across at 8:15 and with the tide out, the last section was walking across the sand bank.
Low tide
As it was a Sunday, the tide decided to be out a bit later than we had calculated which meant we were stuck until 10:00. At around 10:25 we slipped the mooring and left on the motor. The Holyhead forecast for the next 24 hours was F4 to F5 from the East backing to NW F5 to F6. Good sailing then.
The stranded skipper
Although a F3 was blowing North through the Conwy channel, as soon as we got onto Conwy sands it left us. No choice but to motor towards fairway, not taking the channel too seriously with a rising tide. When we estimated we had left most of the shallows to the starboard quarter, we set course towards Great Orme's head.
Great Orme's head
Passing Great Orme's head is quite impressive. The Welsh had disguised the lighthouse as a manor with conservatory (shown on the picture above). Following the rocks round, at 12:30 we arrived along side Llandudno pier. Just as I got the anchor ready, the outboard gave up. As the bay is quite exposed from N to NE, and wind was virtually none, we had a bit of a restless lunch. The plan to row ashore was abandoned to the disappointment of the children. After some sweat, the outboard was encouraged to consume some more petrol and we motored back taking a wide turn around the rocks.
Great Orme's head
Some wind appeared from the North and we got the sails out and finally the restless humming of the engine ceased. It didn't last long as our speed declined from 1.7 kts. to 1.0 kts. to 0.0 kts. when I took over the helm.
Porpoise watching
Further along the coast the sun came out and we took Sea Ghost close to the rocks to have a look at Ogof Llech, a cave on the headland, claimed to have been used as a hermitage by Saint Tudno, a sixth century monk of Bangor-is-y-Coed.
Where is Conwy?
Following the coast, we motored back over the Conwy sands. Timo took the helm for a while again and we towed the kids in the Dinghy behind us. We anchored briefly off Delganwy and then moved back to our mooring.
Towing the dinghy
Cooking
Geke and the kids cooked tea while I spent some time on urgent jobs (sunning on the foredeck) that always pop up in these moments. We had tea on board and after the dished had been done we packed up and partly rowed against the flow to reach the drying sandbank. We walked upstream as far as we could and then rowed across the current to reach the jetty off the Liverpool arms before the Isle of Man came in sight.