2019 - Fourth Leg - Wales - Land of Dragons and Leeks (leaks actually)

Arklow to Milford Haven - 8th/9th July, 2019

     The original plan was to cross the Irish Sea from Wexford.  I had read and been told that there wasn't much water at the entrance with shifting sandbanks and not very good facilities.  The charts confirmed all this so it meant a long passage of 87 miles and about 17 hours from Arklow.  I had contemplated going on past Wexford and Rosslare to Kilmore a further 15 miles on but thought the extra mileage wasn't any use especially considering that we had an excellent weather window for the overnight crossing to Milford.

     To ensure a favourable tidal race off South Bishop rock some 60 miles away it meant leaving just after high water from Arklow.  So that meant a 17:30 departure.  With a course of 157 degrees we would have a Southerly tide for the first 3-4 hours, turning against us for the next 5 hours and then pick it up again once off Bishops Rock and for the entrance to Milford Haven.  The direction of the wind, of never any more than 10 knots, just about gave us a little use of the main but we would not be able to use the Genoa.  In fact the wind died to only a few knots for the later half of the trip and was no use at all for us.  The wind steering worked perfectly all the time there was a steady wind direction and I was thankful that this 'Ornament' was onboard - it saved a lot of helming.  The engine. although it coughed a bit as we left Arklow,  never missed another beat until we were just 2 miles from Milford's lock.  I was on tender hooks until we finally arrived on a berth and FWE at 10:20.

Bishops Rock in the early morning mist

     It had been quite a tiring passage but at least there weren't any major dramas, apart from the coughing engine, the ferry and a couple of fishing boats that inexplicitly crossed our bows, contrary to the 'Regulations'.  We were treated to two displays from two separate groups of Dolphins playing around the boat on the run past the 'Smalls' - what a lovely sight.

Coming to see us

     We all deserved a rest day the following day but because of the weather forecast we would stay at Milford for 5 nights.  The marina has been modernized quite nicely with Cafes and Restaurants, a small chandlery, interesting Maritime museum, boutiques, an old fashioned sweet shop, Tesco and station close to hand.

     The engine, I thought, needed a new engine replacement fuel filter, which I fitted, only to discover that the top vent plug, on the main body of the unit, had got a stripped thread and had not been seating properly.  This was probably the cause of the occasional 'coughing' of the engine with a small amount of air entering the system.  Of course a complete original filter unit was not available locally but I managed to obtain an in-line filter and fitted it.  Only time will tell if its cured the problem.

Milford Haven Marina

Milford Haven to Swansea - 14th July, 2019

     We were slowly running out of time after a 5 night stopover in Milford and so the longer, 60 mile trip instead of splitting it with Tenby as an option, was now on the cards.  It meant a 12 hour passage so an early start was needed.  We actually left the berth at 05:45 and cleared the lock by 06:15.  The forecast was foe 20 knot Northly winds at 7 decreasing during the day to very little and variable. This was practically what we had.  The early wind gave us quite a boost for the first couple of hours and the wind steering again played along nicely all the time the wind was steady, unfortunately with all the valleys to the North of us this did move the boat off course quite a lot and then with the wind dying off it was back to hand steering for the last 4 hours. The lock in to Tawe River was on free-flow as we were near HW. and then just the Marina were we had to book in. We were fine as we locked in at about high water.  You must call Tawe Lock (channel 18) as they do get upset if you don't, as the boat before us found out. 

Swansea Marina

     The engine was still sucking in air from somewhere, despite sucking fuel directly from a 20 litre drum and eventually by-passing the in-line fuel filter that I had managed to find.  I had tightened all fittings and still I had not found the source of the problem.  I had decided to renew all the hoses in Swansea with new Jubilee clips.

     The trip itself was wonderful and we were treated to 2 Dolphin displays as we got closer to Swansea off the Gower Peninsular - always a marvellous sight.  Also for about 2 hours solidly masses of giant 'Barrel' Jelly Fish.  We had been listening anxiously to the England/New Zealand Cricket final and luckily we managed to get on our berth (at 18:05) and set up the TV in time for the last over and the super-exciting 'Super Over'

Swansea to Penarth (Cardiff) - 16th July, 2019

      Another passage where timing is so important.  This time both leaving Swansea and arrival in Cardiff.   The passage of 44 miles was likely to take us 8 hours as we could expect more West going tide than East going.  Just to be on the safe side we left on the 10:00 lock out of the Tawe Barrage at a little over 3 hours after local High Water, lucky we did as at one point in the River we only had 0.4 metre of water under us and the next lock at 11:00 we would have sat in the mud!!

     The trip itself was gorgeous, hot sun, more Dolphins playing around the boat, hardily any wind and flat calm seas.

Some of the lovely dolphins

     The lock in to Cardiff Bay via the Barrage Lock and then the Marina are timed to open at a quarter to the hour going in and we just made it for the 17:45.  It could be quite a wait if you miss it and there are other restrictions, particularly on Springs, with the opening times.  The charted entrance looks nearly impossible except you have to remember that the tidal range here today was over 10 metres and at 2 hours before HW we had over 6 metres under us in the dredged channel.  The marina, once inside the Cardiff Bay Barrage was a little shallow with well under a metre under us at times.  It was actually full of weed which we were told later had only appeared after the weekend.

The 3+ knots of tide just before Cardiff

    I had bought new 8mm fuel hose and new Jubilee clips and fitted them from the engines factory feed and spill pipes directly to the 20 litre drum would this prove to be the answer?  Well actually it wasn't a total success, as the engine did 'cough' every now and then, but at least the little air that was being sucked in was sorted by the engine itself.  However, it was very worrying particularly as the final run into Penarth Marina from the Number 1 Barrage Lock was done very gingerly.  I dared not get much more revs than tick-over and then finally having been given a berth and arriving on it I could start to breath again.  Lots of head scratching later I have come to the conclusion that it must be the only fitting I haven't looked at - the factory fitted suction connection to the LP fuel pump.  Only time will tell as this repair is for another day.

Motely Crew in Cardiff Barrage Lock

    I had chosen Penarth rather than Cardiff mainly because of Roy's recommendation and Mark, Roy and Mary's son, was there to meet us and bought Fish and Chips for all of us - thank you Mark.  On first impressions Penarth has a lot going for it - thank you Roy.

Entrance to Penarth Marina Lock

Ever seen water lilies in a Marina?

     This will probably be the end of this years adventure as we planned on being home before the 20th July.  Penarth is a lovely marina and it may be better to leave Lunar Sea here over the winter months.  I shall look at Bristol and Portishead in the next few weeks and make a final decision after that, but Penarth offers quite a lot.  Safe berth from high storm force winds and quite a nice set up in the marina with Penarth and of course Cardiff just a short distance away  The journey time would be about an hour longer than Bristol but no where near the 500 miles to Greenock.  

Lunar Sea's safe berth at Penarth

     For now at least Lunar Sea is safely in harbour, but why the title of 'Wales - land of dragons and leeks'  Well look at a map of Wales - does the entrance to Milford Have look like a Dragons mouth? The leaks of course are pretty obviously the air ones!