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