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The winds and waves precluded us from leaving Milford Haven to cross the Irish Sea to Kilmore Quay, so we decided to explore the countryside and industry of this part of the Welsh coast.
From its early years as a whaling processing port and fishing port, Milford has adapted to the changes in its fortunes embracing new technologies as the need arises. During World War II, despite its strategic importance as the home of a large fish market, a mines depot, a flax factory, and housing numerous military personnel, Milford escaped serious damage from German bombings and was instrumental in parts of the planning for the D-Day landings. The large independent homes of the wealthy from that time can be seen in the higher curve of the bay.
Esso built the first oil refinery in the 1960s and laid the foundations for Milford’s success today. It became a commercial dock, and by 2010 it was the fourthafter a 90º turn to starboard, refineries and berthing piers for the tankers can be seen stretching for miles. The tankers themselves are huge and often require three enormous tugs to help them berth. We saw one of the tugs in the dry dock– its propellers were something to behold! What really struck us as we wandered the coastal paths in strong winds was the juxtaposition of the new cleaner energy production of wind and solar energy and the huge pipelines and refineries required to satisfy our energy needs.
