Report by Jeff Adams. Photos by Jeff Adams and David Botterill [hint: click on images to view larger]

David Botterill and Ann Shawıs decision to share this idyllic sailing area with other WCOA members missed the publication date for the The Wanderer, and so the event could only publicised by way of the Web Site. This was indeed a great shame because only two boats attended, and a weekend of quite superb sailing was missed by the majority.

Dale is a village located at the western end of Milford Haven waterway but tucked into an eastern facing bay which often has Westerly winds with smooth waterı [from the Pembrokeshire Coastline guide]. The village has a wide shallow slipway leading directly from the public road and an impressive pontoon [seasonable], the latter much used by yacht tenders and RIBS which take visitors to view both the bird life and the seals around the offshore islands.

For the dinghy sailor there is an adjacent car park where boats and trailers can be kept. We found that the Wanderer event coincided with the Welsh Schools Championships so the car park was abuzz with Toppers, Optimists and Mirrors. We joined the launching queue, confident that we would not be taken for forth formers, and, having launched, sailed away from the racing area.

We were now splendidly on our own in a benign force three and ever increasing sunshine. We left Dale bay and turned south towards the mouth of the Haven - around the corner of which lay America, albeit discreetly below the horizon. The Atlantic now treated us to just a taste of an impressive swell.

At the mouth of Milford Haven, off St Anneıs Head, we tacked around, leaving Mill Bay to port [where Henry Tudor landed from France on his way to Bosworth Field] and beat into Watwick Bay for lunch. Watwick Bay has no facilities and can only be approached by boat or by a cliff path. It is a steeply sloping bay of golden sand, southeast facing, and quite perfect for a picnic.

By the time we landed back at Dale the racing fleets were off the water so our boats were stowed in relative tranquillity - and then to Dale Yacht Club where David and Ann are members and had booked us in for dinner. The dinner was excellent with tempting local fare on the menu.

Sunday saw us again on the water, the schools being up earlier and already contesting places 'around the cansı. This time we sailed along the north shore intending to explore the picturesque but drying inlet of Sandy Haven. However, the wind was baffling so we stood off and went about to take a look at Lindsway Bay. Again we decided not to land but hove-to for lunch and admired the scenery.

After lunch, with the sunshine and the force three wind still keeping us company, we crossed the Haven to take a look at the shore opposite St Anneıs Head. Our route took in the narrow passage inside Thorn Island where the ebbing tide was beginning to create some interesting eddies.

We then re-crossed the Haven to, once again, land at Watwick Bay - the beckoning sands of which were proving irresistible!

And so back to Dale. Letıs hope that David and Ann [W1467 Elise] organise a repeat performance next year. We certainly will not miss it if they do!

Jeff Adams and Patricia Briley
W1372 Haydi Gidelim

PS: David and Ann having departed, we were in the process of packing up our boat when another Wanderer was towed into the car park. Noting that it had years of Dale Sailing Clubıs stickers on the transom we spoke to the owners and found that they were on their annual visit to Dale, trailing each time from London. They were aware of the event, having seen it on the Web, but had not joined in because they were not WCOA members. Maybe that will change with the knowledge that the WCOA has also discovered this splendid sailing area.

Editor's note: Many thanks to David Botterill and Ann Shaw for organising this their first WCOA cruise at this new venue. As can be seen from Jeff's 'Report' they chose an absolutely beautiful location and it is to be regretted that not more cruising members were able to attend. Unfortunately the cruise details/notification just missed the Wanderer Spring Newsletter. Hopefully David & Ann will be kind enough to repeat this event in 2004 and we look forward to an influx of WCOA members to this lovely cruising ground next year.