Day three dawned, after a quiet night, a little breezey but looked ok. We made a brew stuffed some porridge down and got packed up. I was a little apprehensive of what it was going to be like one the west coast of Anglesey when we left the shelter of the straits. The last few days of south westerlies had given the sea a chance to build. We still had the four major tidal races to negotiate on this coast also. We had been over our timings however and were pretty confident that we could make it back to Holyhead today.
We made an early start and headed into the wind for the final part of the Menai Straits past Caernarfon castle and on to Abermenai point where we would turn right (again) and finally head north on the home straight. The sea state was not overwhelming when we did exit the straits but it was going to be hard going for the final 40k.
Our first stop of the day was at a beautifully sheltered beach on a tiny peninsular just off Newborough forest. Stunning. Out of the wind the sun warmed us up and I could have happily sunbathed here all day.
It was a bit lumpier round the back and it stayed that way as we headed around the coast past the Anglesey motor racing circuit and then cut across the massive bay at Rhosniegr and RAF Valley towards Rhoscolyn.
Nothing in the way of tide at Rhoscolyn thankfully. So we pushed on to the welcome of Trearddur Bay. Not far to go now we stopped for a comfort break and a tasty cheeseburger! Definitely on the home stretch now only three of the most fearsome tidal races know to man to negotiate.
We snuck through Penrhyn Mawr with no problem. Back tomorrow for a play! Then the welcoming sight of South stack.
Things got a bit lively on the approach to North stack but after punching through it was calm water for the rest of the trip.
Just the small matter of the Holyhead breakwater, which at 2.7 km’s turns out to be the longest in the uk!
Time for the pub. A great trip. Two and a half days well spent.