Mark Rosenthal

The original plan was a day sail in light to moderate SW winds and Sunshine in the afternoon. Onboard for 10:00 to give us an opportunity to clear Carmel Head before the change of tide. Due to wind strengths of less that 5kt and variable our aim to clear Carmel Head with the flood tide wasn't going to succeed, instead motor-sailed out past the TSZ, then shut down the engine and we sailed, or rather, drifted with wind and tide until we were going in completely the wrong direction. We hove too and drifted west towards Langdon Ridge. With the sails controlled and the cockpit table in place we had a late lunch at just after 14:00. At this point I noticed the track recording had shut down and had to be restarted. After lunch, with the table removed we turned south to return to the new Harbour. and Sunshine in the afternoon. Onboard for 10:00 to give us an opportunity to clear Carmel Head before the change of tide. Due to wind strengths of less that 5kt and variable our aim to clear Carmel Head with the flood tide wasn't going to succeed, instead motor-sailed out past the TSZ, then shut down the engine and we sailed, or rather, drifted with wind and tide. At this point I noticed that the voyage recording had stopped so I restarted it as we sailed/drifted towards The Skerries until, due to the tide, we were drifting West so in completely the wrong direction. We hove too and drifted west towards Langdon Ridge. With the sails controlled and the cockpit table in place we had a late lunch at just after 14:00. After lunch, with the table removed we turned south to return to the new Harbour in 13 to 19kt winds. With an efficient preparation by the crew for disembarking we were on the mooring and on the launch in no time at all.

Today’s crew: Mark Hernrie Matthias Kate Hall Helen Caine Richie We arrived at the club for 10:30 just before low water but as it was a neap tide the launch was still going from the groyne. All onboard and preparing to sail, we decided to stay on the mooring for 11:00 coffee break and discuss where we should sail and when we needed to be back. Agreement was reached for a sail to North Stack to review the situation and then sail back as appropriate. With consistent SW winds 14 - 21Kt we set off with 2 reefs in the main. There was no commercial traffic entering or departing the port. We gybed to turn to port to clear the end of the breakwater to head out to wind and head due West. Considering the strength of the wind the sea state was remarkably calm ven as we approached North Stack. Here with wind with tide there were a few choppy areas as we tacked to sail South to sail past South Stack, but the tide was forcing us back towards South Stack so we tacked again and sailed out further to get a better line to the south. It was clear that this was not going to work for us today and the decision was made to turn and go back to the mooring as the wind strength increased. As we sailed back to the end of the breakwater Port Control was busy with two ferries and the bunkering ship which was manoeuvring, with the assistance of the Pilot Vessel, to allow the incoming ferry to berth. This meant us keeping tight to the end of the breakwater and having to be very aware of the movements entering the New Harbour on our way to the mooring. Back on the mooring we had a late lunch before disembarking with Matt, Kate and myself going to the club for a beer.

Light NNW winds as I arrived onboard. The flood tide had just started and sufficiently quiet for me to raise the main and prepare for the arrival of the rest of the crew. Race officer Dawn, selected course 2, Start, Penrhos, Meath, Clippers and finish. Close to the start line and adjacent to the breakwater there was very little wind, so we stayed well to the south of the IDM (inner distance mark), tacking and gybing a number of times to maintain a good starting position. From the start we kept south to get away from the shadow of the breakwater and then made good progress to the end of the Aluminium Jetty, turning down onto a run and staying to the west of the rhumb line to Penrhos. From Penrhos we turned upwind to Port and sailed over to the eastern side of the bay before making a number of shorter tracks to head towards Meath; however the winds became very light and fickle and with the anticipated departure of the James Joyce we made the choice to retire; seeing as the rest of the fleet were so far behind that none of them would complete the course in these conditions. We motored back to the mooring and went ashore for social times in the clubhouse.

a beautiful sunny day with moderate to light wnw wind. An hour after low water we sailed towards North Stack picking up the eddie in the bays, sailing closer than normal to the shore. Having got some great views of North Stack fog signal station we turned and sailed towards Langdon Ridge, giving our novice crew, Ewan, a chance to helm on a broad reach. From there we gybed to return to the New Harbour. We had to motor sail in the lower wind conditions to clear the TSZ, but stopped the motor and sailed onto the mooring.

