The RIBnet Gathering - Pembrokeshire Coast - Sat 1 to Mon 3 May 2010 (bank holiday)

[Knot Yet]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Nearly 800 hundred posts but we got there in the end

Thank you Jean

Jim - your gratitude means everything to me - the 800 posts were worth the effort

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Knot Yet

Jim - your gratitude means everything to me - the 800 posts were worth the effort

Pleasure I may even rock up to the sh!te site

Or maybe knot ever

Jim

[Knot Yet]

Lol - you really don't like the idea of sheep poo do you - but it would be great if you can come down - I can then talk at you for the full two days all of which makes as much sense as my previous 800 posts

knot ever...... why knot???

[Trevor G]

Hi Jean
I'm hoping to get down for this run as well - but not in Dizzy - I think I have use of a 5 metre (ish) Zodiac 7 for the weekend as well as accomodation of a more solid type than a tent in Pembroke town centre.
I did a similar cruise last Easter in Dizzy and recommend Neyland as a good launching point, although in a smaller boat it is quite a run just down to Dale - especially if it's into a head wind and/or against the tide, which seemed to be most of the time!
Also from Dale it would be a trip in itself up to Lawrenny, and probably not worth it just for fuel - again especially in a smaller boat as it's about 10 miles up the estuary - but it would be a good trip anyway for the food at the Quayside if the weather makes going out of Milford Haven uninviting.
Here's the link to what we did last time: http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....eferrerid=5779
Trev

[Knot Yet]

Hi Trev

Would be great if you can make it - and no worres if no RIB - you can also drive mine while I look at the scenery and relax - seriously though you would be more than welcome to play in ours

[woot]

Given Jean's very honest admission to lack of local knowledge I will do my best to pass on some recommendations. The best way for me to do this is to tell you how I would spend my weekend if I was camping at Dale with a RIB on a trailer. My outfit is a Ribcraft 5.85/140 suzi on a twin axle trailer so I need a decent slip, those with a smaller outfit would have more scope for launching at Dale. I do hope o join you on the weekend but it will probably only be for one of the days.

Launching – I would not use Dale, it is a tight congested slipway and by the sound of the reply from the sailing club leaving the trailer anywhere in the vicinity of the slip would be problematic. I would tow the boat to Gelliswick or Neyland slip.

Neyland is a lovely wide slip that can be used at virtually any state of the tide but has limited parking for cars/trailers and is quite a bit further than Gelliswick from Dale.

The slip at Gelliswick is a nice wide slip and can be used for most of the tide, but gets much easier with more water. To launch my outfit there I need a minimum of 2.5m of tide which normally equates to a no go zone around 2 hrs either side of low water. There is loads of room to park cars/trailers in the area of the slip.

Wherever you go on your weekend it will be busy particularly with dive boats.

Personally for your weekend if I had an easy launching unit I would launch it each morning at Gelliswick when there is plenty of tide and recover at the other end of the day when there is plenty of tide. If I had an outfit that was more of a hassle to launch I would launch it at the start of the weekend, put it in the marina for a few nights and recover at the end of the weekend.

Be VERY aware of the tide times/tide curves because wherever you choose to launch and recover they will dictate your day out. The tides that weekend suit a morning launch and evening recovery but by the Monday I would not be able to recover until after 6.30pm which may not suit people with a journey home.

Fuel- don’t attempt to find fuel on the water, take Jerry cans and fill up on the trailer or in the marina. Take as much fuel as possible with you on a cruise because if the weather is good you can stack the mileage up quickly island hopping.

On the water – You really are in a perfect area for all levels of RIB. If you follow the river into the Haven you have safe calm waters to simply blast about or do some watersports. There are several jetties with pubs close by. If you head out to sea there are plenty of options. If you head to the North Skomer is around 10 miles run outside the Haven and is the classic cruise from the Haven, a picnic in South Haven amongst the puffins is hard to beat. For the more adventurous from there you can go through Jack sound, visit Ramsey, Bishops Rock, Grassholm, The Smalls, Skockholm etc. etc.

If you go South you can head along some beautiful rugged coast but this tends to be a longer more uncomfortable run to get anywhere significant.

Personally I generally head for Skomer because I can get there in most conditions from Gelliswick in around an hour (approx 20 mile run). I then anchor or potch about in South Haven have a whiff, assess the conditions and make a decision on what to do next. Needless to say everything should be driven by the conditions and peoples confidence and abilities.

All my own personal opinion based on my experiences of the area.

[Downhilldai]

Sound advice, woot.

[Knot Yet]

Thanks Woot - sounds like a good plan and reassuring to have such indepth detail - much appreciated - hopefully we can meet up with you over the weekend and I can buy you a beer as a thank you

Will sit down over Easter and look at the tide times and make a few suggested plans for everyone to consider

Take care

J

[woot]

This is the site/link I use for my planning

http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/3769.html

[Razorbill RIBs]

Hi guys....

I've been watching the thread as it's develoiped and if we get chance (we are working that weekend) will try and pop over one evening to say hello....

Following on from Woots local advice mail (and at the risk of sounding like a tree hugger), just thought I'd flag up the Pembrokshire Marine Code website and in particular the guidance regarding agreed access restrictions, approach to wildlife and the maps showing the wildlife sensitive areas /speed restriction areas which all of the operators observe locally....the website also makes interesting reading regarding species you will encounter.

