Round Britain 2012Northern Ireland » Round Britain 2012

May 22 – Bangor to Glenarm (30nm)

Joe Barrett — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:10:56 +0000

A good sailing day. We left Bangor after and were soon gybing down wind with true winds of 15 knots and the tide behind us. Sun shining but fog patches and fast ferries, coming in and out of Larn, made it more interesting. Wind held out until we were just of the entrance to Glenarm marina.

Glenarm from seaward

Glenarm itself is a small village with two pubs and a tiny shop. Eating on board tonight!

We could clearly see Scotland now – the bottom end of the Mull of Galloway – about 20nm NE of us.

Scotland – the Mull of Kintrye 20 miles distant

We are now in at at a good jumping off point for our 50nm trip tomorrow. This will be across the North Channel to the Mull and then a further 25nm across to Port Ellen on Islay.

Todays Passage details

Total distance: 30nm in 5hrs

Sailed: 5hrs

Total distance run : 485nm

See the Trip Stats page for a chart of whole journey so far plus details for each days passage.

May 21 – Ardglass to Bangor 33nm

Joe Barrett — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:29:30 +0000

Left Ardglass under clear blue sky but with zero wind. Another day of mainly motor-sailing but at least we are making progress north. We have been on passage now for 10 days out of our 17 days in total. The rest being days waiting for decent weather.

Last night we talked with two guys from a boat from Norway called Rainbow (a Forgus 35 and the previous owners of a Comfortina 38 – David and Bob’s previous make of boat); they have been cruising British waters for months and have visited 77 ports so far.

We sighted dolphins again as we motored in a flat calm. It was more like Greece than Northern Ireland!

David on dolphin watch!

Later in the afternoon we were crossed by a Wayfarer who seemed to be on a sponsored single handed trip. Looks to have come from Wales?

Entered Belfast lough through the Donagahadee sound – 2 cables (400m) wide and with 2knots of tide behind us. Which saved about an hour on the overall passage.

As we came around towards Bangor marina the wind filled in with 14 knots on the beam. A bit late as we only had 2 nm to run!

Bangor

A good day even without the wind and tomorrow we are off to Glenarm – 30nm further up the Antrim coast – which will be our jumping off point across the North Channel to Scotland.

Todays Passage Information

Ardglass to Bangor : 33nm / 7 hrs

Sailed: 1 hrs / Motored 6hrs

Total distance run: 455nm

See the Trip Stats page for a chart of journey so far plus details for each days passage.

May 20 – Carlingford to Ardglass 30nm

Joe Barrett — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:41:50 +0000

We set off at 10am Sunday under a cloudy sky dressed in full wet weather gear. By midday the sun had come out, the sky was blue and the sunglasses were on. Summer has arrived.

Carlingford Lough was flat calm and a different world from the seething mass of water the day before.

St John's Lighthouse with the distant mountains of Mourne

A gentle sail on a fine reach took us up the coast towards Ardglass, some 20nm north of Carlingford Lough entrance. After 2 hrs the wind died and it was engine-on and motor sailing from then until the wind filled in for a final hour of sailing.

We arrived in Ardglass at 5pm at low water but a careful negotiation of the buoyed channel – there was an unexpected east cardinal which caused us to do a 360 whilst we rechecked the chart- saw us to a berth in the tiny marina.

Ardglass itself is a picturesque harbour; in a working fishing port sort of way. Not a lot in the town, being Sunday, so fish and chips tonight.

Tomorrow it's off to Bangor marina on Belfast Lough. An 11am start to catch the tide for a 40nm passage.

Passage Stats and Route

Carlingford to Ardglass: 30nm
Sailed: 3 hrs / Motored 4 hrs
Total distance so far: 428nm

Carlingford Lough to Ardglass

See the Trip Stats page for a chart of journey so far plus details for each days passage