Race night 5 yachts prepared for the race starting at 18:00, with the same course as last week: start, Clipera (s), Penrhos (p), Meath (p), Finish. Winds were SW 12kt gusting 19kt with some ferry movements and a small cruise liner on the Aluminium Jetty. FlairIV started to prepare the code 0 for the start but there was a twist in the halyard so it had to be dropped and reset, which made us 35 seconds late over the start line. However we soon overtook the 2 yachts in front of us and made for Clipera. With one tack on the unwind leg to Penrhos we made excellent speed and after rounding the mark made for Meath. By the time we rounded Meath the rest of the fleet were only just getting to Penrhos! one tack once we had rounded Meath to clear the breakwater and then one last tack by the end of the Aluminium Jetty to make it all the way to the finish. Results: YTC https://halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/98464

Overnight stay onboard with Al McGill after a daysail with Flair IV on the Sunday afternoon. Woke up to a damp, humid morning at 05:45 and had breakfast before preparing to leave the mooring. Helen asked to join us from the Pontoon so we pulled in ahead of the Fisheries Protection Vessel and with Helen onboard we headed off just as the mist became thick fog. As we passed the knuckle on the breakwater we checked with Port Control for traffic and established that the Viking Cruise Liner was entering the harbour to spin round and moor against the Aluminium Jetty. The ship was not yet visible, except on AIS. In conversation with the Harbour Pilot we agreed our movements and for the stern of the liner as she sailed in past the end of the breakwater. As she started to turn she suddenly emerged from the fog! The rest of the delivery continues on the next voyage as the recording stopped.

Conditions Winds light and vaiable sw 4 - 6kt Sailed over to Church Bay anchored in 6m depth ending upclose to a very dirty pot buoy. The ladies went for a swim while tea and coffee was made. Wind had died to flat calm so we raised the main, raised the anchor carefully avoiding the pot buoy and motored back to our mooring.

Light wsw breeze as we prepared the code 0 and made adjustments to the beefing line for racing. The start was delayed while the 2nd cruise ship, anchored in the New Harbour was cleared for departing. We circled around under the mainsail as we waited for the starting sequence and at the 1 minute signal deployed the code 0 getting FlairIV over the line in 1st place. With all the shipping movements and the light winds on our stern quarter it was challenging trying to keep the heads sail filled but we had a significant lead by the time we cleared Clipera to Starboard and headed upwind to Penrhos. Rounding to port we tacked and deployed the code 0 for the leg to Meath. This leg was very interesting as it was more or less a dead run but complicated by the traffic movements, with the bunkering ship, the pilot boat, the departing Irish ferry and the Stena ferry arriving. However with communications over Ch 14 all went well as we cleared Meath and sailed towards the stern of Stena Estrid then tacked to sail back into the New Harbour with 1 final tack close to the Viking Cruise ship birthed on the Aluminium Jetty. The wind freshened on our last leg to the finish close the the Breakwater end of the line.

A great day for a sail with the remains of the ebb tide around North Stack. Choppy through the overfalls south of South Stack then a quiet sail into Treaddur bay. No time to anchor so we turned and sailed back, the overfalls were quite rough with the westerly wind over the area close to the coastline. Once round the stacks it flattened out for an easy passage back to the New Harbour.

NNE F3 and rain as we left the mooring but soon after clearing the Breakwater the clouds started lifting. As we neared Langdon Ridge the sun could be felt warming the air as the drizzle stopped. With the wind backing we had a great sail to our leading line into the Skerries, welcomed by a group of seals resting on the entrance rocks. Once in the lagoon we moored on the buoy in perfect time for lunch. After lunch we stayed watching the seals for a while before casting off and motoring out of the lagoon. By now the ebb tide was flowing quickly but the sea conditions were unusually flat. After raising the main and unfurling the jib we had a wonderful reach all the way to Clipera with a dead run across to the New Harbour and then onto our mooring.