North Wales Cruising Club

Navigational Special Mark Position. Update

We hereby notify mariners of a small change in position of the four special marks at the corners of the experimental mussel farm site in Conwy Bay. Each special mark is of yellow, St Andrews Cross type (2m), indicating a marine farm/aquaculture. The NE and SW marks are fitted with a yellow light, set to a 5 second flash sequence.
The new positions are:

	DDM WGS84
NW	N 53 18.643	W 3 59.523
NE	N 53 18.688	W 3 59.282
SE	N 53 18.543	W 3 59.205
SW	N 53 18.497	W 3 59.446

The experimental site and system

The experimental site is in an area of open water in Conwy Bay (see figure 1), just to the East of Dutchman bank. It is marked on admiralty charts for aquaculture research.

Within the site are six 150m polysteel longlines. Depending on production state, they may be buoyed with pencil floats, or they may be invisible; using near-surface submersible floats.

Please be cautious when navigating near to the site

Mariners are requested to give the installation and the buoys by which it is marked a wide berth. The buoys have drogues attached that trail beneath them in the water.

For more information, contact Julie Webb on 01248 388140/07966546915 or Ben Winterbourn on 01248 388784/07732438894 or Conwy Harbour Master, Matthew Forbes: 01492 596253.

Aid to Navigation Temporary Wreck Buoy marking the Grampian Castle Fl(4) Y10s is not on station. 53° 07’.27 N 004° 22’.94 W

The Wrecks charted position is 53° 07’.30 N 004° 22’.98 W

The Aid to navigation has been temporarily discontinued for the winter.

David John O’Neill
Harbwr Feistr Caernarfon Harbour Master

Aid to navigation Fairway Buoy L FL10s is not on station. 53° 07’.149N 004° 25’.182W

The Aid to navigation has been temporarily discontinued for the winter.

David John O’Neill
Harbwr Feistr Caernarfon Harbour Master

Aid to navigation Starboard No C11 Fl(2)G.5s is on station. 53° 09’.88 N 004° 15’.63 W

David John O’Neill
Harbwr Feistr Caernarfon Harbour Master

All mariners are advised that the yellow special mark buoy denoting the north western limit of the Puffin Island experimental mussel farm has been reported off station.  The buoy was previously in position 53°18.65’ north, 003°59.52’ west.

Caution should be followed if navigating to the south of Puffin Island in the vicinity of the mussel farm.  A further notice will be issued once the buoy is back on station.

Matthew Forbes
MSc LLB (hons) BSc MNI
Conwy Harbour Master

Aid to navigation Starboard No C11 Fl(2)G.5s is off station.

53°09’.88 N 004°15’.63 W

Mariners are advised to navigate with caution in this area.

David John O’Neill
Harbwr Feistr Caernarfon Harbour Master

All mariners are advised that a new yellow conical special mark, with a 10 knot speed advisory, has been laid to seaward of the Beacons Pontoon in Conwy Harbour.  The mark position is Lat. 053° 17.753’ North, Long 003° 50.422’ West.  The mark is lit with a yellow lantern, flash characteristic Fl Y 10s.

The 10 knot speed limit is a maximum and certain vessel hull types can still generate an excessive wash at speeds of 10 knots or less.  It is a matter of both good seamanship and safety to ensure excessive wakes are avoided so as not to potentially endanger other harbour users.

Matthew Forbes
MSc LLB (hons) BSc MNI
Conwy Harbour Master

The Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm is an extension of the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm originally developed by RWE in the Irish Sea. The proposed site has a total area of 106km2 with a capacity of approximately 576 MW. The development will include offshore transmission assets, with the export cable route likely to reach landfall on the North Wales coast to allow a grid connection at Bodelwyddan in Denbighshire.

Fugro will undertake a geotechnical site investigation to characterise the Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm extension areas. This survey work is detailed in the attached document.

Aid to Navigation Temporary Wreck Buoy marking the Grampian Castle Fl(4) Y10s is on station.

53°07’.27 N 004°22’.94 W

The Wrecks charted position is 53°07’.30 N 004°22’.98 W