Barmouth in the sunshine

I write this on a balmy Monday evening having just returned to the boat from a day ashore, the weather today has been fantastic. More of Barmouth later, the last post was as we arrived into Fishguard. What started out to be a quiet night did not turn out that way. The wind, which had deserted us all day, returned after dark, and from the North East, the worst possible direction for the Lower Harbour anchorage. We did not get the night's rest we expected! In the morning there was still quite a large swell and Lacerta was rolling and pitching a lot.

Lacerta anchored outside the Fishguard Lower Harbour moorings.

We decide to risk going ashore to see if we could get a shower and some rest at the Fishguard Bay Yacht club on the quay. Despite, or because of, both of us being quite anxious about launching the dinghy and getting the engine on the back, we managed it and got ashore without getting any water in
the boat.

Fishguard inner Harbour.

The ladies at Fishguard Bay Yacht Club were preparing for the club fitting out supper so the cafe they
normally operate was closed but they showed us the very welcome showers and allowed us to leave our gear there while we went shopping. Be warned, if you visit Fishguard Lower Harbour it is very picturesque but there is nothing there! All the shops are in the upper town, which is a good walk up the hill. We made the mistake of not having a drink before we started out and were feeling quite dehydrated when we got to the upper town. We found a farmers market in the community hall and bought fresh food for dinner. Debbie begged a glass of water but was feeling quite faint. As the
market was closing one of the stall holders kindly offered us a lift back down the hill to the Yacht
Club. By this time it was about 14.00, the club ladies had finished their initial preparations and were preparing to leave but they very kindly allowed us to stay in the clubhouse so Debbie could have a lie
down and recover in the lounge area. David was then given a lift back up the hill in search of lunch, which had been forgotten when Debbie was not feeling so good. As we had a long wait before the tide came back in having somewhere quiet to rest was just what we needed so thank you FBYC and
particularly Gaye, Gwynnie and husband Peter for your kindness.
By the time there was enough tide for the dinghy to float again the wind had dropped and shifted to the East so things were much quieter. We enjoyed excellent rump steaks and got ready for a 20.00 departure for Barmouth. The overnight sail was a proper sail for a change, although it was a beat and we ended up motor sailing as we could not quite lay our course and would have missed the tide over Barmouth bar.

Closing Barmouth as the sun rises.

We eventually found Barmouth Outer buoy, confusing because it did not have its proper red and white vertical stripes (we found the proper buoy being painted on the quay when we got in), and made our way across the bar.
We were borrowing a mooring from Dave Holborn. Dave's son Matt lodges with our Richard in Cardiff and we met Dave in Cardiff, celebrating Matt's birthday. Dave has one of the few deep water moorings on Barmouth which was not being used as his boat was in the Isle of Man so he kindly allowed us to use it and even appeared on the beach on a cold Sunday morning to direct us to the right buoy. A big thank you Dave.

Barmouth Quay from the mooring.

Walking on Dinas Oleu

After a couple of hours kip we blew up the dinghy and went ashore to meet our old friend, Wendy Ponsford. The cafe, Davy Jones Locker, looked exactly as it did 30 years ago when it was the breakfast gathering place for E Boat sailors so a bacon and egg butty was required for old times sake!
As the dinghy was high and dry again we spent most of the day with Wendy, finishing with dinner in the Last Inn, another haunt from E Boat days.
Wendy had to go to London to visit her daughter today but kindly allowed us to use Brynmeirion, the cottage we used to use when we visited Barmouth with the children, as a shore base. We walked up the hill at Dinas Oleu and lunched in the sunshine with splendid views over Cader Idris before returning to the town for shopping, showers, the inevitable ice cream and dinner before the tide floated the dinghy and allowed us back on the boat.

Moored by th railway bridge

We leave on tomorrow's high tide bound for the Menai Straits.

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