This is one day after a spring tide. Entry was no problem with the channel clearly marked. Kept to the centre as suggested below. The sand on the port side on entering does seem to be encroaching into the channel.

I found several spots at 6 feet deep and one at 5.5 feet deep. The gauge on entering showed the channel to be 2m depth.

On leaving a couple of days later at 3hrs before HW I didn't see anything less than 8 feet.

Toilets were closed for cleaning between about 5.30am and 6am.

No calor available, but they did have Campingaz 907 which was great because that's what we use.

Staff were very helpful and friendly, but bear in mind the day staff finish at either 16:30 or 17:00 and the night watch doesn't come on until 18:00. As we came in at 17:10 it meant we couldn't get hold of toilet or entry codes for an hour.

Nearest pub seems to be the Wetherspoon's, about a mile/20 minutes walk.

I reviewed these notes in September 2022. I've noted the remarks made below about grounding in August 2021. I think that two hours before LWS that night (it was two days before full springs) might have been tempting fate a bit with a 1.5 metres draft (tide would have been 2 metres at best?) I've checked the buoyage at the entrance and those yellow buoys are not mentioned anywhere. Not sure went wrong there. The message is keep to the starboard side and with there being a record of "bumps," maybe approach with a healthy margin for error. No other changes.

Hi, yesterday 17/08/2021, coming in pitch black night into the channel, I ran aground just at the entrance of the channel. We were at 2 hours before low tide, we draft 1,5meters.
There are 2 yellow buoys to pass between before aiming at the first green marker. They are uncharted and unlit, so I missed them. Had to wait 6 hours before being able to float again.

I reviewed these notes in August. Read the notes in the three entries below; I've worked their advice into the main text but they are worth noting. Prices are up and they now have pump-out facilities

I got in with a Southerly 46, keel almost fully up at around 14:30, on a LW spring tide of 1.0m at 16:05.
I can confirm the 3 shallow areas, noted below.
The Marina advised approximately 1.5m, and that seems about right.
Prices seemed more reasonable than last time, I was charged £39.45 for a14m yacht.

We draw 1.9m, and usually wait for tidal hight of 2.4m before exit or entry. Tested an entry at 2m tide hight June 7th and (with local knowledge of the channel) found 300mm clearance from keel to the sand in three areas, a bit close for us, the first just before the channel entrance, again just past the large port mark by the trots, and again just past the fishing boat pontoon, apart from these 3 areas the channel had approximately 1m clearance . So, if you make it passed the entrance you should get all the way in, stay centre channel until the PHM at the trots then stay to port of centre channel.

I arrived on the 23rd August 2020, at around highwater, there seemed to be plenty of water in the channel, draft 3.3m. Moored alongside the hammer head on pontoon 5A, plenty of water there at all states of the tide. Left on the morning of the 28th, about 2hour before low water. Very little water in the channel. My boat is a Southerly with a lifting keel, with the keel almost up, draft about 1m I was sanding the barnacles off the bottom.
I understand that the channel has been “levelled” in May 2021, no idea what that means, but be aware that there is likely to be very little water in the channel at the bottom of the tide.

They've dredged the entrance this spring and will be "flattening" the bumps during May. Prices have gone up a bit. There were no adverse effects here during the Spring storms which affected Holyhead.

These notes were reviewed by Don in April 2016. Prices have been updated. I have drawn attention to the unmarked shallows to the West of the marina hammerheads.

There are now two yellow buoys marking entrance to channel. Go between these.

We draw 1.2 m and have entered & left on low neaps without any difficulty. Drive slowly and keep looking at the depth gauge!

Facilities very good, immaculately clean showers / toilets and very friendly sailing club. ( use back door If front is locked). They do good food at weekends.

Pwllelhi town is very lively at weekends with some good eateries & pubs. Wetherspoons gets very busy, so go early. It's called Pen & Cob, facing railway station .

It's been reported that the entrance channel and marina have now been dredged. See a complete set of photos in the "Navigation Images" that will show you the way in.

The channel into the harbour area still has not been dredged. It is going to be scraped to remove raised areas within the channel during May 2013 and this will take just a couple of days. The main dredging will take place in the autumn of this year BUT the dredging will start at the inner basin, will then dredge the marina area and will then move to the channel. It is estimated that the dredging of the channel won’t start till around early 2014. I took my boat out at low water 20/04/13 (approx 11.30 local time) and the tide tables gave a depth of 2.2 metres. The air pressure was 1035 which gives a compression below standard of 220cms giving an approximate depth of 2 mts. My boat draws 1.5 mts (5 foot) and the channel is dredged to 0.59 below chart datum. The shallowest depth registered below my keel was 0.5 mts and this was close to the marina nearly opposite the tidal-gauge post near the fuelling pontoon. As stated before, keep very close to the “trot” moorings to stay in the deepest water, and follow the “trots” right round to the marina. Keep a very wary eye on your depth gauge if going to the fuelling pontoon. The shallow area mentioned before by the very first tidal-gauge post when entering the channel didn’t register when I passed over it.

Vegable

This last Easter the outer row of pylons (trots) have been removed so that the channel is now following the outgoing river bed. The green floating starboard buoys have also been moved further across the channel. The change isn’t immediately noticeable and hasn’t noticeably altered the passage through, but has made a big difference in depth. My boat has a 5’ (1.6m) draft and was able to go up the channel at LW + 2hrs (LW tide depth 0.2m) with what looked to be 1m clearance below the keel. The depth guage near the entrance read just on 3 metres. The shallowest area now is just beyond the 1st depth gauge situated near the entrance.
The whole channel is due to be dredged in September 2012.

14/8 – Pwllheli – Pwllheli is a large commercial marina that also runs a water sport centre, because of this the facilities are fantastic and very clean and modern, the marina is very well sheltered and there is plenty of space to pull up although it’s worth radioing well in advanced to ask directions to you berth as it is quite confusing. When entering the channel is very well marked all the way to the marina.

The main channel has been neglected over recent years and is silting up. Having witnessed RIBs stuck at low water springs I strongly suggest that the entrance chanel is assessed for navigation purposes as being dry at chart datum. There is a drying sandbank opposite the office entrance to Partingtons Yard (approximately a third of the way down the channel on the port side) and at this point mariners are advised to be as close to the "post-moorings" as possible. Stay within the channel buoys but mariners should be closer to the porthand buoys rather than the floating starboardhand buoys. The sandbank originates from the starboard side of the channel almost adjacent to the 2nd floating green starboard bouy and it is encroaching across the fairway. Continue to pass along-side these moorings until the channel widens always following the channel bouys. The depth guages are accurate.