This isn't intended as a dampner in any way, but we are quite involved with local conservation groups and Trusts and know how sensitive the balance between us powerboaters and non boating wildlife observers can sometimes be....

http://www.pembrokeshiremarinecode.org.uk/

Dan

[willk]

If you're quick, you can nail a whole bunch of 'em. Bogib gave me a cracking recipe for them - they're a bit like fishy ducks, or was it ducky fishes, I forget.

I bet they'd barbeque well though, like feathery mackeral.

[Knot Yet]

Will - you are very naughty

Dan - thank you - having worked for Pembrokeshire National Park - many many years ago and for Dale Fort - again a long time ago - I'm very aware that we all have a responsibility to protect the amazing mix of life that makes Pembrokeshire so very special - will take a good look at the site you have recommended

And if you can join us for a beer one evening that would be the icing on the cake

J

[Knot Yet]

Just a quick update re our Pembrokeshire trip

Have just come back from a week down in Dale – beautiful weather and the sea virtually flat – sadly no RIB with us so we could only look on in envy at those out in theirs

To recap on the current suggestions/set up:

Domestics

• Camping at Dale Hill Farm is fine – there is plenty of space for RIB and/or trailer parking if required and even if the site is really busy Sharon has a field we can use for storage
  
• Camping is now £8 per night
  
• There are two showers that take £1.00 for 10 minutes of hot water and two toilets, plus kitchen sink and freezer.
  
• The site is exposed (on top of a hill) so if you arrive before we do make sure you pitch your tent well into the hedge line – the left hand side hedgerow seems to be favourable for regular campers and quickest to the shower block
  
• There are lots of sheep around so please don’t expect it to be free of sheep poo and fleece!!
  
• Chris will be house sitting with Grandad so Darren and I hope to arrive afternoon of the 30th

Directions

Dale Hill Farm can be found approx. 1mile before the village of Dale on the B4327
Please note the road up to Dale Hill Farm has a tight hairpin bend – keep to the right of this on the way up and you will be fine

Google Street View of Farm entrance – lane off on right:

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll...14.23,,0,12.04

Dale Hill hairpin bend:

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll...11.04,,0,10.98

Dale Hill Farm Yard entrance – drive through yard and into field beyond

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll...231.07,,0,3.07

RIB Information

Dale slip will be open but there is restriction on parking and trailers – suggestions are to launch very early to avoid busy congestion expected over the weekend

Alternative slipway is Gelliswick – about 20 minutes away by car – lots of parking

Fuel needs to be bought on route – if coming through Haverfordwest on the way out to Dale is a 24hr Tesco’s ( B4327)

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll...12,261.83,,0,5

Pembrokeshire National Park

Please see the following link for South Pembrokeshire Marine Code of Practise

http://www.pembrokeshiremarinecode.o...brokeshire.pdf

Itinerary

Open to suggestions really – we will hopefully have two full days on the water – weather permitting and there are some wonderful beeches for BBQs etc.

We purchased the Imray charts last week but would really appreciated someone else helping to do the passage plans – as this is not something I am very confident with


Really looking forward to it

Jxx

[Hightower]

Seems to be ticking along quite nicely Jean.

I did promise to tell you closer the date if I was going to make it. Sadly I'm going to have to leave it for another time as I have lost overtime and things are looking a bit dodgy at work, so will have to limit trips out a little over the coming months until things look a little brighter.

I hope you all have a terrific time and the weather stays nice. Will be checking back regularly to see how it all goes. So have a nice time

[bosun]

Ok guys
Well I caught the beginning and the end of the thread, So are you coming to pembrokeshire or not?
I unfortunately can't join you that weekend as I'm getting married (yes really!)
But I do have an empty 10m berth in the lower basin at Neyland marina.......and am the rear commodore of Tenby sailing club if I can be of assistance.
Best regards
Paul

[Downhilldai]

Congratulations bosun

I'd gladly keep your Marina berth occupied (or part of it, anyway ) that weekend.

[Knot Yet]

Bosun - congratulations that's cracking news - hope the day is everything you wish for

Yes I do believe a few intrepid Ribnetters plan to descend on Pembrokeshire - so many thanks for your kind offer of a Neyland berth for the weekend - much appreciated.

We shall be launching from Dale but I'm sure if interested other members will be in touch.

DHD - do you plan to join us - you would be more than welcome - or do you just need access to a berth that weekend

TQ

Jxx

[biffer]

Originally Posted by Knot Yet

Bosun - congratulations that's cracking news - hope the day is everything you wish for

Yes I do believe a few intrepid Ribnetters plan to descend on Pembrokeshire - so many thanks for your kind offer of a Neyland berth for the weekend - much appreciated.

We shall be launching from Dale but I'm sure if interested other members will be in touch.

DHD - do you plan to join us - you would be more than welcome - or do you just need access to a berth that weekend

TQ

Jxx

ky, do you want the good news and the bad news about your boat

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by Knot Yet

DHD - do you plan to join us - you would be more than welcome -

Providing the weather's ok, I'll be down there. Already have an e-ticket.

[Shaz]

Yeah I have an e-ticket. Boat may be ok-ish now, so should we meet in the pub opposite the slipway at Dale on Friday evening to look at charts ? They do a nice pint of Brains if I remember correctly, or is there a reccommendation closer to the campsite ? I think the one I'm thinking of is called the Lobster Pot or something like that?

Very excited about puffin watching, they are so cool !