Holyhead to Caernafon - Day 49

Holyhead to Caernafon - Friday 24th June 2011 - Day 49

At 08.00 left marina and passed the pier head by 08.30, the North Stack lighthouse we passed futher to the north and missed the overfalls.  The even more impressive South Stack lighthouse situated on an island with access over a bridge to the cliff tops passed at 09.45, by this time we had full sail up.
We had a very good run down with a very favourable wind and arrived at the Menai Straits, Caernafon bar too early and waited for the tide.

This is a very tricky passage as at the entrance and you have to stay within the buoyed channel.  These are re-positioned every year as the very fast tide moves the sand and alters the channel. The marina is five miles up the Menai Strait and with a fast flowing flood tide the entrance is fairly narrow and has to be judged with care as the walls are not forgiving.  We were rafted up against two other yachts by 15.30 with castle as a backdrop and rain beginning to fall.
By 16.30, I was in the medical centre luckily at the other end of the marina.  The doctor pronounced acute gout and gave me a prescription for a bucket load of tablets and informed the cause can be brought on by tomatoes.  First time I heard this one, as I eat tomatoes like sweets and have them everyday but not now.  Hobbled to the chemist in castle square where the pharmicist gave more good information on the treatment of gout.
Into Weatherspoons for a meal and orange before returning to the yacht club next to the marina, where we were made most welcome.
The rain never stopped from our arrival and it lashed down during the night.