Milford Haven is more than just an anchorage. This large natural harbor in the Daugleddau Estuary offers two marinas, buoys, a wide variety of anchorages, and a large body of water for all kinds of water sports. Dale Anchorage is one of its welcoming bays.
An initially uninviting entrance
At first sight, the dense traffic of oil tankers and large ships, as well as the industrial landscape around Milford, do not suggest the beauty and variety of possible stops. You should not stop there, because you will soon forget them once you arrive at the anchorage.
The entrance to Milford Haven poses no real difficulty. Sailboats and pleasure boats can refrain from following the two well-defined channels for larger vessels. So, with a little care, you can pass these vessels without any problem, keeping respectable safety distances.
The entrance can also be made at night thanks to the different lights of the buoyage. In this case, the route must be carefully prepared in order to recognize the lights with certainty, knowing also that fishing traps are placed near the coast.
In addition, a danger zone to be avoided is marked south of the entrance to Milford Haven due to army training fires.
The very accessible Dale anchorage
Dale's anchorage, north of the entrance to Milford Haven, offers good shelter from all winds except easterly. The entire area inside the yellow buoys is designated as a limited speed zone for the tranquility of anchored and buoyed sailboats.
The bay spreads out gently and evenly. In summer, a visitor's pontoon is established on the 2-meter line, nearly half a mile from the landing where a fresh water tap is available.
Since 2022, three visitor mooring buoys have been installed just north of the mooring area and slightly west of the deep water pontoon. These buoys are intended, in part, to discourage anchoring in the protected sea grass area. If used, a donation can be made, approximately £10 per night, to keep these buoys in use. Anchoring is possible in the seagrass area, which is largely marked out.
On land, a friendly yacht club is located in the small hamlet. If you give advance notice, it is possible to use its showers. Restaurant, café, post office, are located next to the beach but you should not look for other services in this bay. A bus serves Milford if needed.
A pontoon and a slipway make it easy to disembark with a dinghy.
An environment worth visiting
Milford Haven is part of the Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park. The protection of this area, since 1952, was motivated by the beauty of its coasts. Indeed, sailing around Milford Haven offers magnificent panoramas punctuated by cliffs, islands and beaches.
You should not miss, in particular, the island of Skomer. From April to July, it is home to a huge colony of puffins, the famous shearwaters .
