Pembroke Area Easter Cruising - 11th - 18th April

Trevor G · 20 March 2009, 11:59

We are taking Dizzy Lizzie to Pembroke for Easter week - arriving Sat 11th and Leaving Sat 18th April, and wonder if anyone else is likely to be around or wants to meet up sometime that week for trips?
We will probably launch from the Neyland area each day or hopefully leave the boats in the water for the week (depending on cost and availability).
As long as the weather is OK hopefully we'll get at least one trip to the Skokholm and Skomer Islands over the week.
Anyone else up for it or want company?
Trevor

Downhilldai · 20 March 2009, 13:52

Sounds good.

greenkeg · 20 March 2009, 21:28

yea, you can count me in ( if shifts permit) i will be down dale from the 14th/15th

woot · 31 March 2009, 20:51

I will be in the area for the Easter weekend so will keep an eye on this thread for developments. Downside is that the tides are crap for launching and recovery.

Trevor G · 01 April 2009, 21:59

We aren't sure yet when we will arrive on Saturday but will definitely be around Sunday and Monday and are hoping to leave the boat in the water for the week so hopefully won't be affected too much by the tides for launching.
Do you know if Neyland slip is OK for launching and retrieving at all tides or does it dry out too far at low tide?

Downhilldai · 01 April 2009, 22:19

Neaps on the weekend will be fine, but spring tides during the following week can be a problem on LW. Neyland slip is really wide and not too steep, so pretty easy for launch & recovery. It is relatively exposed though and in windy conditions it can get a bit of a chop on the beam and also suffers a good run of tide. There's plenty of room there, if you need a bit of space to sort things out.

Free parking for car & trailer (detached from car) in a small car park at the top of the slip.

Don't know if the pontoon has been put back there yet. The pontoons get taken away during the winter months.

Where are you staying, Trevor?

Trevor G · 02 April 2009, 12:52

We're staying at the Trinity Villa/Lodge/Cottage accomodation just north of the Bridge where the A477 crosses the estuary. We think that there are swinging moorings available just outside the accomodation but I don't think we will really know if these will be suitable until we get there on Saturday.
FYI we are hoping to have two boats in the water - Dizzy Lizzy (6.5m Ballistic) and a 4.2m Zodiac with a 50hp Yamaha. The Zodiac owners are currently a bit timid about it's capabilities so hopefully with others in support they will get a bit more confident about taking it further than just pottering up to the Pub in Lawrenny.

greenkeg · 02 April 2009, 22:54

all being well hope to see you guys down that way, any idea what the tides will be like down dale?.

if its any help my mate has a zodiac 3.8mtr and it has no problems out round the islands a very good rib and does the job well, cheers ,have a safe trip down ,tony

Downhilldai · 04 April 2009, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenkeg

..any idea what the tides will be like down dale?.

8.00 springs next Friday

http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide...ictionLength=7

greenkeg · 04 April 2009, 09:34

many thanks dd, will keep a look out if we get down

woot · 07 April 2009, 21:46

Any update on plans? myself and another Ribber with a 6.5M in the area are interested in taking either one or two boats on a cruise over the weekend if anything is happening. As you are arriving on Saturday and we will be travelling home on Monday I guess that if anything of interest is going to happen it will be on Sunday.
Are you planning to go out on Sunday? if so what are your plans? I will check tomorrow but won't have access to the forum after tomorrow night.

Trevor G · 07 April 2009, 22:52

We are hoping to get in the water Saturday sometime - we will actually get to Pembroke late Friday night, so what time we get going on Saturday will depend on the weather as much as anything else - but if you want to make any plans for Saturday afternoon we could try meet-up, otherwise Sunday would be good. Do you have any trips/destinations in mind?

Places we did last time were: Skokholm Island (need the tides to be right to make it a comfortable ride out of the estuary), Milford Haven, Dale, Neyland, Pembroke Dock, Burton, and Lawrenny.

If anyone needs/wants to get in touch nearer the time feel free to phone me on 07840 975807. In theory we have internet connections where we will be staying so will update this thread - but we won't know for sure until we arrive.
Trevor.

