Round Britain day 68

[Concerto]

Today was a momentus journey in dangerous waters with tides of up to 6 knots. The wind started light and it was quite warm, so I was in a short sleeved shirt. Then suddenly the wind changed direction and quickly rose to a force 5. The wind started whistling in the rigging and the white caps appeared almost immediately. It was a bit like the days sailing further north. Finally I reached a safe harbour and moored alongside a pontoon with a little assistance from a Swedish couple, who I had previously met in Lerwick. This journey went across the tide and took all of one and a quarter hours, berth to berth, under engine. Currently I am moored in Rathlin Harbour, just north of Ballycastle. It was the second shortest passage on this trip, being only five miles.

After some lunch I started to get my bike bits out in the cockpit and then stopped to chat with a lady from a Norwegian yacht. Once she left, I went below to lift the bike out and the rain started, so I put everything away. Not only do I hate sailing in the rain, but cycling in the rain is another to be avoided. Later when the rain stopped, I walked ashore to pay some harbour dues. As I am intending to stay 2 nights to look round the island, Charlie the harbourmaster asked if I could pay tomorrow. Looking a bit puzzled she then said she had run out of invoice pads but would have some more in the morning. She then explained the layout of the local area and I walked over to the visitor centre which includes a small local museum. Once I had a good look round and found some of the history from the 15th to 17th centuries interesting but very brutal. Rathlin Island is famous as the place the Marconi first used experimental wireless communications. It covered a relatively short period from June 4th to September 2nd 1898. The transmissions were between Kenmara House on the cliff above the harbour and east lighthouse on Rathlin Island.
Marconi in Ballycastle

I left the visitor centre as they closed at 5, but just across the road was a fish and chip van. It was to good an opportunity to miss, so I ordered a large haddock and chips - which was all cooked whilst I waited a few minutes. As I started walking back to the boat, it started to rain again. This evening I have been very lazy and watched 2 films. I cannot remember the last time I ever did that. Tomorrow the rain should be finished by about 10, so I will be off on my bike.


View of the marina from the top of the gangway beside the harbour office


View from by the visitor centre and in the foreground is the Writer's Chair

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Most visitors go to the west point where the lighthouse down the cliff is, but the south point is good as well, especially when the tide is running and you can see the race just offshore. It's not too far by bike and there's a small light there. Unfortunately you can't get too close to to the lighthouse at the north east corner.

 

[Concerto]

Well today has all been about seeing Rathlin Island including the 3 lighthouses.

Rathlin has been quite hilly in lots of places, but I never had to get off and push like some ordinary cyclists. On one downhill straight section I even hit 28mph. The battery was charged before I cycled round Gigha and the battery was still showing 45% when I finished today after a total of 46 miles! Not bad as Volt say the range is 40 to 50 miles. Still not sure what my legs will feel like later. My Fit Bit says I did a total of 343 minutes of active excercise, my greatest amount ever.

The day started with a 4½ mile ride into the wind to the RSPBS seabird centre at the West Lighthouse, close to Bull Point. This lighthouse is unique in Ireland as it is the only upside down lighthouse. The light is at 62m above sea level to be below low cloud on the cliffs. To get down to the lighthouse are a series of ramps and 90 steps. Just remember what goes down must come up. The area surrounding the lighthouse is the RSBPS viewing platform to see the birds nesting on the cliff. I brought some binoculars, but there are plenty to borrow. The main birds today were kittiwakes, I also saw a few fulmars, a few razorbills, quite a few guilliemots and a solitarty puffin. Then it was the climb back to the top, not too bad considering how far I had already cycled. The ride back did not seem as hard as getting there and I passed more ordinary cyclists pushing their hire bikes up some steep bits. Back at the harbour I decided I needed some sustenance and a big drink.

The boat at the end of the pier, a Moody 31, was stern to the wind and the owner asked who the harbourmaster was. I asked what the problem was and he wanted to turn his boat round and was not sure how to do it. Looking at it was quite simple once I found he had prop wash to port in reverse. He rigged a long line from the port aft cleat and I secured it further along the pontoon. His wife was to manage this line whilst I managed the bow line. I instructed him to reverse away from the pontoon until the wind blew the stern round. A little forward and reverse was necessary to keep the bow away from the pontoon. Slowly she came head to wind and a tension on the two lines brought her alongside. We then moved her closer to Concerto to make any other boat have plenty of room. I knew a 46ft yacht was due in.

