UK Government Ban on Microbreads !

Great news that it has been reported that the UK Government will ban the use of microbeads in consumer products by the end of 2017!
This is really good news for the environment,as this had been a significant and frankly shameful vector of plastics into the oceans and thence to the food chain of marine organisms (then back to us).
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Now all we need to do is get the quantity of microbeads in the oceans out again.
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Hopefully other nations will follow this lead, and it will leads on to a general effort to prevent plastics entering the oceans - either as microbeads or other sources, such as jetsum or plastics accidentally or deliberately discarded

All ships broadcast on the DSC !

If you browse boats on the internet brokerages you may, like us, be curious as to why so many otherwise patently sea worthy vessels are equipped with radio equipment so antiquated it's on a par with a cocoa tin and a peace of string - especially when a modern VHF set equipped with DSC can be had for less than a hundred quid.
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Why bother to upgrade ? Isn't it just more un-necessary tech that you'll never understand or master and just another selling ploy by the manufacturers ?
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Well, yesterday's events convinced me otherwise....
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We set out from Pw at around 1100 on passage for Arklow which we thought would take around 18 hours. The wind was a Force 4 from the south west, so we planned in a series of big tacks to make progress against the wind. Although we didn't seem to be making much western progress, and the seas were quite lumpy to begin with, the track showed the plan was working. At about 1500 UT we came up to Bardsey Sound. We though we were perfectly lined up for one long port tack which would get us through the sound at just the right time and land us at the north cardinal to Arklow Bank, with a bit of motor assistance, at around 0400 this morning.
Literally, when we were heading south to get the transit through the sound the DSC alarm sounded.!
Now this is not an unusual occurrence around there as unfortunately there has been a spate of dive clubs providing some impromptu DSC training with a flood of false alarms - so there is a temptation to ignore it out of hand.
Good move not to ! I've never heard an ALL SHIPS broadcast before, but this was from Hollyhead Coastgaurd {thanks guys} - so we turned up the volume and listened in. GALE WARNING -  F8 right in front of us  and LATER, right when we would be there.

The track show right where we turned around. At about the time we got back to the fairway buoy the wind suddenly rose to over 20kn, adding extra interest to getting back onto our piled mooring !
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Moral - if you haven't go a DSC radio, get one and listen to them messages.
We'll see you in Arklow before too long, mine's a pint in the Bridge Hotel.

Pwllheli

 Splendid photo of a gloriroius evening on the Sunday. Thanks to MS for use of his photos, of which more anon, and for pointing out to me that this is the approach to Pwllheli not Porthmadog.That's me paying attention!

Heel ho!

Interesting yesterday to see the crew of this racing boat praticising traditional skills to reduce their draught, as they came in at what seemed to be more or less low water.

Imporessive team work, quick thinking and determination. To the doubtors and sneer mongers - when was the last time you climbed out on the the boom when the boat was moving ?

Let's hope they made it without encountering anything hard, such as the sandy bottom of the channel!

Drying out time

Regular readers will remember that drying out a long keel boat against a wall has featured before on this blog.

Although this boat is local, I don't know the name but the crew made a splendid job of drying her out. They chose a spot where the bottom was both fairly flat and solid and were leaning in to the wall  by a generous amount.

I'll be making a note of the location, in case we ever want to use it.

Gasp as we enter the technological age!

On the passage back to Pwllheli from Arklow the wind dropped and the sea became flat. So we decided it was time to try out the autopilot.

Look at the awe on the faces of the crew ! These simple fellows have never seen anything as advanced!
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The continuous, minor adjustments made the autopilot straightened our course and we were back on the berth more than an hour earleir than expected.

Where to eat in Arklow...

We recommend it...

Arklow - visit #3 - 2016

I now think of Arklow as Irish Sea passage #101, as it's closest to our current home port, a very easy arrival and always a warm welcome. Overall, just less than 80nm over the ground.

The riverside  pontoons in Arklow offer an easy arrival.

The view down river, from the bridge. Pontoons can be seen on the right

The crew enjoy themselves...

The Seal of Approval

We're off on our way to Arklow, passing the isolated danger mark to the south St Tudwall's islands (the old "Bell Buoy").
This chap doesn't look too tricky though, does he? 

Slipways of the World #5 - Pwllheli Marina

Beware of speed boats and jet ski drivers which launch from here into a constricted basin, then roar off in a fit of excitement, without even thinking of the other water users. nearby..
Be especially careful at the fuel berth, which is in the path of destruction.