Launching from Porthgain

[mr4bx]

Hi all,



Just wanted a little advice from people who have launched from Porthgain harbour before, as we were thinking of heading over there for the first time this Friday. Anything particularly to be aware of?


Cheers, Ed

[HJones]

Originally Posted by mr4bx

Hi all,



Just wanted a little advice from people who have launched from Porthgain harbour before, as we were thinking of heading over there for the first time this Friday. Anything particularly to be aware of?


Cheers, Ed

Hi Ed, I’ve launched there many, many years ago so the memories are a bit faint…

1. It’s a long slip with a drop (I think) on either side so go careful - quite narrow from memory at the top but nothing bad.
2. Parking can be a pain in the busy months, but hopefully the worst is now over.
3. Nothing like a pint in The Sloop after a long day once you’ve retrieved. [emoji23]

[mr4bx]

Thanks H.


Yes I'm hoping now schools have started back things may be a little more accesible. We were planning to head out east towards Abermawr. Can you remember if there was a launch fee to pay anyone there?

[HJones]

I have to admit I don’t remember!

I’m 99% certain I didn’t pay anyone. [emoji51][emoji23]

I’d pop your head in at The Sloop to check but I suspect it’s a public slip.

[mr4bx]

No worries H.



Dangerous game...that pop quickly turns into a pint, and before I know it the tide will have left me behind (Good shout though to double check).

[Quicksilver mike]

I was there 2 weeks ago, i didnt launch but thought it looked like a great place to launch from and the shed fish and chip restaurant was very good. There was plenty of parking available

its fairly narrow slip way with an edge on both sides so keep your eyes open if reversing down it.

I launched my little rib from Porthclais and went over to Solva, i also saw a gut launching an immaculate inflatable (i assume he works for milpro) at white sands beach i think there is a designated launching channel.

[mr4bx]

Thanks Mike, yes we walked through around a month ago and thought it looked like an ideal spot to launch from for exploring the coastline east towards Strumble. I've had some wild camps on that coastline close to the cliff edge that would be great to appreciate from the sea.



Just hope conditions stay favourable for Friday. Think we'll plan to get to the slipway around 12ish to catch the rising tide and give us a few hours out before recovery the other side of high.



Porthclais is also on the list and definitely a good backup if the wind is too strong from the NW on Friday.

[mr4bx]

Thought I would round this post off with a brief review of Porthgain. Great site, especially for a neap tide, probably wouldn't be as easy on a low spring. Slipway is quite shallow which meant a fair bit of the trailer was in the water, even for the SR4. Quite a hidden entrance to the harbour for returning at the end of the day (or lunch), the white markers either side on the headland help a lot to guide you in. Parking was simple enough, another RIB had launched just before us and had parked on some hard standing on the harbour walls, so we followed their lead! Overall, absolutely ace location to launch and recover from.