The Llandudno lake that suddenly turned blue to leave it 'looking like the Med'

Apprehension rippled through a North Wales community when a much-loved seaside lake suddenly turned unnatural shades of blue and turquoise. Photos showing inky blue blotches fuelled fears of contamination and people in Llandudno were warned to keep their children and dogs well away.

Adventurer Chris Brinkmann, owner of local sightseeing company Adventure Tour Snowdonia, was on a regular paramotoring flight on his BGD Luna3 paramotor when he came across the dyed blue lagoon from above. He shared a video that failed to allay the concerns of local residents.

Amid online warnings of possible toxicity and the potential for blue-dyed dogs, one man was left fuming after finding a dead seagull in the lake. “What’s next, dead dogs or worse?” he said online. “Come on folks, children paddle in the water.”

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The mystery of the resort’s new blue lake was finally cleared up when worried residents approached Conwy Council for an explanation. A dye had been accidentally added to the West Shore Boating Lake by model boat enthusiasts before formal permission had been granted by the local authority.

Red-faced officials at the Great Orme Model Yacht Club (GOMYC) admitted there had been a “minor misunderstanding” but said the issue has now been resolved. Environmental health officers gave the all-clear after inspecting the lake and confirming food-safe dye had been used which does not pose a danger to wildlife or humans.

A ban on paddling at the lake is not strictly observed and GOMYC said it has no problem if people use it to cool off during hot weather. On its website, Dyofix says dyed waters are safe for swimming but the firm stresses people should “give the concentrated dye time to mix into the water before diving in”. Some residents have even remarked approvingly of the lake’s new “Mediterranean look” now that the dye has fully mixed.

The dye is commonly used by boating enthusiasts – and commercial fisheries – to suppress algal growth: a similar row broke out last year in Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, when Dyofix was added to a former boating lake that a local model boat club is rescuing from weed infestation. Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone

GOMYC, formed in April, took the same approach when renovating the West Shore pool. Maintenance had tailed off in recent years, reaching a nadir in September 2023 when a nearby pumping station failed and raw sewerage flowed in the water. It was emptied and cleaned but weeds quickly regrew.

Dyofix works by blocking sunlight to curb algal growth. It was added to Llandudno’s boating lake to supplement the efforts of GOMYC members who, in recent weeks, have donned waders to clear weeds by hand. They have ambitious plans to boost Llandudno’s visitor economy by returning the lake to its glory days when scores of enthusiasts would race model boats watched by large crowds.

Club chair chair Brian Crosse said: “The dye was added ahead of schedule. It was purely a mix-up, caused by a member being on holiday, that’s all it was. The council’s environmental health team took one look, said they knew exactly what it was and said it wasn’t a problem. The Friends of West Shore group also understands the situation and has no problem with the dye.

“Words have been said, warnings given and in future we will work more closely with the council. The dye has just given the pool a slight blue tint that you can only really see if you look directly down into the water. It’s perfectly safe – it won’t harm wildlife and it won’t turn dogs blue!”

Llandudno’s boating lake is one of the UK’s oldest, having been in use since the early 19th century when known as Penmorfa Pool. In the 1880s the pool was cleared and embanked. The current lake was built in 1896 and it quickly became one of Llandudno’s biggest attractions.

To cater to demand, two model boat shops opened nearby and large regattas were held during the summer, attracting substantial crowds. Interest began to wane in the 1970s and the last big race to be held there was an international regatta between the USA and UK in 2013.

A year earlier, the facility was nearly lost to boating when Llandudno Town Council sought to relocate the town’s iconic White Rabbit statue to the centre of the lake to protect it from vandalism. The statue, which records the town’s links with Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, who built a summer house near the lake, was instead moved to Gloddaeth Avenue.

GOMYC members now race DragonFlite 95 yachts (DF95) at West Shore lake. “When radio-controlled boats were introduced, the sport became more expensive and this may have contributed to its decline,” said Mr Crosse, who runs a guesthouse in the resort and is a director of Llandudno Hospitality Association.

“The International One-Metre boats can cost £3,500 with an 18-month waiting list. However the DF95s are an entry-level boat costing £600, making them more accessible as well as fun to race.

“Already we’re seeing more and more walkers and dog owners sitting on park benches on our Sunday race days to watch the competitions. It’s a very pleasant way of passing the time and people have told us it’s a wonderful thing we’re doing.”

The club, whose membership stretches from Anglesey to Birkenhead, has lofty plans. Mr Crosse would like to host the Welsh National Regatta there and aims to get Llandudno on the the Travellers Trophy circuit, opening up the pool to hundreds of skippers around Britain.

International events are off the agenda. “It’s simply not big enough,” sighed Mr Crosse. “But there’s an opportunity to stage other events that would bring scores of competitors to Llandudno and contribute to the town’s economy.”

Race days are on Thursdays (1pm-6pm) and Sundays (10am-4pm). All are welcome to watch or participate in a pastime that was once a seaside staple.

“Many of our members are former yacht sailors who can no longer manage bigger boats and so have moved onto smaller ones,” said Mr Crosse. “Some are top-flight UK competitors and the racing here is very close and competitive.

“We’re also getting interest from youngsters and we’re working with the council to bring the pool back into proper use. As the pool is smaller, it’s spectator friendly, allowing people to get up close to the action.” Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox

As a newly established club, GOMYC also looked at using Llanfairfechan’s larger boating lake but its clay-lined bottom and pipe-fed water were huge restoration challenges. Marine Lake in Rhyl was also considered but West Shore lake was the easiest to get up and running. Its waters come straight off the Great Orme.

“Having a concrete base means there are no newts or fish there,” said Mr Cross. “Unfortunately, the water depth is just 15-16 inches and, being concrete-lined, it heats up very quickly, encouraging weed growth.

“We expect the dye to clear after a month or so, so keeping the lake free of weeds will be an ongoing battle. Pulling them out manually will always be part of the process but more dye may be needed – with the council’s support.”

Conwy Council said it has no issues with the lake’s dye. A spokesperson said: “The area maintenance officer investigated the report of blue aquatic dye (on 1st July) and decided no further action is necessary at this time. We will continue to monitor this location.”

• More information about GOMYC and its races can be found here.

• For details of sightseeing and adventure tours in Snowdonia (Eryri), visit www.adventuretoursnowdonia.co.uk.

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