Carrickfergus to Port Ellen

My time of departure from Carrickfergus was determined by the opening times of the fuel berth.  This was my last port before the Scottish Isles, where fuel can sometimes be less readily available.  I had also stocked up on rations and topped up the water tanks.

There was a good wind and the tide was with us for all but the last couple of hours of our passage.  We saw very few other boats out on the water, just the occasional ferry crossing to or from the mainland.  As I said farewell to Ireland I could see Scotland on the bow; I now had the full collection of UK nations in my circumnavigation.

Last look back at NI 

Scotland....

The day's route.

 As we approached Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay the rain started and darkness fell, so once again I dropped the anchor in the dark; but at least I knew this was a suitable location as there was another yacht already using the cove as shelter.  Waking up the next morning I could take in the view.....

Port Ellen 

 

Lighthouse of the day.

On reflection in Carrickfergus........

Brown Eyes in the Carrickfergus Marina

The weather was beautiful this morning in Carrickfergus, so I took my camera for it's usual walk:

The Harbour.

Anyone spot the problem here?

Part of the landscape.... 

This evening it is chucking it down outside and I have spent the evening planning my route to the Isle of Islay tomorrow; that's weather dependent of course! 


I'll let you know.

Onwards to Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland.....

The day's planned route.

I didn’t sleep well; I never do the first night in a new anchorage, not being 100% sure if the anchor is dragging or holding firm and I was up and about again soon after 5 getting on with the list of jobs I had written the night before.

Sunrise.....

Sticking my head out of the hatch, it was lovely to see the sunrise and get my first glimpse of the surrounding coastline, including a castle!

Reflecting on a castle.

The sea was calm and there was little wind, but I weighed anchor and set off at 8 heading to my last port in Northern Ireland before crossing to the Scottish Islands.

Lighthouse of the day.

Carrickfergus castle

Carrickfergus was a welcome sight and a chance to catch up on some sleep.......

Brown Eyes in the marina...far left.

Malahide to South Point (nr Portaferry)

Look closely at this photo and you will notice a rainbow over Brown Eyes.

After a great week exploring the area around Dublin with Anita, it was time to move on and complete the next part of the UK circumnavigation.  It was high tide just after midday at Malahide and this was the best time of the day to leave the marina and negotiate the very narrow entrance channel leading back out to the Irish Sea.

Lighthouse of the day.

There was a reasonable wind and I was able to sail the first half of the journey, later resorting to some motor-sailing. Despite this, I fell a little behind my planned schedule which wasn't helped by having to weave my way through a fleet of fishing vessels and it soon became apparent that I would be arriving at my intended anchorage after the sun had set.

This is one of my favourite shots of the day.

When I did finally arrive I found that the cove I had chosen was not as sheltered as I had expected so I decided to push on a little further.  Again, my alternative destination was also open to the waves and the onshore breeze.......so I pushed on again, finally arriving at a sheltered anchorage around 2 in the morning.

The day's final route.

By the time I had put Brown Eyes to bed and grabbed a hot drink it was 3 o’clock and I was very tired.....

No Photoshop involved...........

I'm not a big fan of photoshop or similar photo manipulation programs and generally I only use them to straighten  horizons, crop and tweak the colour when required. But anyone looking at this photograph I took 2 nights ago will think it has to have been "photo-shopped" - but honestly it hasn't; the sky here in Malahide really was this colour and it lit up the water around Brown Eyes as if it was on fire!