When I left I grabbed some chocolate and a drink and then put my feet up. After a rest I then cycled out to Rue Lighthouse at the southern most point. It was very sparse here and quite low ground and the tarmac road had finished. Riding on a rough track was quite fun as this kept descending towards the sea. There were a couple of abandoned buildings that were falling apart, close to the water. Just the other side of the inlet were 8 seals resting and 1 swimming around. Continuing along the track was the lighthouse, set on a lot of rough rocks. A concrete path had been laid, so walking there was easy. Then it was now time to go to the East Lighthouse. Luckily I did not have to go right back to the harbour, but the first turn was tight and steep. I had to use bottom gear and high power to get up there. After that it was not too bad. Again the tarmac road expired about ½ a mile before the lighthouse. I was a bit disappointed to see a sign saying no admittance on the gate post. Although the gate was open, I then realised there were 2 men halfway up the lighthouse painting it with a fresh coat of black paint. After parking the bike I walked toward the sea for a better view. Once I departed, I stopped a couple of time to take some photos of the heather with the lighthouse in the distance. Then it was back to the harbour.

The 46ft yacht appeared and I then gave them a hand to berth. It was an American yacht that had sailed across from the US to the Azores in 9½ days and then taken a further 9½ days to reach Dublin due to adverse winds. They invited me and Rory who was only 13 and over 6ft, who had also assisted onboard to look at her. She was only 4 years old but looked pristine. Later they are coming abord Concerto for a drink and a chat. When Rory and I left, he came and had a look at Concerto. After he left he returned with his dad, so he came aboard. He used to race on a Fulmar many years ago and commented they were such good sea boats. He has a First 345 which he owned for 10 years before selling her due to family commitments and then buying her back again 2½ years ago.

It has been a very varied day and I can feel my face is glowing from the bright sunshine.


Rathlin Harbour


Looking down on the harbour


Cliffs close to Bull Point


View of the main sea birds nesting site by the lighthouse


A small lough towards the Rue Lighthouse


The derelict buildings


Looking out from the far building


I said it was rocky


Rue Lighthouse set amongst rocks


East Lighthouse


The East Lighthouse with heather in the foreground.

 

[steveeasy]

Not sure where you get the energy from but your need one heck of a break at some point. Remarkable.

Steveeasy

 

[Blueboatman]

It’s just stunning
The narrative really stitches it together
I think you have a flair for this ??
Thx ( once again )..
I have a coffee table book on every lighthouse in Ireland , though it is words of history and artists’ drawings rather than seagoing photos . I shall look up R Island

 

[dunedin]

Rattling harbour has changed a lot since I first went in there, coincidentally on a Westerly Fulmar. There were none of the outer breakwaters or pontoons, just the small inner harbour which was chock full of ferries and fishing boats, with one short space. Had to do a 16 point turn in zero space. Tricky!
Only issue now is sometimes depths due to silting.

Pretty island

 

[Concerto]

Not sure where you get the energy from but your need one heck of a break at some point. Remarkable.

Steveeasy

I am not sure what you mean. My activity level has always been high and I usually only sleep for 6 hours or less. A few days when I have been sailing it has been below 2 hours and I just try to be relaxed so I can rest. Since I left nearly 70 days ago, only one night have I slept for 8 hours 20 minutes. Allowing time to relax is important and so far I have read 5 paperbacks and a number leaflets or booklets on the places I have visited. Today I finished the one on the Giant's Causeway. Having an active mind and a passion for everything I do, can be infecious on those who I meet. Rob and Helen from the Moody have just left after having some tea with me.

 

[Concerto]

It’s just stunning
The narrative really stitches it together
I think you have a flair for this ??
Thx ( once again )..
I have a coffee table book on every lighthouse in Ireland , though it is words of history and artists’ drawings rather than seagoing photos . I shall look up R Island

I was always told I could sell snow to eskimos. Chatting on a variety of subjects just comes naturally to me. Glad you like what I have been writing, frequently late at night whilst it is still fresh in my mind. Each sailing post (the first in the thread) with photos and map takes about an hour to get right. Susequent ones can be shorter or longer depending on what has happened.

 

[Concerto]

Only issue now is sometimes depths due to silting.

Pretty island

Looking at the recent chartlet of depths in the harbourmasters office shows that I could moor anywhere along the 3 long pontoons with my 1.6m draft.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

All lovely.
That's a serious rowing boat in the foreground, and they are obviously not concerned about leaving the oars in the boat. Unlike Queenborough, where you take them into the pub with you.

 

[Blueboatman]

All lovely.
That's a serious rowing boat in the foreground, and they are obviously not concerned about leaving the oars in the boat. Unlike Queenborough, where you take them into the pub with you.

Ah yes
I’ve been in pubs where all the old oars like a drink ..

Coat, gone ??

 

[Concerto]

The next report is here.
Round Britain day 70