Yachting Monthly - April 2016

Forth & Clyde Canal

SCOTLAND

Arran

Isle of Man

Skerries

Bardsey I.

Bardsey Sound

Porth Dinllaen

Skerries

TSS

Calf of

Man

Anglesey

Firth of Clyde

Mull of

Kintyre

Ailsa

Craig

Loch Ryan

Hartlepool

Amble

Eyemouth

Whitby

Port Edgar

Grangemouth

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Bowling

Largs

Stranraer

Peel

Douglas

Holyhead

Porthmadog

ENGLAND

WALES

START

FINISH

St Abb’s Head

North Channel

Lleyn Peninsula

Cardigan

Bay

Firth of Forth

Porthmadog

WA LE S

CRUISING

APRIL 2016 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com 37

into the cockpit. On reaching the Skerries
TSS, we feared that turning to cross it
at 90° would put us broadside on to the
waves. As there was no other shipping, the
Coastguard gave us permission to proceed
on our current couse. When we fi nally
arrived at Holyhead a large Stena Line
ferry was just arriving from Ireland. After
a quick radio conversation, we arranged
that we would give way, and hove to in
sheltered water while she passed.

Stranded for a fortnight
The weather left Tzu stranded in Holyhead
for another fortnight until we could
take her down through Bardsey Sound
into Cardigan bay. A spring ebb tide
hurtled us along, and despite visibility
that was down to 30m at times, hiding
the beautiful scenery, we were soon
past Porth Dinllaen, then St Tudwal’s
islands at Absersoch, and fi nally crossing
Tremadog Bay in glorious sunshine. For
the fi rst time since leaving Hartlepool,
we could abandon coats and jumpers.
We picked our way up the Glaslyn
estuary towards Steve’s mooring in
Porthmadog. After 445 miles of sea
and canal, Tzu was home. W

CHART: MAXINE HEATH

Mike Cooke, 61, a technical salesman in

the building industry, started boating

on his grandfather’s Dunkirk Little Ship

Latouche in the late 1950s and early

’60s, progressing to a Wayfarer in the

’70s. For the last 10 years he has owned

a Colvic Countess 28, Moonfl eet, based

in Porthmadog, and cruises the waters of

Cardigan Bay and Anglesey.

Mike Cooke

Steve (in red) and Mike met on

a night school sailing course

Tzu brings her happy crew

home to Porthdadog

We moored with the fi shing fl eet in Peel’s outer harbour, but were battered by swell

The sea began to lump up after we passed the
giant granite cone of Ailsa Craig