See below for Milford Haven detail.

Be sure to check out Reeds and / or the appropriate pilots for more detailed information and alternates, this is just an overview of likely candidates, but I have been to all of them.

To see my recent visits to each anchorage check out the "Labels" towards the bottom of the right hand panel, links below may not be comprehensive.

Update Sept 23 to include Harbours and Marinas also some info on fuel & gas availability, this is not comprehensive as I only have to fill up occasionally.

Contents (in order presented) Updated to 23rd June 2025.

St Ives.
St Ives - Carbis Bay.
Padstow - Portquin Bay.
Milford Haven.

Neyland Marina.
Milford Marina.
Dale Shelf.
Sandy Haven Bay.
Crow Pool (Pembroke River).
Short term pontoons near Neyland.
Beggars Reach.

Fishguard.
Aberdaron Bay.

Four recommended anchorages:

Carbis Bay.
Portquin Bay.
Dale Shelf.
Fishguard.

St Ives

If you can work the tide to get round Lands End from Newlyn to be at Cape Cornwall at a sensible time then with an east bound tide (as there should be) St Ives is achievable in a day and is an excellent setting off point for SE Ireland or South Wales BUT only in reasonably settled conditions, it is exposed to onshore winds and Atlantic swell and waves can refract round the headland to make the anchorage untenable, Newquay further up the coast is a surfing mecca for that very reason.

Carbis bay (below) has a little more shelter and is unencumbered by moorings, but I would still use a tripping line to be on the safe side.

Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

WARNING

In 2022 (and probably in 2020) there was a large number of lobster pots north of the harbour with strings running east / west, each with a pick up buoy and a Dan buoy several meters down tide of it. On a dark night going North / South there is a good chance of fouling one as I did in 2022. If you really have to leave or arrive during a dark night don't head for / from the harbour go via "Clodgy Point" west of the harbour (or a bit further west) and keep close to the shore between there and the harbour keeping a very sharp look out using a good lamp, at least you will pass inshore of most of them and run parallel to the well separated but joined buoys, see also cautions under Carbis Bay.

St Ives after a week of light winds,

Looking SE towards Carbis Bay.

Visited 2020 & 2022.

St Ives - Carbis Bay

Just SE of the above with slightly better shelter, more room with no moorings and good holding. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Visited 2023

WARNING

When I visited in 2023 there were still a number of pots as described above but coming out of Carbis bay I counted over thirty sets of pot buoys between Carbis bay and "The Stones" to the NE, many small and difficult to see, definitely not a route to take in the dark.

A wide angle shot of Carbis bay from the anchorage.

Padstow - Portquin Bay.

One of two anchorages recommended to use when waiting for the tide to get into the River Camel and Padstow. This one is a couple of miles NE as the crow flies, behind "The Rumps" and inside "The Mouls", the other is east of Trevose Head (someone told me that this anchorage is uncomfortable due to swell but I can't vouch for that). Good shelter from the wind in westerlies and offshore winds but I'm not sure how much see could refract around "The Rumps" and inside "The Mouls" but it was fine when I was there in 2023 after some brisk sailing the previous night.

WARNING

There were only a couple of Pots near the anchorage but quite a few poorly marked ones without flags off Tintagel Head to the NE, in the dark I hit one but had got the power off in time and as I was coming almost down tide and the pair of buoys were close together I did not get entangled.

Looking North from the anchorage.

Visited 2023

Milford Haven

Milford Haven anchorages and marinas or pontoons.

If going up the west coast of Wales then Milford is an obvious stop off point and it also works well to or from Ireland depending on the wind and it has an anchorage to suit all winds although a few will have serious tidal flows to contend with and all have a large tidal range, well over 7m oat extreme springs. The most convenient are Dale Shelf with winds with west in them, Sandy Haven Bay for north westerlies to easterlies and West Angle Bay for easterlies and Angle Bay for southerlies although I have not used this largely due to it being shallow. If the wind changes radically you will probably have to move as the water can get quite uncomfortable, although not dangerous very quickly.

