Swansea welcome IYC fleet

A small fleet from Ilfracombe Yacht Club slipped out of the harbour at 09:00 on the high tide and turned north across the Bristol Channel for Swansea.

Steady going on the way North

A force 4 saw the fleet away with a slight sea running, and the weather was already piling in over Devon as the coast dropped astern. The further north we went, the better it looked, with the sun sitting over Wales ahead of us. Closer in to the Welsh coast the sea state changed and the short stuff gave way to a long rolling swell. It stayed well inside what the boats and the crews could handle, and everyone kept their lunch!

The swell was building as we approached the Welsh coast

Low water at Swansea was 12:56, so there was a wait for the main lock. The fleet gathered off the entrance from around 14:00 and spent an hour or so circling in company, which is no hardship on a bright afternoon with the whole crossing behind you.

Welsh Coast Ahead

Hammerhead berths for the whole fleet at Swansea Marina

The welcome at the other end made the day. The marina had us straight in and put every boat on a hammerhead berth, which is a generous piece of planning for a visiting fleet of our size. Swansea Yacht and Sub Aqua Club opened its doors later on, and the evening went the way these evenings go, with crews working through the passage over a pint and comparing notes on who saw what and where.

A warm welcome from Swansea Yacht and Sub Aqua Club

Enjoying a pint and reviewing the crossing

Our thanks to the marina team and to everyone at the club for looking after us so well. On a crossing like this the sailing is only half of it.

Details and photos from the return trip to follow.