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Milford Haven 1, Entry and Passage Anchorages

Your Comments: 8 Read or add your comments

Courtesy Flag

Flag, Red Ensign

Waypoint

St.Ann's Head; 51:40'.84N 005:10'.42W Edge of Sheep Island: 51:40'.24N 005:07'.5W

Charts

Admiralty, 3274, 3275, 1478, 2878, SC5608

Rules & Regulations

Give Way to Ships, Designated Dead Slow Areas etc, see text

Hazards

Tankers and Shipping

Tidal Data Times & Range

HW = Dover -0500, MHWS 7.0m, MHWN 5.2m, MLWN 2.5m, MLWS 0.7m   (links)

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General Description

Milford Haven is a superb natural harbour (rated highly by no-less than Nelson), and ... read more

Approach

Approach and entry to Milford Haven is simple enough, ... read more

Berthing, Mooring & Anchoring

This article only covers the passage anchorages near the entrance, and ... read more

Your Ratings & Comments

8 comments
Visitor moorings in Dale
Written by CeltKev | 9th Mar 2023
As of 2022 there are 3 'official' visitor moorings in Dale Bay, just north of the moorings area and slightly west of the deep water pontoon. These are guard buoys for an experimental area of seagrass and to discourage anchoring in the seagrass area. They are properly maintained and insured. If used, you are encouraged to make a donation for their upkeep (current suggestion is £10 for an overnight stay). At present the moorings are funded by the seagrass project but that will end in a few years, hence the request for a donation to keep them going into the future.
The moorings are in an area that nearly dries on a low spring tide but are generally usable by shallower draft boats.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 29th Sep 2022
I reviewed these notes at the end of September 2022. Np major changes but I've added a link to the tidal streams around the entrance.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
UPDATE SUMMER 2021
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 27th Sep 2021
No changes
UPDATE SPRING 2018
Written by Don Thomson | 23rd Apr 2018
We have uploaded new charts.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Update Spring 2016
Written by dononshytalk | 28th Apr 2016
These notes were reviewed by Don in April 2016.
Correction to my notes posted in 2011 below
Written by dononshytalk | 20th Jan 2014
You should leave Dale at LW not HW as previously stated in the 2011 notes - apologies for any confusion
2 of 2 people found this helpful
Update 2013
Written by dononshytalk | 18th Feb 2013
These notes were reviewed and updated by Don T on the 18th February 2013. The details on the South Wales Firing Practice Areas was expanded and a few notes of local knowledge added.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Jack Sound to the North West of St Anne's Head, South West Wales
Written by dononshytalk | 6th Apr 2011
If travelling North from Milford by far the quickest route from Milford Haven is via Jack Sound and Ramsey Sound. Neither of these should be approached in rough weather and without acces to a Pilot Book and chart (AC1482- on this site) - I use the Imray Pilot which gives specific directions on how to navigate through both sounds and I have done so on numerous occasions. I should make the point that was made to me on one occassion whilst I was waiting at Dale for settled weather - I had said to a local that if it was too rough to navigate the Jack the next day I would just have to go round the outside - and was told that if it was too rough for the Jack it would too rough round the outside!!

If you depart from Dale about High Water you should make the Jack by slack water if you dont allow your speed of advance drop below about four and a half knots. Just follow the Imray directions and it is a piece of cake. If you are trying to make it round to Fishguard in one hit it is necessary to go through the Jack about an hour before slack - keep the speed up and you can go through Ramsay at slack water. I have only attempted it once under sail and that was on a very settled day with the breeze from the Sou'East - gybed through the Jack, went across St Bride's Bay under spinnaker and found that the Ramsay was so settled that I went through that under spinnaker - but that was an exceptional sail - they only come along every so often and are unforgettable - best go through the sounds under power - or at least with the engine at a moments notice.

The reverse trip is not possible from the North as Ramsay Sound Slack water is an hour before The Jack - but a little way along St Brides is Solva - lovely little place - so an afternoon sail through Ramsay Sound followed by a convivial evening at The Ship for a morning start for the Jack can be recommended
4 of 4 people found this helpful
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