Trevor G · 08 April 2009, 20:02

Plan for Saturday 11th - We are hoping to launch at Neyland (about 9.30 am)
and meet-up with Woot and his mate on their 6.5m Ribcraft (I think) at about 10.00am. The forecast at the moment is good so hoping to have a run out past Milford Haven to open water - but not sure as yet where we'll go from there. As ever - the more the merrier if anyone else wants to join us.

woot · 08 April 2009, 22:34

That sounds about right. I will be meeting Mark and his 6.5m Ribcraft and looking to launch around 9.30. I am hoping to be dropping my 5.85 off to be serviced so will go out with Mark. If the weather is manageable which it should be I would guess that we will be looking to get to a few of the Islands such as Ramsey, Skomer, Skockholm and possibly Grassholm it is all totally dependant on the conditions. Make sure you have plenty of fuel because if the conditions allow the mileage can build up quickly when island hopping. See you there.

greenkeg · 17 April 2009, 21:01

going to lawrenny sat 18th , hope to get out for a few hours, if anybody is around 07917823566,mind you don't think the tides are great but will be happy to get on the water for a few hours ,tony

Trevor G · 20 April 2009, 20:47

At last - back with internet access! What a great week we had last week - out on Dizzy for 6 out of the 7 days and only proper rain on one day!
Friday - Launched in the evening at Cobbs Point in Pembroke Dock for a brief run over to up to a swinging mooring and used our small inflatable to get back to shore - not as easy as it might have been with a strong rising tide up the estuary but we made it in the end!

Trevor G · 20 April 2009, 21:12

Saturday - Arranged to meet up with Woot (Paul) and Mark at Neyland in their 6.5m Ribcraft "Wild at Heart", and were joined by an Osprey Viper (sorry - I can't remember your name). With just the family on board Dizzy, after the brief shower stopped we headed down the estuary and out to 1st Skomer and then Skokholm - with a slight rolling swell the sea was perfect for Ribbing and we saw loads of seals and puffins in the Southern Haven. The Osprey had to turn back for the afternoon. but Wild at Heart and Dizzy carried on through Jack Sound (where we saw porpoises as well) and across the bay to Ramsey, where we moored up for lunch.
We then decided to head out to Grassholm, and after a VERY interesting passage (ie big, awkward waves!) round the island at low tide, finally had a to more comfortable passage to Grassholm where we saw (and smelt) the gannets for which it is famous, before heading back for the Pembroke Estuary. It was decidedly choppy by now and I think we were all glad by the time we got back to the smoother waters of the estuary and the final run up to Neyland.
A great day was had by all and we even got to try out each other's boats for the last run. About 55 miles covered by the end of the day.

Hightower · 20 April 2009, 21:21

Looks like you had a great time!

Nice to see Woot back on the forum too

Trevor G · 20 April 2009, 22:14

Sunday 11th April - A lovely sunny day so we decided to take AOB (4.2m Zodiac with a 50hp Yamaha 2-stroke, named after an alleged event (Ann Over Board), but this sounded silly on the Radio) for it's inaugural trip out of the Pembroke Estuary chaperoned by Dizzy. With a total of 15 people between the two boats we were both loaded almost to capacity. The run both ways to Skomer, Skokholm and back went really smoothly with just a long rolling atlantic swell to contend with and the biggest risk all day was from sunburn!
When we got back into the estuary we decided to drop in at Dale for coffees and wees - but the spring low tide meant we spent the next two or three hours waiting for the water to come back so we could get off the pontoon! Met up with Jim with "Dromedary", who couldn't launch for the same reason and arranged to meet up another day for joint cruising.

woot · 20 April 2009, 22:17

Good to see you had a fun week and Dizzy Lizzy got home safe and sound. I was up the river skiing on the weekend and saw you go past but couldn't get to you in time for you to notice because I was towing a ringo.
Thanks for the welcome back Hightower, I haven't been away as such I just tend to observe from a distance and anly chirp up if I think I have something to offer (which unfortunately isn't very often).
Here are a few pics of our weekends antics