Anywhere on Anglesey you can stop for lunch?

[citygent111]

Hi all,
As some may know, our small rib is stored on Anglesey and we're heading over next week.

I'd like to do a proper boating day out, and take the family for some lunch, as I don't think we'll have picnic weather next week!

Does anyone know where we could head to, tie up the boat and come back to it still being there 2 hours later?!!

Nearest we got to during the summer was pulling it ashore on a beach, but we were 20 yards away and the beach was deserted, so this is a new branch on the "learning tree"

Thanks in advance

[HDAV]

Guess it depends where your launch is and how far you want to go…… Caernarfon has plenty of choice.

[John hulme]

Originally Posted by citygent111

Hi all,

As some may know, our small rib is stored on Anglesey and we're heading over next week.



I'd like to do a proper boating day out, and take the family for some lunch, as I don't think we'll have picnic weather next week!



Does anyone know where we could head to, tie up the boat and come back to it still being there 2 hours later?!!



Nearest we got to during the summer was pulling it ashore on a beach, but we were 20 yards away and the beach was deserted, so this is a new branch on the "learning tree"



Thanks in advance

Beaumaris is ok if you get the tides right , plenty of places to eat .

[citygent111]

Thanks guys, good to know.

Real noob question now! I have no idea what the protocol is for arriving at a new town/ port/ marina/ beach!

Please could someone share the 'standard practice'? Where do you park up? Marina? If so, how do you know where to go? Who to contact? Do you have to pay? And if so who to?

As you can see, I have no idea what to do!

Thanks all :-)

[neil.mccrirrick]

If it’s a marina radio in to ask for a berth and then go see the office re payment

If it’s a pub tie to a bouy then go see the pub and find out if it’s theirs is ok for use etc

Google is your friend re waterside pubs. If you ring ahead they will advise re mooring or need for a tender etc

Loads of places around Anglesey. A lot use the gazelle on the straits where you can tie to an old slip

[Dan Gurney]

Originally Posted by neil.mccrirrick

A lot use the gazelle on the straits where you can tie to an old slip

Best used on a rising tide: the bottom on either side of the 'slip' is covered in nasty jaggy sh!te (don't ask me how I know ). Also: bring fenders...

Best option in my opinion is moor up on the pontoon at Menai Bridge and go to Dillons. There's a commercial rib ride operation that uses the pontoon to load passengers so keep clear of that and your golden. Oh and there's usually a big research vessel call the "Prince Madog" https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...l:PRINCE_MADOG moored on the outside end of the jetty. If she's not there then be careful mooring on the outside in case she comes back while you're having lunch.

[GuyC]

For the marina berthing I'd do as Neil has suggested for the waterside pubs and ring up in advance. You can then be more sure that sod's law isn't going to intervene and the marina is shut for just that day for the first time in 367 years.

If you are relatively new to it and the family is with you a marina berth is probably the easiest option.

Google or Bing maps is a good way to have a look at an area first so you have an idea as to whether you are going to turn left or right when you get to the marina entrance for example.

Most of all, take your time and enjoy it (and try not to shout at the crew).

EDIT ...or do what Dan said as he obviously knows the area.

[Dan Gurney]

Originally Posted by GuyC

EDIT ...or do what Dan said as he obviously knows the area.

I'm by no means the most knowledgeable person about the area and am happy to be corrected, but we've been launching from Ty Calch near Caernarfon for the last 6 or 7 seasons. The straits is really my stomping ground.

The only marina accessible at all states of the tide is (was?) Holyhead and I don't know what the current situation is there since the storm damage a few years back.

Conwy has a marina with a gate which is only accessible 2 hrs either side of high tide (or it might be 3). They have a decent 'dining pub' and as long as you don't mind the £15 visitor berthing charge then its a good option.

Victoria Dock at Caernarfon is gated too and I'm pretty sure that's 2hrs either side of HW.

Someone told me recently that they stopped and moored at Almwich, still tidal because its a harbour and not pontoons, but that might be worth a look? I've never tried it myself because if were that far round we're usually on a "round the island" run.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Dan Gurney

I'm by no means the most knowledgeable person about the area and am happy to be corrected, but we've been launching from Ty Calch near Caernarfon for the last 6 or 7 seasons. The straits is really my stomping ground.

The only marina accessible at all states of the tide is (was?) Holyhead and I don't know what the current situation is there since the storm damage a few years back.

Conwy has a marina with a gate which is only accessible 2 hrs either side of high tide (or it might be 3). They have a decent 'dining pub' and as long as you don't mind the £15 visitor berthing charge then its a good option.

Victoria Dock at Caernarfon is gated too and I'm pretty sure that's 2hrs either side of HW.

Someone told me recently that they stopped and moored at Almwich, still tidal because its a harbour and not pontoons, but that might be worth a look? I've never tried it myself because if were that far round we're usually on a "round the island" run.