If staying at Milford Marina, where since August 2024 I have been based, or Neyland, consider moving to Dale Shelf or Sandy Haven Bay the evening before departing further afield, apart from saving a nights berthing you will be better positioned for an early start as it quite a way from Neyland and unless it is free flow you have to lock out at Milford. Similar applies to arrivals.

WARNINGS

Monitor VTS on Channel 12 at all times except when working Chan 14, "Pier Head"

Even in light winds, seas can be difficult over Saint Ann's Head Shoal and there may be a lot of pots, often submerged; I hit a large one in 2024 quite well off and completely invisible looking into the sun and barely visible down sun. If in doubt stay well out and turn in just outside or within the shipping channel keeping an eye out for shipping, especially the ferries that are likely to be moving quickly, even in restricted visibility. Monitor Milford VTS on channel 12, it might even be an Achilles owner doing the talking.
I would avoid Crow Pool (Pembrook River) in windy conditions, see below. There are a number of good anchorages above Cleddau bridge but it is 10NM from the entrance to the first ones and the tide is strong. Vodafone and O2 signals OK throughout.

Neyland Haven Marina

Good facilities but rather cramped. It could be tricky to enter and berth in a very strong S or SE wind which is why I did not go there in 2021, a good decision according to a local. Fuel a short walk away or from a pontoon below the marina. Chandlery and marine services near by, CO-OP walkable but up hill.

There are two sections, the upper one is behind a sill so access is limited, the lower section and the fuel berth has a tidal range of close to 7 metres and steep access to shore. 50p a metre per day more expensive (2024) than Milford Marina in the lower section, the same in the upper section.

The narrow entrance to Neyland not quite at low water.

Milford Marina

Sancerre is now (July 2024) berthed here.

From Sancerre's new berth. (Panning is a bit fast

in full screen)

A well sheltered marina in an old ship dock, decent facilities, fuel etc. Tesco superstore and railway station 10 minutes walk, plenty of places to eat. Entrance is through a lock, operated hourly on request in each direction, 1notice required, plus a free flow period see their web site for information (link not maintained so may not work) Lock Times for Milford Marina and Milford Docks the link also includes procedures for entering including the (mandatory) need to contact "Pier Head" before entering the lock in either direction.

Recommended in preference to Neyland but it will often be full, booking at least a day ahead is recommended by the marina. There is a waiting pontoon outside the lock gate during the season (It was very late on site in 2025) but it is very exposed to the south, boats not to be left unattended, set fenders high for this, but low inside. Update: as of 15/8/25 the pontoon can only be used for up to 15 minutes so is no longer a viable waiting pontoon but for pick up and set down only. see Notice to Mariners No.085 of 2025 - Milford Dock Mackerel Stage - Use of Pontoon Guidelines

Don't confuse the small port hand lateral (Milford Dock Fl(2 + 1)R.6s) marking the approach channel with the large port lateral (Cunjic Q R) marking the shipping channel 3 cables away and close to the same bearing approaching from the oil jetty down stream.

If convenient consider anchoring at one of the anchorages below and go through during free flow, especially single handed. Also a good option when leaving close to springs, leave the marina in the evening, anchor overnight at Dale and make a quick getaway first thing in the morning and save a nights berthing into the bargain.

WARNING: The information in the 2nd edition of the Irish Sea Pilot is incorrect but may have been corrected in the 3rd published in 2024:

Free flow is for two hours ending 10 minutes before high water not as described.
It says that for those not using the marina fuelling is best done during free flow, according to the web site fuel IS NOT available during free flow, probably because the gate and radio operator may also be doing the fuel.

Dale Shelf

One of the free pontoons in the area, this at Dale Shelf.

Alongside the free to use pontoon moored in Dale Shelf Bay. I would not recommend lying to this overnight unless the weather is calm and especially if there is east in the wind, I had spent a quite night at anchor close by and motored over to meet up with some fellow Jester sailors, the boat in front of Sancerre is from the RAFYC of which I am a member and the one in front of that is a very well travelled Achilles 840. An hour or so after arrival the sea got up and we left, two of us to Sandy Haven Bay.

It can get busy but there is plenty of space and there is good holding, it can be a little bumpy in a strong westerly as the fetch is quite long over shallow water but strong tidal flow is not the issue it can be up stream. Go somewhere else in fresh easterlies. In a fresh southerly this can still be a good option, it could be bumpy but waves coming round the headland will be on the port bow so rolling will likely not be a major issue.

