Bristol Channel
Watermouth
BaySwansea
BayBridgewater
BaySevern
EstuaryWALESDEVONGOWER
PENINSULASOUTH
GLAMORGANFLAT HOLM
STEEP
HOLMSwanseaNash Point
Lavernock
PointCardiff
Yacht
Club
Aberthaw
Power StationCardiff Barrage
The RannyCardiffWeston-
super-MareBarryIlfracombeNIrish
SeaSt George’sChannel
Bristol
ChannelCardiffAberystwythPadstow IlfracombeRhylWALESENGLANDnautical miles0 10Peter Holwell has
had Moonshadow for
about six years while
in Cardiff, his first
venture into yachts
after dinghy sailing up
to instructor standard.
Peter is now living in
the North East and looking forward
to replacing her with something a bit
bigger in the next couple of years.
Interestingly Moonshadow had
previously, from her markings, been
a yacht connected with the RNYC at
Blyth where Peter is now a member.ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Moonshadow. A trial run of the engine
appeared to show all to be fine.
After all this activity I was in quite buoyant
mood so when some exotic yacht with
polished hull and twice my size crept up
behind me and asked if I could move up to
the next mooring further into the harbour I
very obligingly agreed – a decision I’d later
regret as it meant bringing forward my
departure time by about 30 minutes due to
there being less water under my keel.
The return journey from Ilfracombe to
Cardiff is a 45-50 mile trip. The Bristol
Channel has some fairly significant tides,
so the best way is to depart on the ebb so
that you catch the flood where it really
matters, nearer Barry and Cardiff.Early start with the tide
My alarm went off at 0230, I filled a flask of
hot water, had a bite of breakfast, started
the engine and decided due to wind
strength that I’d leave the genoa furled,
put my small jib on the inner stay and set
a couple of reefs in the main.
At 0320 I dropped the mooring, makingsure to reconnect the fore and aft warps
ready for the next boat and motored out of
the harbour. One thing you can be sure in
the Bristol Channel is that if you want an
easterly it usually blows a westerly, which
is fairly predictable.
What is more annoying is that often
when you want a westerly – given it
should be a prevailing wind – it blows an
easterly. This morning was no exception.
At least the wind (Force 4-5) and tide were
in the same direction – just going the
wrong way for me.
Anyway, I was away from land and
heading for Milford Haven rather than
Cardiff, so after a while I decided to put a
tack in to at least try and keep on the
English side and not in the main channel
where tide and wind were strongest.
During this time I motor-sailed to gain as
much ground as possible. After coming in
close to the coast again, my confidence
started to build and I tacked again. Ten
minutes later there was a slightly familiar
splutter and the engine started to fade.
I realised at this point that the same
problem had occurred last time I was on
starboard tack. I was aware that I needed
to be back in Cardiff for the next day and it
was a long way. By now I was off theentrance to Watermouth Bay, a very
narrow inlet just east of Ilfracombe and not
for the faint-hearted, especially with a wind
and tide running and a dodgy engine.
I decided to keep going and up to this
point the engine would run but did not
inspire confidence and was certainly not
producing anything like full power (which
isn’t much even on a good day!).
I continued tacking up the English side,
recognising that I had a slightly better
behaving engine when on port tack.
Suddenly the engine failed completely. By
now the tide has started to slacken a little.
To add insult to injury the coastal forecast
that came over the VHF with SwanseaCoastguard (now Milford Haven) saying
the actual wind off Mumbles was
south-west Force 2/3 whereas I still had
Force 4 north-east.
I set a course for Nash Point, knowing
the tide would push me well beyond. The
wind started to abate and veer, the sea
state became much gentler as the reefs
started to come out and I felt life was on
the up.
Having eaten my way through myA log showing 8.2 knots SOG means a
big tide!
‘One thing you can be sure in the
Bristol Channel is that if you want an
easterly it usually blows a westerly’
Bristol Channel tides are fierce between Ilfracombe and CardiffSEAMANSHIP