Ynys Gorad Goch Under Water

by Wil
(Anglesey)

Ynys Gorad Goch in the Menai Straits

Wil Here.

The house in the middle of the Menai Straits is now under water. Honest!

As I sit here on Anglesey listening to the wind tearing at the trees outside my home, I cannot but worry about my little greenhouse. But imagine the concern of the recent owners of Ynys Gorad Goch in the middle of the Menai Straits this evening as the water from the Menai Straits laps against the fireplace.

Take a moment to read about the lovely house that attracts the attention of thousands of visitors to Anglesey every year.

The house was bought only a couple of years back and is now a delightful and intriguing photo opportunity.

Here's a link for you to have a look at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Please share your thoughts.

If I haven't wished you a Happy New Year yet, then I send you my very best wishes for a fruitful and happy 2014.

Hwyl

Wil

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Apr 27, 2015
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David Power Cable
by: William

Dear David

Not many people will know that there are a number of power cables across the straits. I do.

I was once part of a Welsh Water marine survey of the Menai Straits and held the boat stationary at high water over the general area of the Island. We were taking depth profile samples of dye released from the Treborth Sewage Treatment Works outfall and following the tide up and down the Straits for days.

We dropped the anchor over the side of the Survey Dory boat with various instrumentation and a vacuum tube attached. We felt it touch bottom and then started to pull it up in incremental stages. Jumping Jehosaphat it was rudiculously heavy and getting heavier.

We were all terrified that we'd hooked a massive conger eel with the anchor but had to get the equipment up. While I kept turning the winch two other stood either side each armed with an oar to belt the putative eel.

To our even greater horror, when we pulled the anchor into sight and nearly into the boat we found it was one of the 40,000 volt cables. I yelled and let the anchor go.

To this day I swear that the cable hummed...
Couldn't catch the tune though.

A true story.

Thanks for reminding me that such appalling things happened before Health & Safety was ever invented.

Wil

Apr 27, 2015
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Mr Payne and Deri Isaf
by: William from Anglesey Hidden Gem

Dear David

What a fascinating story about Mr Payne. I hope he found respect and kindness for most of life after an appalling beginning.

I can't imagine that one would ever smoke a lobster. There again as someone who watched and loved the most recent series of Masterchef it seems that nothing is out of bounds.

I had the joy of visiting the Derimon Smokery at Deri Isaf a few years back and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful product.

I had read in the local paper some time ago that you had move Derimon Smokery from Deri Isaf. If that's so, then where are you so that I can guide visitors to you?

Best wishes and thank you for getting in touch.

Wil

Apr 22, 2015
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Missing lightning conductor on Britannia Bridge
by: David McCreadie

have you ever looked up at the middle stauncheon of the bridge when crossing over to Anglesey ?
There is a missing lightning conductor spike next to the white flag pole .
I found it diving around the base in 1968 --surfacing covered in seaweeds --my pals thought I was Poseidon with the trident !!
I still have it !
David

Apr 22, 2015
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Gorad Goch
by: David McCreadie

I came to Menai Bridge in 1966 to study Marine Biology/Oceanography and I started diving for lobsters in the Straits, later and forming a Company and renting the Old Boathouse in Vaynol Park from Sir Michael Duff.

I met Dr andd Mrs Benn on the Menai slipway with their boatman Mr Payne, who was deaf and dumb. He used to draw locations where I could find lobsters by diving and he was always correct.

Over the winters in the 1970's I used to look after Gorad Goch island when the owners were abroad and have been in the living room on an equinoxal high tide with a SW gale blowing with the water up to my knees - all the weirs submerged.

After Mr Payne's death, I was told he was born on the island at the turn of the century. His parents did not understand his aflictions and he was tossed into the Menai Straits on full ebb as a two year old, to wash ashore. He was brought up in Bangor orphanage and became the island boatman.

I dived for the present owners and put the electricity and water cables in from Anglesy to the island in the 1990's . 25 mins to shoot 16.5 tons of armour cable ! at slack tide --then a few weeks to concrete it into the seabed.

Jamie Owen, BBC, interviewed me on the Wales Today News on the island . When I said it was near there the Romans crossed to slaughter the Druids in 60 AD and the Anglesey women bared their backsides to the invader--the transmission cut. There had been a lightning strike in Cardiff. There again, are their Gods still out there? I have since found the Roman stone anchors where they crossed.

The small church like building was actually the first smokery on Anglesey.

For my part, I started Derimon smokery in 2003 in Deri Isaf, Dulas

Best wishes

David

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