Friday 4 June 2010 Caernarfon N530 08.570’ W0040 16.634’

Departed Pwllheli marina at 0600 hours, 1½ hours before LW, to try to ensure sufficient water in the channel. Despite being claimed as access at all stages of the tide, Pwllheli is silting up and the is barley enough water for a Contessa 32 at LW but access is possible ± 1 hour LW. We had no difficultly getting out.

Despite the lack of wind the sea was agitated and somewhat unpleasant although as the passage to Caernarfon progressed it became calmer. Wind came and went, we had sometime sailing in a gentle Force 3 SE breeze but much of the time we were motoring.

As planned we arrived off Caernarfon Bar at 1400 hours, 2 hours before HW, to follow the maze of buoys into the Menai Straits and Caernarfon, Victoria Dock Marina. The pilot book suggest ignoring the chart and just follow the buoys although even with clear visibility they were not easy to spot. The compensation is the view of the Castle dominating the straits and town.