Dale on a breezy day, westerly c18 knots gusting 25 close to high water. The boats south (left) of the pontoon (full screen or enlarge view probably required to see it) are on moorings, those close into the beach are shallow draft and those close in may be taking the ground as it dries 2 cables out at LAT at does all of the bay to the right.

Sancerre is more directionally stable than many of the other boats aided by a sufficiency of chain + snubber, low freeboard, a longish fin keel and the windage of the gantry and solar panels aft that I tilt to increase windage in these conditions.

Generally the best spot will be as far in as draft allows and as far south as space permits but remember you will need a lot of chain out for high water so you will swing a long way at low water.

Vodafone and O2 OK but not brilliant, only 2 bars and data rates not that good at weekends.

Visited 2021 and three times in 2022, twice in 2023, 2024 & 2025 - click on the "labels” for Milford on the side panel.

Sandy Haven Bay

No facilities but good holding and shelter from the north and east.

Visited 2021 and twice in each of 2022 and 2023, once in 2024.

Sandy Haven Bay

Crow Pool (Pembroke River)

Holding very suspect and very exposed to gusts from the SE.

Warning

I do not recommend anchoring in the Pembroke river in any wind, see "Near disaster [on the Pembroke River] then up the River Cleddau", and in light winds anchorages further west are likely to be preferred.

Visited 2022

Pontoons near Neyland.

During the season there are free walk ashore pontoons for short term use only at Neyland Point on the north side of the river near the sailing club (Co-op an uphill walk) and at Hobb’s Point on the south side next to another sailing club (ASDA and Lidle a bit closer from the pontoon and not up hill). The Neyland pontoon has very shallow (or no?) water at low tide but with the range it is not a problem at other times. Currents run strong past both, Hobb’s is the easiest as you can go in head to tide but watch out for eddies especially on final approach.

The chandler mentioned in my copy of the pilot as being close to Hobb’s point appears to have closed (2025), Dale Sailing near Neyland marina is well stocked and within walking distance of the pontoon.

Cleddau River Anchorages

There is a good anchorage on the south bank just above the bridge but exposed to strong winds from several directions, shallow in places and tidal streams to consider, check the depth in the swinging area! A long way (c 10 NM) from the entrance to the Haven, especially against the strong tide. Used in 2022.

Anchored above Cleddau bridge.

Beggars Reach

Even further up the river but a pleasant river anchorage in the right conditions, I preferred it to Williamston Pill recommended in the pilot as that was rather crowded with moorings. Good holding when I went there but a strong tide. An anchor alarm or anchor watch is a sensible precaution as the tide turns. Vodaphone and O2 signals OK. Visited in 2024.

Looking up Beggars Reach from near the lower end.

Fishguard

Very exposed to the N and especially the NE. The picturesque harbour at lower town dries and is only useful for landing, there is a café (not tried) and little else but a stiff uphill walk will get you into town. The anchorage between Saddle Point and Castle Point fills quickly but there is plenty of room east and west which would provide better protection from a strong southerly wind which would whistle down the valley. The anchorage off Goodwick sands is more exposed and the northern section is marked on the chart as having small craft moorings whilst there were few visible it could indicate the area is foul with old moorings. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Providing there is at least a couple of metres of water above chart datum there is a good slipway for landing on the north side of the East Breakwater. There is a garage close by for fuel by porterage, the Spar shop at the garage is a waste of time for ships stores but there is a large Tesco Express a hundred yards along the road.

Lower Town anchorage left and centre the east breakwater from
where I anchored NE of Castle Point in 2023.

Visited in 2023 and 2025.

Aberdaron Bay:

A large bay 3.5 miles NE of Bardsey Island. Access through Bardsey Sound needs a fair tide and it would be slow going coming from the south against the tide but once in there is good holding and good shelter from off shore winds. I used it returning from Ireland in 2022 and 2023. A direct passage to Milford is possible from here in the right conditions but is a very long day, Fishguard is likely to be preferred stop off on route (see the link for 2023).