{{Short description|Bay in Wales, inlet of Irish Sea}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Conwy Bay | native_name = {{native name|cy|Bae Conwy}} | image = Conwy Bay from the Great Orme (IMGP8238).jpg | caption = Conwy Bay from the Great Orme towards Dwygyfylchi and Penmaenmawr. | coordinates = {{Coord|53|20|N|3|58|W|region:GB_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | image_bathymetry = Conwy Bay.gif | caption_bathymetry = Map, Conwy Bay shown in north | location = North West Wales | type = Bay and inlet | part_of = Irish Sea | etymology = River Conwy | basin_countries = United Kingdom }} thumb|The harbour at Conwy thumb|Conwy Bay '''Conwy Bay''' ({{langx|cy|Bae Conwy}}, also spelled as '''Conway Bay''') is an inlet of the Irish Sea. It is situated at the southeastern point of the coast of Anglesey at Bangor on the northern central coast of Wales, stretching from Puffin Island to Great Orme in the northeast. Bangor, Penmaenmawr, Beaumaris and Llandudno are notable towns on the bay. With its onshore winds and ebbing tide, the bay is popular with yachtsmen; Conwy Yacht Club hosts an annual regatta in June.
==Description== thumb|left|A rainbow over Conwy Bay Conwy Bay lies at the southeastern point of the coast of Anglesey at Bangor on the northern central coast of Wales.<ref name="GM">{{Google maps | url =https://www.google.com/maps?ll=53.333333,-3.966667&q=53.333333,-3.966667&hl=en&t=h&z=12 | accessdate =25 April 2016}}</ref> Puffin Island and the Great Orme mark the limits of the bay.<ref name="VMH">{{cite web|url=https://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/wales-nw-england/conwy-deganwy-marinas/|title=Conwy (River) and Deganwy|publisher=Visitmyharbour.com|accessdate=25 April 2016}}</ref> The bay is entered between Trwyn-du and Great Ormes Head in the northeast and extends for approximately {{convert|8|mi}} to the southwest at Bangor, marking the northeast entrance to the Menai Strait.<ref name="NIMA2004">{{cite book|author=NIMA|title=Pub142, 2004 Sailing Directions (Enroute): Ireland and the West Coast of England|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RRxwjdKqFWoC&pg=PA125|date=1 January 2004|publisher=ProStar Publications|isbn=978-1-57785-556-9|page=125}}</ref>
Bangor, Penmaenmawr and Beaumaris lie on the bay, with Llandudno<ref>{{cite web|title=Llandudno Caernarvonshire (Map and extract from Gazetteer of the British Isles, 1887)|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=370|publisher=A Vision of Britain Through Time|accessdate=7 April 2013}}</ref> to the eastern extreme. The River Conwy flows into Conwy Bay in the southeast, while the Menai Strait in the west connects it to Caernarfon Bay.<ref name="GM"/>
The coastline at both sides of the bay is low. A considerable area of the bay is characterised by drying sands, Lavan Sands and the Dutchman Bank ({{langx|cy|Banc Yr Hen Wyddeles}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Bedwyr Lewis |title=Yn Ei Elfen |publisher=Gwasg Carreg Gwalch |year=1992 |isbn=978-0863812408 |language=Welsh |trans-title=In His Element}}</ref> being the most prominents banks.<ref name="NIMA2004"/> To the west of the entrance at Great Ormes Head is the Four Fathom Bank, a shallow area with depths of under {{convert|6|m}}, though the dry Conwy Sands dominate much of the estuary area in the eastern part of the bay between Great Ormes Head and Penmaen-bach Point, {{convert|3|mi}} to the south. {{convert|1.7|mi}} to the east of Penmaen-bach Point is the entrance to the Conwy River.<ref name="NIMA2004"/> The outer estuary of the Conwy in the southeastern corner of Conwy Bay is marked by "extensive sandbanks, mudflats and mussel beds", and is an important habitat for birds such as dunlin, oystercatcher, curlew and redshank.<ref name="Prater2010">{{cite book|last=Prater|first=A.J|title=Estuary Birds of Britain and Ireland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yxsxe_ZEpY4C&pg=PA203|date=30 November 2010|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4081-3847-2|page=203}}</ref>
==Water sports== With its strong onshore winds and ebbing tide, the bay is popular with yachtsmen.<ref name="VMH"/> The bay is home to several yacht and boating clubs. Conwy Yacht Club hosts an annual regatta in June, in preparation for the Conwy River Festival in July.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conwyyachtclub.com/CYC_Regatta.pdf|title=Conway Yacht Club 2016 Regatta|publisher=Conwyyachtclub.com|accessdate=25 April 2016}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Bays of the Irish Sea Category:Bays of Anglesey Category:Bays of Conwy County Borough Category:Bays of Gwynedd