We undertook an unusual and very enjoyable job on Friday, ferrying some keen bikers over to the Isle of Man to see the Senior TT race. They were all from north Anglesey so we picked them up from Amlwch. Tides dictated a 0300 start from Conwy but we snatched a little shut eye and breakfast in Amlwch Harbour before picking up the lads at 0600. It was a beautiful morning and as we drew closer to the Isle of Man the sea really was mill pond like.
After putting the lads ashore in Douglas Harbour we had a greasy spoon brunch and then had a look around the Grandstand. The Island was buzzing, as it always is on race week. The Senior Race was started and then delayed, so we finally watched most of it at Quarter Bridge.
We left the Island at about 1830, again into glassy calm seas and after dropping the lads back at Amlwch we arrived in Conwy at about 2230. It was a long old day but fun and brought back many memories of when Dad and I used to watch the racing over there in the nineties. The lads have booked the same trip for next year.
Two angling trips, on Saturday and Sunday, again in good weather, but not quite as calm as Friday, saw steadyish pollack fishing on the offshore wrecks. Fish came in to 7 lb and Mally also had the first decent cod of the year at about 4lb. Hopefully they will become more plentiful through the next couple of weeks towards the end of June.
The annual algal bloom is at its height at the moment but we did notice over the weekend that it is starting to die off. The algae multiply so rapidly that the water is stripped of the nutrients the algae feed on so the population crashes and dies off. When this happens the water in the Conwy River has a distinct, strong smell of ozone. So hopefully the water will clear over the next couple of weeks as the bloom dies off, allowing the mackerel to come in, along with many of the other summer species. The algal bloom is an essential part of the marine ecosystem and most fish and shellfish species time their spawnings with the bloom. Their larvae then have food to eat whilst they spend their first few weeks suspended in the plankton.
Yesterday rounded off the weekend with a trip to the lobster pots. Fishing for lobster is still pretty slow but this is now the period where they moult, mate and hatch the eggs they have looked after through the winter. The crab however are very active with plenty in the pots. Some very large male crab around too. If anyone local to the Conwy area would like to buy some reasonably priced brown crab or lobster please feel free to give me a call (07710819747).
I still have a space on a two day Isle of Man trip, 30th June - 1st July, £165 including 1 night B and B, if anyone fancies a short angling break.
