Sailing from BARROW in FURNESS to CONWY in WALES was hard work, but worth it for the views.
It was like a dream. Fore more than 40 years, its been my undying goal and now with Jeanette’s support, we were actually starting our great sailing adventure. Our circumnavigation of the planet onboard Ocean Strider. Our COBRA 1050 sailboat with her electric auxiliary engine.
This journey was going to be tough but awesome .
I chose VRLA or AGM batteries to power the engine, as things were tight financially. This meant we would have to sail, when it would be faster and more convenient to motor. The increase in sailing was due to the limitations of the batteries.
More sailing was something I was slowly getting use to, and was happy to do on this sailing adventure.
Lithium batteries are more expensive and far superior.
Lithium batteries were more expensive and had far superior, usable power characteristics. Which would of returned a better range and a longer battery life. Although I have heard a few stories about there destructive capability’s.
We sailors are becoming soft. The convenience of diesel engines is taking sailing away from our voyages, on sail boats. My electric engine is influencing my decision to sail on a greener and less expensive circumnavigation.
We had to get sailboat fit.
Approaching Conwy Marina gave us a sudden realisation; we had to get sail boat fit.
As we drew nearer it was dark, windy, rainy and very late. Not conditions we were used to sailing in. However, the silhouettes of the hills against the night sky were a very welcome site. There were still a few miles to go to the entrance.
I called Conwy Marina by VHF to arrange a berth. It was a relief to get confirmation that a berth was available, and that the cill entrance opening times were good for our time of arrival, even though we were late.
The bay at Conwy and the offshore oil exploration ship we sailed very close to on our sailing adventure.
To enter Conwy Marina, you follow a long channel through Conwy Sands, a trip I’d done many years before on a training sail with my sailing school.
The approach to the marina can only be made at a certain time in the tide cycle, as the coinciding currents are strong. The marina entrance it tight and has a cill, which limits the depth and can only be crossed when the tide is fairly high, and as close to slack as possible.
We made it through the marina and in to the marina at 03.10 hours, on July 27th, 2021. We silently motored over to a very tight finger mooring and our allocated berth.
It was a satisfying end to a hard day.
As we approached the mooring, the attendant almost jumped off the pontoon with surprise. He didn’t hear our boat’s electric engine. It was a satisfying end to a hard day.
The realisation of this tiring 20 hour journey was a warning to me. The Transatlantic crossing would be at least 20 days.
The 20 hour journey from Barrow in Furness to Conwy was a long and exhausting sail. The Transatlantic and Pacific crossings were 20 days and more, it was a sobering thought.
We stayed in Conwy for a couple of days rest and some site seeing. It’s an enjoyable walk from the marina to the town and is well worth a visit.
After a brief respite, we set sail for the Menai Strait.
The Strait is a well-known passage by water, linking Liverpool Bay to Caernarfon Bay, close to Snowdonia. Separating Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. It saves 30-40 miles, sailing on the Irish Sea, but has its dangers that are well documented in the pilot book.
Looking towards a dinghy race at the Northern entrance of the Menai Strait. It was a fantastic sail with stunning scenery.
Our sail from Conwy to the Menai Strait was in a strong head wind. To continue to move forward, we had to tack through the wind.
We rounded Puffin Island and a stunning light house to enter the Menai Strait
Rounding Puffin Island and a stunning light-house we entered the Menai Strait. A fairly strong current was exiting the first part of the Strait, but we made the sail all the way in. We continued sailing to Beaumaris, where we anchored for the night. Our sailing adventure was at rest, it was time for a good night sleep.
Leaving Beaumaris early the next morning, to arrive at the Menai Suspension Bridge anchorage, ready for the tide to push us past the notorious Swellies, (a set of rocky islets) and onto Britannia Bridge. After Britannia Bridge the straight opened out wide enough for us to sail for a while.
The Menai Strait: Top left, a white cottage on one of the Swellies, the other images are looking towards Snowdonia, it was 5am but a stunning sunset.
The wind conditions were perfect for practicing our tacking and team work. We continued our sail along the strait and were almost at the end, I was loving it. Then it all came to a very slow, gentle stop on a shifting sand bank, which wasn’t on the charts, just after Caernarfon.
The tide was falling as we hit the sand bank. We would be stuck until the next rising tide floated us off. It was going to be a long wait (12 hours approximately), we hit the sandbank only 10 minutes after a falling high tide.
Ocean Strider finally floated off at around 03.15 hours, early the next morning.
It was almost as if the seagulls were laughing at us, as they stood out of the water, just 20ft away.
Luckily, Ocean Strider has bilge keels and stood upright on the sand. I called the coastguard by VHF, to let them know we were stuck until the next rising tide.
Ocean Strider showing her bilge keels as she stands on the launching ramp at Maryport Marina.
We were asleep as Ocean Strider floated off the sand bank, earlier than expected. The noise of the keels braking free woke us up.
I rushed to turn the electric engine on, and motor us to deep water. We then continued by motor to Traeth Melynog, an anchorage at the South end of the straight and stayed until dawn. The view of Snowdonia against the dawn sky was stunning.
A view of Snowdonia from Traeth Melynog anchrage , lit by a beautiful sunset, from the cockpit of Ocean Strider
We exited the Menai Straight past Mussel Bank, following the marked channel through North Sands. Our sailing adventure restarted on a beautiful windy day.
We sailed onto Caernarfon Bay for the next leg of our travels.
