Belfast crew change - Carrickfergus or Bangor?

[EdEssery]

At the end of June I plan to do a crew change in Belfast during an extended cruise to Scotland & Ireland. The incoming and departing crew will be flying from/to SE England.

Which is the better marina in Belfast Lough to use for a crew change like this bearing in mind transport and facilities?

Many thanks,

 

[Quandary]

City Airport is close to Bangor. International (Aldergrove) which Easyjet use is closer to Carrickfergus. Using public transport you need to go in to Belfast anyway and there are slightly better links to Bangor. Bangor is closer to the North Channel, Carrick is friendlier and a bit cheaper but about 3/4 hr. further up Belfast Lough.
Trains from belfast to both but both stations well away from the marina.
On balance Bangor is probably handier particularly if using City Airport.

 

[fmoran]

Bangor is a much nicer marina and town. Been into Bangor many times when going north / south, but Carrickfergus just once a few years back, and never again. It was just not very friendly all round - marina pub, sailing club, supermarket, etc. We could not wait to leave. Maybe just a bad one off experience, but its now always Bangor for us.

 

[Quandary]

Bangor is a much nicer marina and town. Been into Bangor many times when going north / south, but Carrickfergus just once a few years back, and never again. It was just not very friendly all round - marina pub, sailing club, supermarket, etc. We could not wait to leave. Maybe just a bad one off experience, but its now always Bangor for us.

As a member of Carrickfergus Sailing Club, I would like to follow up your unhappy experiences, it must have been universally bad to make you post these comments, care to PM me with details, you may be entitled to an apology. The club for many years has had a policy of actively welcoming visitors so details of your unpleasant experiences would be useful in identifying what went wrong and preventing a re occurance. I think the same would apply in the Marina.

 

[saltylegs]

bangor / carrickfergus

bangor is easier to get to from belfast but only by about 15 mins. but the marina is in the middle of the town so lots to keep the waitiing skipper entertained.
Carrickfergus i find is more friendly and a bit more laid back and has a bit more historic interest (which we won't go into here) and would be my preference.
distance wyse if heading north both are about the same if heading south then you get a 4 mile advantage from bangor.
i have no affilation to either but would prefer carrickfergus

 

[fmoran]

As a member of Carrickfergus Sailing Club, I would like to follow up your unhappy experiences, it must have been universally bad to make you post these comments, care to PM me with details, you may be entitled to an apology. The club for many years has had a policy of actively welcoming visitors so details of your unpleasant experiences would be useful in identifying what went wrong and preventing a re occurance. I think the same would apply in the Marina.

Thanks for getting back with your concern. It was seven/eight years ago, on our way from Ballycastle to Ardglass, so the details are not too clear in my mind, however enough to make us avoid Carrickfergus since then and always go to Bangor. If I remember it was that the place was not very dog friendly, and the sailing club barman made it very difficult for us to have a drink, not that we even wanted to bring our small cocker inside, just a suitable place to tie him up to. The supermarket ( Co-op?) is more clear - I got "done over" by a thug at the checkout - not a pleasant experience or one you want to remember. We sail for pleasure and to enjoy ourselves, not to be hassled / roughed up, hence my comments. Maybe we just had a one off bad experience, or things have changed since then.

 

[Quandary]

At the time you talk of the Club grounds and car park were open and people from the area used to drive down and 'exercise' their dogs there. I find that people who have to lift other peoples dog **** regularly tend to develop a bit of an aversion, it happens to the lock keepers here too. However you should have been made to feel welcome and it is disappointing that none of the members saw to that. Apologies, it does not happen often.
Your unfortunate experience at the supermarket is also a bit unusual, if frequent the place would have closed by now.
Carrickfergus is a self contained, interesting but perhaps more rough and ready town than Bangor which is a slightly posh dormitory for Belfast with a shoreline completely dominated by the artificial marina. CSC is right beside the marina and harbour, is friendly and does welcome visiting yachtsmen, it is open most evenings and weekends. Worth trying again sometime perhaps. The marina showers are better than the yacht clubs, though at present the club is bidding for 2012 fall out compensation money (the funds being given to a few sports clubs away from London to placate the concern about the diversion of all the Sports Lottery Fund money to London) to make big improvements.

 

[snowleopard]

As a member of Carrickfergus Sailing Club, I would like to follow up your unhappy experiences, it must have been universally bad to make you post these comments, care to PM me with details, you may be entitled to an apology. The club for many years has had a policy of actively welcoming visitors so details of your unpleasant experiences would be useful in identifying what went wrong and preventing a re occurance. I think the same would apply in the Marina.

I have only once visited N Ireland which was a short stay in Carrickfergus marina. An interesting experience- At the time the surrounding flats were being built and I was hoping the guys working on them would spot our crew member doing Tai Chi in the pontoon at 8 am. It would have made for some interesting repartee.

The visit was coloured for us by the fact that the resident of one of the flats put his stereo on full volume, opened his windows and went out all day and most of the evening. That is a one-off but when walking round the town we were rather shocked by displays of sectarianism around a pub that was obviously a Unionist stronghold. I imagine that is something one gets used to when visiting NI but it felt threatening by contrast to Dublin.

 

[Mrnotming]

Carrickfergus?

Went to a boat jumble there 2 years ago. Had a lovely time.Provisions for the boat, easy at nice newish Supermarket. No loutish persons encountered at all.Only good value for money and quality boat stuff, as well as a lot of stuff only suitable to put on Pub walls! Having visited last about 10 years earlier, I was delighted with the progress in layout and people friendliness of the whole area.Waterfront apartments had sold well, and meant that there was a full-time presence of interested inhabitants.Club was a hoot, great time had and story swapping etc. Best wishes to all in Carrickfergus.The south shore is also charming with a few good sailing and yacht clubs, very welcoming also to soaked visitors not smelling too good after long passages!(no reefers needed if coming by sea).Just enjoy yourselves wherever you wind up in Belfast Lough. Judicious use of the Admiralty Tidal atlas will have you over to Scotland in jig time especially if springs.
Good sailing and boating to all.