We called in at Amlwch (sp?) from the land, looked promising boat wise & a pleasant little town. I reckon you’d be good 2hrs either side.

[whiskylee]

Originally Posted by citygent111

Hi all,

As some may know, our small rib is stored on Anglesey and we're heading over next week.



I'd like to do a proper boating day out, and take the family for some lunch, as I don't think we'll have picnic weather next week!



Does anyone know where we could head to, tie up the boat and come back to it still being there 2 hours later?!!



Nearest we got to during the summer was pulling it ashore on a beach, but we were 20 yards away and the beach was deserted, so this is a new branch on the "learning tree" [emoji38]



Thanks in advance

Keep an eye on the weather forecast ! I was going to take a boat out later in the week in Wales but the forecast doesn't look good, strong gusting winds

[GwynWms]

Agreed, Gazelle on the Straights is good, need to book when fine, also low tide is bad.
C'fon, either the marina- Victoria Doc Ch80, or the harbour has a couple of places you can tie up at most tides.

[citygent111]

Thanks everyone,

We drove past the Gazelle on our last day in Anglesey, so at least I know where that is!!

I've just finished the VHF SRC course and was surprised that there is no mention of "standard" communication with marina's etc.

The training covers mayday/securitie/urgency calls but the likelyhood of using those is far less (I would imagine) than it is for standard comms between boats and marina's.

What I'm trying to say is, I st ill have no idea what the protocol is for contacting a marina on ch80 or whatever they use!

Am I overthinking it? Is it just like a phone call?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by citygent111

Thanks everyone,



We drove past the Gazelle on our last day in Anglesey, so at least I know where that is!!



I've just finished the VHF SRC course and was surprised that there is no mention of "standard" communication with marina's etc.



The training covers mayday/securitie/urgency calls but the likelyhood of using those is far less (I would imagine) than it is for standard comms between boats and marina's.



What I'm trying to say is, I st ill have no idea what the protocol is for contacting a marina on ch80 or whatever they use!



Am I overthinking it? Is it just like a phone call?

It’s a bit of pot luck tbh. Harbours/marinas can work on various channels. Some have their VHF channel clearly marked at the entrance, some don’t. You can check before you go online, look in an almanac, ask a passing local boat or just roll up & wait for the guy to scuttle out of his office & demand payment[emoji849] Once you’ve established comms, just explain what you want to do & most are very helpful. It usually goes along the lines of:-

“Xxxx Marina/harbour, this is yyyyy, we’re looking for somewhere to tie up for a couple of hours whilst we get lunch. Do you have somewhere for a small RIB please”

[HDAV]

Pot luck some don’t answer the phone or radio…….

But the course should have covered hailing another vessel, it’s in the book (but so is radio telephone protocol). Marina is just the same listen on designated channel incase they are mid comms…..

When you think channel is clear try and establish comms, once established pretty simple they will normally direct you to a berth…..

[citygent111]

Brilliant, thank you.

Sometimes the commonsense approach just works!

[Poly]

City gent - worth printing out the marina plan (usually on the website) beforehand (unless you know you’ll have good signal) as the instructions can sometimes be a bit unhelpful! E.g - yes please use the visitor berth opposite the fuel dock (great I’m outside the breakwater, I’ve no idea if the fuel dock will be obvious and if it is whether the visitor berth is actually obvious to someone who’s never been there before) or please tie up to the hammerhead on pontoon E. (Which was beautifully labelled as E - if you were walking from the office but not from sea!).

Usually a good vhf instructor would talk about this when explaining simplex/duplex channels but like all franchised courses the quality is variable and the trainers priority would be that you pass the exam rather than learn something useful. Likewise the RYAs objective is that the syllabus meets the DOT/ITU requirements rather than actually help you get the best out of your radio!

[Poly]

Oh, one other thing to be aware of that you only really appreciate when you’ve spend time standing around in a marina office/reception. It’s not like the coastguard where there is someone sitting ready to respond as soon as you call. The person who answers the vhf also answers the phone, deals with customers at the desk, puts card payments through, responds to email etc. so the delay from calling them to get an answer can be longer than you would expect. Patience will get you a better response than harassing them. However if you have genuinely been waiting more than say 3 minutes you might want to call them again as they may have missed you, got distracted, gone to look at the blocked toilets, etc.

[citygent111]

Thank you!! Yes they were also concerns - head to the fuel dock is fine if you know where the fuel dock is!! :-)

We'll get the hang of it I'm sure. We're definitely hooked into the world afloat - after just a couple of trips out on our little rib (3.8m) the Management has already said the immortal words...."I want a bigger boat"!

When I asked her how much bigger, the answer was "one with a downstairs"...

Suppose I'd better get some work done then!!!

[lakelandterrier]

I've found that providing you have signal, it's often quicker to call a marina on mobile 'phone than using the radio on CH80.

If the on duty bod is out of the office they are more likely to have a phone with them..the radio will be fixed in an office.