Dale to Fishguard

   Another rather restless lumpy night at Dale together with a forecast of a reasonably good weather for the next 24 hours, combined with the clean hull and prop, gave me a good reason and the confidence needed, to slay the next series of demons – St Ann’s Head, Skomar Island and Jack Sound, ST Brides Bay, the daunting Ramsey Sound and the Bishops and Clerks complex of islands and rocks before St David’s Head and finally Strumble Head - a 40+nm passage and a tough day’s sailing from all that I had read and seen – pictures in Dale and Neyland’s pubs and clubs of shipwrecks and storms! On the plus side, there are quite a few safe havens and numerous possible anchorages along the route intended. But the series of low pressures surrounding the UK meant wind direction could easily change as the day progressed, making many of them unsafe, if not downright dangerous. In addition, there are numerous route options and shortcuts in between the islands and the mainland itself. The tidal flows that surround these hazards are some of the fiercest in the UK and nigh impossible to tackle if approached outside the small tidal window most of them offer – making timing absolutely critical. So following a rather good fish gumbo and a 10 oz steak at Dale Yacht Club and input from three other skippers drinking pints at the bar was able to filter out from them and what I had read, what was probably my best solution. One said he would be leaving Dale at 10am to cover half my anticipated route, picking up another sailing chum in St David’s before sailing on to Cardigan the day after. I too aimed to slip moorings at the same time and take advantage of some welcome company.

   Sure enough next morning at 10am, not one but two yachts were leaving Dale and both turned right out of Milford Haven, as did I. Confidence building! All of us kept Stokholm Island to port and then one veered off, setting course for Ireland, it seemed; leaving just the two of us. I had opted to go around the outside of Skomer Island and thus avoid Jack Sound and the much narrower sound to its west. My decision was based on that route giving me a better reach across St Brides Bay; and kinder on Equinox in the expected heavy’ish seas. The other yacht chose Jack Sound. That’s odd I thought, taking a different route to the one we discussed the night before- if indeed he was the same person I had had the discussion with. Silly not to have made arrangements, but I didn’t want to ask for company or assistance – ego!
   But no sooner than we had Stockholm Island behind us and on course for Ramsey Island than the wind veered, negating the extra miles I’d sailed. I had also forgotten to change my VHF back from Ch 86 to 16 where Milfod Haven Coastguard provide a regular local weather service; so I missed, as I was later to learn, an imminent gale warning! The other yacht must have heard it and changed plans. So it was with some surprise that the wind increased quite dramatically to 17-23knots and visibility dropped with it, as I made our way across St Brides Bay.
   The Bay is a mooring spot for tankers waiting to take their turn in Milford Haven and it was in the lee of one of these Behemoths’ that I was forced to take shelter, put a reef and set off again as the wind increased further; gusting to over 25 knots. Visibility was falling too as drizzle and mist closed in. No sign of the other yacht either in front or behind me. Had he turned back? Fortunately, after three further tacks, the wind came back around to a more SW’ly which, allowed for much better progress, as I approached my next decision – go west and to seaward of the Bishops and Clerks or the much shorter route through Ramsey Sound. I chose Ramsey Sound, having realised that I’d forgotten to change the VHF back to 16 which; on doing so, heard a repeat of the gale warning! We shot through Ramsey Sound in disturbed choppy water; Equinox being thrown off course by the swirling currents. Not unpleasant but it keeps you focused on the task in hand as your SOG is 9+knots and there are hazards!
    Crossing Whitesands Bay, the wind slowly dropped and even the sun made a brief appearance and of huge relief, the seas calmed considerably; so thinking conditions had settled for the time being and seeing no dark clouds, shook out the two reefs.
   St David’s Head has a well publicised race, once you’ve passed it, heading NE, as I was about to discover, which throws, what appeared to me to be, when I first noticed them, a line of waves, exactly the same as those breaking on a sandbar, so I quickly re-checked both the map and plotter to make doubly sure I hadn’t made a navigational error. No, I was where I thought I was, and there’s plenty of water some 17-33 meters of it ahead..... but why the waves! I had barely a few minutes, I guessed, to both fret and get ready for a pummelling!
    The next twenty minutes were .....well ..... rather mind blowing! With both engine and sail, I rode this bucking bronco of a race; facing Equnox’s bow into the waves which I thought might break on us and then turning back on course to rise and fall, like a roller coaster, the ones that didn’t seem to be a threat. Inevitably I read some wrong and poor old Equinox was thrown sideways and buried in foam. It’s going to be messy down below again, I though; having earlier put the washboards in, so for time being, couldn’t see how bad – I could just hear it! I first double checked then triple and quadruple checked my grab bag with essentials was clipped on beside me. I even removed the life-raft cover! On and on it went; and after yet another crunching, cockpit filling wave left me still upright and with nothing broken, decided Equinox was up to the challenge and actually started to enjoy it... a bit! Hell, it’s what makes the voyage a challenge, after all! Suddenly it’s all over and you’re back in, what seem to be, ideal conditions. A sigh of relief, a quick check all is in order, a peek though the hatch to realise it’s not too bad down there and then focus back on getting to Strumble Head as quickly as possible before the gale that had been forecasted arrives.
   I didn’t make it. The wind got up when we were some four miles away and although on a reach found it almost impossible to helm Equinox as she wanted to broach, turning into the wind, as gusts reached 30+Knots. Around the head we flew and then another race to contend with, not nearly as bad, as the last one, but still hard work.
   With that behind me, I needed shelter fast, so in a small bay with my bow just 20 meters from the cliff face, but still in 20 meters of water, took down her sails and motored the remaining miles into Fishguard Bay and past the huge breakwater. Relief at last!
   Motoring into Lower Town, the recommended anchorage, opposite the ferry terminal, I saw some empty buoys and also three men who seemed to be cleaning up after a sail. With engine idling and close by, I shouted out a request for guidance and was immediately directed to a buoy some 200 meters away. Thanking them profusely, I motored across, picked up the suggested buoy and then slumped down among the mess in the cabin, with the kettle on, to make a much needed brew. 10 hours at the helm! What a day!

Little did I know it, but three fun filled days were to follow with some of the nicest people you could possibly meet. With tea half drunk, I could hear the sound of oars approaching and one of the men from the yacht, I’d been given directions by, following introductions, asked whether I cared to join them for a pub dinner ashore and a few beers!

5 minutes later, mess left, wet clothes abandoned, I was in my tender dressed in best drinking trousers, rowing towards their yacht for joining instructions........!