Day 9 - Holyhead to Aberdaron Bay, Lynn Peninsula

With a late departure for the tidal streams south we called up the club launch to take us to shore after breakfast. Holyhead town, which we investigated the evening before is a bit down at heel so we headed along the Wales Coast Path in the other direction to Holyhead on a gloriously sunny day albeit the northerly breeze kept things cool.

The walk along the coast is very beautiful with the shore grassland carpeted in sea pinks and small blue flowers and hedgerows filled with bluebells. After half an hour or so it was time to return to the boat and get ready for departure to make slack water at the tidal gate through Bardsey Sound at the eastern most point of the Lynn Peninsula. 

We made good progress with the tidal conveyor belt carrying us along but the wind was very light and we had the motor on but for a brief period as we approached Bardsey Sound. As we headed into Aberdaron Bay there was only one other yacht at anchor in the large bay so plenty of room. Lou went forward to deploy the anchor with the windlass but came back saying she had forgotten to turn on the switch for it in the cabin. Alas she hadn’t - it wasn’t working. Handing the helm over to her so I could go below to work out what the problem was she decided to do the mariner’s version of doughnuts. Feeling like I was emerging from a Strip The Willow at Hogmanay, I suggested we manually drop the anchor and then work things out.

We had dinner then headed ashore to stretch our eight legs. Aberdaron is a very pretty village and we picked up a few bits and pieces from the Coop before returning to the boat. I then spent the rest of the evening trying to work out the problem with the windlass but thought I had a temporary work around but it would slow our departure. We discussed whether we headed all the way down to Milford Haven Marina (a 13 hour sail) and get an marine electrician to look at it there or go to Aberystwyth Marina (but reviews weren’t great) or make a shorter passage (2.5 hours) to Pwllheli (which also has mixed reviews). We decided on the latter option as there were a number of marine specialists there but we weren’t guaranteed a berth as they no longer keep berths free for visitors.

So, off to bed, and still racking my brain as to solutions to the windlass problem, we put our heads down for the night.