Milford Haven

Milford Haven is aptly named for its shelter from all wind directions once you are safely inside the waterway. On the outer reaches, there can be a lot of large boat traffic but you will find plenty of space if you keep to the small boat channel.

The Dale Pontoon is busy in summer

The little village of Dale at the entrance to the Haven has deep water pontoons and also a floating pontoon for small craft which we were able to moor up to for a pleasant overnight stay. Keep the lines loose so that when the tide goes out, the pontoon can settle back on the sand rather than hanging off the side of your bilge keel boat, it has happened!

The River Cleddau is the main artery for the estuary and has a modern marina with over 300 berths. Further up, the village of Lawrenny is popular for small boats and has moorings and a quay, it lies just beyond the confluence of the Cresswell and Carew Rivers. Cresswell Quay is situated at the head of the upper navigable reaches of the Cresswell River, and is a fine spot but is best only attempted in company with experienced locals because of the narrow channel.

Links

• Milford Haven Port Authority
• Milford Marina
• Lawrenny Quay
• Lawrenny Yacht Station

Porth Dinllaen

Nestling inside the South west bay on the Anglesey side of the Lleyn peninsula, the anchorage at Porth Dinllaen is a popular destination to visit. The bay is well guarded by a rocky headland marked by a beacon and can be hard to spot from the sea, with nearby Nefyn coming into view first. As you close in to the west side of the shore many pleasure boats and small fishing boats will become visible and the masts of anchored yachts, and finally the red frontage of the Ty Coch pub, “red house pub” in English.

It is best to approach from the middle before turning into the anchorage, to avoid a line of rocks to the southern edge of the bay. Bilge keel boats can get quite close into the shore, even stopping almost next to the pub to dry out, but watch out that you pass over the ruins of the old jetty, part of which is still visible.

We have found out the hard way that there are old chains on the seabed that can foul your anchor, and so you may prefer to anchor further out, this makes for a slightly longer dinghy ride to the sandy shore.

There are no facilities so make sure you have provisions, the Ty Coch pub offers excellent victuals during the day, but in the evening they are primarily of the liquid kind.

Links

• Local Information
• Porth Dinllaen Lifeboat  
• Ty Coch Porth Dinllaen View their webcam!

Conwy (previously Conway)

Conwy river with pontoons and castle in background

Conwy is a very tidal port which connects with the Menai Strait, itself very tidal, and to which the energy of the Conwy river is added. We are always careful to enter around 2 hours before high tide and in the daylight. The channel is very well buoyed, and as long as you don't miss any of the dog legs you will pass safely into the town.

Inside, the river opens up to a natural harbour, bordered on either side by marinas, with the town pontoons being at the head near the castle and next to the town's quay. Remember to take your camera for this one, its all very picturesque.

Conwy is popular in the summer and excellent for all types of boats.  Ashore there is a marina walk to enter the town from the marina, or for the cheaper option on the pontoons you will need to make use of the water taxis.

The Conwy area including Deganwy has a yacht training school, yacht broker and two sailing clubs. The North Wales Cruising club is recommended for a visit, it is adjacent to the town walls on the quayside.

Conwy Links

• Conway Wales Town Website
• Conway Yacht Club
• North Wales Cruising Club
• Quay Marina Conwy  

Lifting the Anchor

In this blog I'll be writing about sailing locations around the UK and beyond, from a boating perspective. Whether we are visiting a quaint old harbour bound by tradition, a secluded cove, or a fancy new marina, the aim will be to explore the essence and main features of the location, and add notes about what to look out for when approaching from the sea.

This will at first be a primarily virtual tour, as I am not yet ready to sail to every location personally, although I hope to soon. As plenty of you have already done so, I'd like to draw on your collective experience to put together these posts, if you'd like to share?

At Sail Into the goal is to build a set of resources for the sailing community to share information about the places we visit. We invite you all to step in and assist where you have information to contribute and we'd love to feature your stories, clips from your logs, and your sailing experiences in your home waters.

Here's wishing you happy and safe sailing.