Chapter 7 – Wales again!

From Aberystwyth to Milford Haven – Night under sails, evening in the pub!

Eilin, pleasant waitress at the Victorian Inn

After a pleasant overnight in Aberystwyth, we had 80 miles to make it to Milford Haven. Our destination harbour having also a lock that was opened or closed depending on tides, we had calculated that an afternoon departure, followed by a night passage, would do the trick and have us arrive on time to enter.

We left at 15h00 from Aberystwyth marina.

Before doing so, in order not to have trouble manoeuvring China Blue in reverse, we had turned her around by pulling on her mooring lines. She now had her bow pointing to the sea, which was perfect.

John remarked that we shouldn’t do that systematically, for that would not help to improve my manoeuvring skills. To which I agree, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to make life a little easier.

Half an hour later, we hoisted the sails and stopped the engine. We were doing over 5 knots with the wind, so there was no compromise!

I began to recognise that peculiar humming sound that started to come (I think)  from our propeller, telling us we had reached 5 knots. How I loved this sound!

At 19:30, we switched on our tricolour mast light. We could sail south-west in a mostly straight line with no particular hazard.

Past Strumble Head, we rounded St David’s Head and Ramsey Island as daylight was rising.

Tide was high as we approached Jack Sound, so we decided it was ok to take it, avoiding rounding Skomer Island. It was a bit thrilling to know we were sailing through those rocks, but they appeared further off our route than they seemed on the chart. Yet an exciting moment.

We had to bring down the sails and start motoring, after 16 hours of pure sailing. We had never had such a long distance under sails alone. It didn’t stop a band of dolphins to come and play around us.

Milford Haven is a big industrial harbour, well protected 2 miles inside a loch. We had planned a 2 hours safety margin, and so arrived some 2 hours before the lock opening.

We set up to tie China Blue at a floating pontoon just outside.

Just before, one fender broke free and went away. It was a good Man Over Board exercise, so we circled around it and after 2 tries we hauled the culprit on board.

I had plenty time before the lock opened, so I walked all the way around the harbour entrance to check the berth that the harbour master had given us on the phone (there seemed to be a problem with our fixed VHF). This again made things easier when we came to moor China Blue there.

One star of the Victorian Inn

John and I were satisfied with our night sailing, our MOB training and our perfect mooring. After a good rest, we were ready for the Victorian Pub.

A friend of mine had been complaining that I only shot sailing videos, and not enough local life.

Another character of the pub

So I took my tablet to the pub, which presented a bunch of interesting specimens of “local life”. After politely asking their permission, I had the pleasure and privilege to have some nice moments recorded, some other nice moments not recorded, but for the least, it had been a good way to break the (thin) ice and socialise with nice people. It’s been good fun! (Check the video section on this site!).

After a certain length of time and a uncertain number of rounds, we had to bid our new friends farewell and leave the Victorian Pub, because John was starving.

A hungry John is something to take very seriously.

And another one!

Unfortunately, every food place we visited was closed or closing.

We managed to make it to the boat, where I hastily prepared an emergency dish of rice, vegetables and I don’t remember what else.

We were safe!

But another challenge  was awaiting us: the crossing of the feared Bristol Channel…

(To be continued)