BLUEMOMENT

Having spent most of my sailing time in Scotland on the west coast this year a departure to inestigate Ireland's east coat.
I'm impressed. We left Campbeltown on Sunday morning. We waited a day there for the wind to modrate a little, it had been uncomfortable getting there from Lochranza. Interestingly we heard the coastguard calling "Any white yacht sailing south from north of Campbeltown". Looking about there was no-one else silly enough to be tacking into strong winds and rough seas. That had to be us. Responding, the nice woman asked our position. Given that, she asked if we were alright. Seems a member of the public had thought us in difficulties (not sure how they thought that from that distance), and dialled emergency. "No assistance required thanks".
So Sunday from Campbeltown to sound of Sanda and on to Red Bay.
There are now 4-5 new largish vistiors moorings there. We'd been told that by the kind souls on Osprey of Red Bay, who was also in Campbeltown for the weekend. Tying up to one, we inflated the dinghy and went ashore to see what was going on. Hundreds of people and many boats. A kind guy in a rib offered to ferry us ashore, and promised that he'd bring us back later, but we thought to take our own.
There was a rowing festival or something. Also involved kids singing over a PA to music (didn't sound great from a distance!), and a beer tent! Half the NI fleet of trucks must have been on display too.
The wind direction wasn't great for a night on the mooring there, so we proceeded about another hour south to Glenarm. THs is a delightful marina and a very friendly welcome from the guy wearing a Glenarm Marina Teeshirt. Issued a key (fob style)) allocated a berth, and we had a good sleep until 0430. A boat came in from somewhere to find no berths available, so they backed up and rafted to someone (presumably waking them up too). We left early, and although the guy said to pay in the morning, the office wasn't open. There is an honesty box though.
Little wind, but a pleasant sail south, into Beifast Lough to see what was happening there.
On to Bangor. Quay marinas operate a 30 days free at other marinas system, so a free night and their 5 anchor rated facility. A swish place that.
Tomorrow we hope to go to Strangford Lough.
So far this is a pleasant place to visit.

Ireland is a great place to sail!

We spent six weeks sailing round starting from Gigha to Carrickfergus. From there we went over to Bangor to get diesel and it took us three days to manage to leave...this is the main hazard in sailing in Ireland- it is so hard to leave. And it gets harder the farther south, then west, then north you go.

I still can't decide which coast was best, probably from Donegal round to Colraine but I will need another trip to make a decision

East coast is fine, but nothing compared with the west, imho. I thought that West Cork to Donegal was pretty spectacular. Wouldn't mind spending time exploring more of the area between Galway and Clew Bays.

We've just got back from a trip round Malin Head into Lough Swilly. Sanda-Ballycastle-Portrush- Lough Swilly.
Spent some time in and around Rathmullin- great Irish hospitality at all times. I want to go further west next year.
More rafting up at piers with assorted boats & anchoring than pontoons, but good sailing territory !

Graeme

Did Lough Swilly last year to Fahan and got taxi back over to (London)derry. Coming back round Malin Head was quite tough, but the area is well worth doing. Will be back to go further west when we get the time.

Donald

Now back from the emerald places, and really enjoyed it. Stayed two nights in Bangor (coz its free), with Strangford lough in between them. What exciting sailing tacking into the wind out of Strangford through the narrows on an ebbing tide. Some very quick tacks in parts! Exhausted and out to sea, that was a long day.
We stayed a night in Loch Ryan and went to Ailsa Craig, landed and explored. That was the longest single stretch of spinnaker work I've done in a long time.
After there called in at Girvan to drop a crew to the railway, and there's a new marina there. Nice brand new pontoons, a really welcoming harbourmaster, and nice shelter. So we stayed the night. Its a bit shallow, we hit bottom several times exiting the harbour at low tide (and we only draw about 1500mm).
A brisk sail across to Lamlash, for lunch, then to Little Cumbrae (there now) for the night. Home tomorrow I think, and every intention of heading to Ireland again next year.

Just back from a trip round to Lough Swilly.
Via Sanda / Ballycastle / Portrush.
We had a great time -superb Irish hospitality at all points , even from the men in the black rib who boarded us near Dunaff Head. There was not enough time to go further west, but we will do it in the future. Facilities get a bit thinner on the ground (rafted 6 out in a mixture of fishing boats / yachts at Greencastle on the Foyle!).
We went inside the Garvan Isles at Malin on the way out, and used Inishtrahull sound on the return, since there was a 2-3m swell, 15-18Kts wind and rocks breaking all over the place.
Great scenery and nice people all round. Portrush was like you would imagine Largs in the 1950's during summer. The Irish still holiday at home, unlike many Scots!
Well worth the trip, and would recommend to anybody on the Clyde as an option to just West of Kintyre.

Graeme

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Just a wee technicality . . .

Nane o' these places are technically 'Around the Scottish Coast' . . .

I'd taken the meaning of "around" liberally - to mean in the vicinity of, or perhaps surrounding.

We started in Scotland and finished there.

Incidently, Girvan was nice. And it was calm enough at Ailsa Craig to tie to the old pier for an hour to explore.

mm5aho wrote:I'd taken the meaning of "around" liberally - to mean in the vicinity of, or perhaps surrounding.

We started in Scotland and finished there.

Incidently, Girvan was nice. And it was calm enough at Ailsa Craig to tie to the old pier for an hour to explore.

Any pics ?

Nick wrote: Nane o' these places are technically 'Around the Scottish Coast' . . .

Perhaps there are plans in place.

Pix:
Trying to post an album link here to Photobucket. I'll see if this works?

http://s248.photobucket.com/user/mm5aho ... eland%2013

That seems to work, but it misses captions.
The route was Rhu, Rothesay, Lochranza, Campbeltown, Red Bay, Glenarm, Belfast, Bangor, Strangford, Loch Ryan, Ailsa Craig, Girvan, Little Cumbrae, Rhu. With diversion such as climbing over wee Cumbrae to explore the lighthouse, etc.

mm5aho wrote:Pix:
Trying to post an album link here to Photobucket. I'll see if this works?

http://s248.photobucket.com/user/mm5aho ... eland%2013

That seems to work, but it misses captions.
The route was Rhu, Rothesay, Lochranza, Campbeltown, Red Bay, Glenarm, Belfast, Bangor, Strangford, Loch Ryan, Ailsa Craig, Girvan, Little Cumbrae, Rhu. With diversion such as climbing over wee Cumbrae to explore the lighthouse, etc.

So you visited 14 places, 5 of which were in Ireland. That seems to me to be a cruise which predominantly took place around the Scottish coast and thus qualifies.
When one considers that it is only about 12 miles from Ireland to the MOK, that would suggest that a visit to the Emerald Isle is more of an 'Around the Scottish coast' venture than say, a trip to Canna....

Well, what Canna say?

claymore wrote:When one considers that it is only about 12 miles from Ireland to the MOK, that would suggest that a visit to the Emerald Isle is more of an 'Around the Scottish coast' venture than say, a trip to Canna....

That's us got Berwick back then . . .