Kansas Snapshots by Gloria Freeland - June 14, 2024

Tales from Dale in Wales

The 12-passenger catamaran zipped across the salty sea water, throwing up a spray that stung our faces and soaked our hair and clothes. We were in Southwest Wales - a part of the country husband Art and I had never seen. One of my requests had been to take a boat trip to catch a glimpse of some puffins. I had never seen them in the flesh ... or feather ... but have always been intrigued by their resemblance to penguins. I'd later learn the two birds aren't even in the same family!

We first pulled close to Skokholm Island, where puffins, razorbills, and guillemots abound. Taking photos was challenging because the ocean waves caused the boat to pitch constantly. Some birds were on the water, while others rested on the rocky cliffs. I took dozens of pictures, hoping a few would be of reasonable quality.

Then we set off for Skomer Island. It was inhabited by even more of our feathered friends! Puffins were splashing in the water, zooming here and there, and occasionally resting on the waves. I was surprised by how small they were. Our guide said each weighs no more than a can of Coke. They lose the coloring on their orange beaks and feet after mating. Every year, they spend eight months on and in - they can dive to 200 feet - the North Atlantic, never seeing land. During their month-long molt, they ride the waves, unable to fly.

I would have been happy if I had seen nothing more. But we saw more - much more!

Our home base was Dale, which is little more than a loop at the end of a road on a peninsula that juts into the ocean. The eastern edge is next to the water, and a few homes and businesses are clustered along its length.

Rosemary and John were the nice hosts of our Airbnb. Their place was cozy and open. The croissants, bread, eggs, cheese, jam, fruit, coffee, and other items they had left for us were welcome after our four-hour trip through winding, narrow roads.

After a short rest, we went to The Griffin, a local restaurant and pub. The waiter was quite accommodating, explaining each dish and accompanying sauce since most of them were unfamiliar. Art described it as one of those places where portions are small, but the bill is large.

We shared fish soup and a lobster cake for appetizers and a "main" of John Dory - a fish I had never heard of. Served on mashed potatoes, it was delicious - flaky with a light flavor. For dessert, Art chose a lemon sponge cake with lemon sauce and I selected "Pembrokeshire Promise" - a local vanilla ice cream with honeycomb.

Was it costly? Yes it was! Was it good? It wasn't just good; it was, as the Brits say, "brilliant!"

We were ready to ask for the bill, when a couple approached and asked if they could join us. Someone had told them a couple with a "foreign" accent was in the restaurant and they said we looked "interesting." It was fun talking to Kevin and Tina about where they were from before settling locally, what their occupations were, how long they had lived in Dale, and other topics, and they quizzed us as well.

It was a "bank holiday" weekend during our visit, meaning people had Monday off. The village hosted its annual "Pirates Day" on Saturday, so the little harbor was full of people fishing, sailing, and walking along the beach, as well as participating in crafts and contests and dressing like pirates and mermaids.

We had also booked a performance of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at St. Davids' 800-year-old cathedral in the town of St. Davids. The concert proved to be entertaining, with numbers by William Mathias, Jean Sibelius, and Johannes Brahms. All were excellent, but the one that stood out was Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47, featuring young Korean violinist Inmo Yang. The piece is physically demanding, and Yang's playing captivated the audience. It was easy to see why he has won dozens of awards.

We enjoyed the concert so much that we bought tickets for another - Emma Johnson and The Orchestra for the Environment. We were equally impressed with that group. Johnson was a superb clarinetist as well as the conductor for the orchestra, which was formed in 2023 "to highlight the wonders of nature and the need to take action to combat climate change."

The rest of our time was spent wandering wherever serendipity took us - walking along St. Ann's head to see the old lighthouse and breathtaking views of the sea crashing against large expanses of craggy outcroppings formed when molten rock pushed and melted its way between other layers; watching the breakers roll in along the wide Broad Haven and Newgale beaches; and observing people windsurfing, sailing, and collecting seashells.

We took a dive into the past with a visit to Pembroke Castle and its 900-year-plus history. Henry VII, the 16th great-grandfather of King Charles III, was born there. The castle is also the site of recent archaeological excavations in the Wogan Cavern underneath the Great Hall. Archaeologists have recovered stone tools as well as bone fragments belonging to mammoths, reindeer, and horses. Other artifacts demonstrating some Roman activity, and those of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers have also been found, meaning the site has been used by humans for thousands of years.

Returning to the present, we were amused by children learning to be "proper knights," including how to fight with swords fashioned from plastic. The kids loved it because their instructors were really "into it."

Our holiday-within-a-holiday was most enjoyable - history, music, bird-watching, beautiful landscapes, good food, fun people. We couldn't have asked for anything more on our trip to Dale, Wales!