Royal Welsh YC armada completes raid on Scottish waters

Danny Jo

Active member
Joined
13 Jun 2004
Messages
1,886
Location
Anglesey
Visit site
In the event, the armada was whittled down to just two boats.

Sailing up the Ulster coast
RWYCraidingparty.jpg


Rounding the Mull of Kintyre
MullofKintyre.jpg


Sadly, no time for raids on the distilleries (we sailed past at least five of them).
Islay.jpg


The chart table was supposed to be out of bounds for drinkers, but . . .
Illegalentry.jpg


Corryvrechan from the safety of a Mitchell 31
Corryvrechan.jpg


Lots of wildlife - fallow and red deer in this pic (red deer circled)
Roereddeer.jpg


. . . and of course dolphins (guiding us to Mull)
Mulldolphins.jpg


Educational anchorage - Tinker's hole
Tinkershole.jpg


- only we got the mooring sequence wrong and scraped some antifouling off the keel
keelscrape.jpg


Whistle stop at Fingal's cave . . .
Fingalscave.jpg


. . . just got there before the tourists
Fingalstourists.jpg


More wildlife off Islay
Islayseals.jpg


Discovered how Ballymory got its name - a synthesis of (1)Tobermory
Tobermory.jpg


. . . and (2) Ballycastle
Ballycastle.jpg


Sad return via Fair Head
Fairhead.jpg


and Ardglass
DSC_0420.jpg


with a diversion to check out what seemed from a distance to be a liferaft
Falsealarm.jpg


Anyone want to join me on Freestyle for a cruise in company to the East coast of Ireland 30 June to 7 July? SWMBO won't let me go alone. PM me if interested.
 

Danny Jo

Active member
Joined
13 Jun 2004
Messages
1,886
Location
Anglesey
Visit site
Thanks. The trip took 19 days. There was mostly too little wind, with a couple of days when there was too much. It turned out to be a good test for the Brunton autoprop, which really proved itself for motorsailing (by adding a couple of knots without having to race the engine to keep up with the drive created by the sails).
 

colvic987

Active member
Joined
2 Sep 2003
Messages
2,415
Location
north west england
Visit site
Hi did the trip a couple of years ago, very similar itinarary to yours, but up to tobermory and back thru crinan, we had some excellent weather only two days of rain and 1 day we didn't sail. One of the best sails we had since owning the boat,Also in rwyc, so might see you in the club one day...

some excellent pics of your trip...
 

phanakapan

Well-known member
Joined
26 Mar 2002
Messages
1,262
Location
Cruising
Visit site
Lovely pics- is that the Ballycastle opposite Rathlin Island?

I'll (hopefully) be sailing from Coleraine and down the Irish East coast from 1st July- heading eventually for home in Brighton.I'll wear my newly purchased forum burgee and look out for you. Any tips on doing the East coast southwards- places to avoid, interesting anchorages etc?
 

contessa26

New member
Joined
4 Jan 2006
Messages
209
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Many Thanks. Excellent pics.
Corryvreckan from the safety of a Mitchell 31? How come? Did you get a trip through there, or something?
Best wishes
 

Danny Jo

Active member
Joined
13 Jun 2004
Messages
1,886
Location
Anglesey
Visit site
Yes, the Ballycastle opposite Raithlin. The passage from Port Ellen to Ballycastle was a great sail. My crew was shaking his head about the tides and overfalls in Raithlin sound, but in the event it was a breeze. I guesstimated a heading which would balance the westward set of the ebb against the eastward set of the flood and timed it so that we were just north of Raithlin when the tide turned, and the banana shaped course over ground took us neatly around Raithlin to finish bang on the breakwater at Ballycastle.

Ballycastle is a popular holiday resort, and was heaving on Sunday. South Englanders will be a bit disconcerted at being greeted by everyone, young and old, with "Good morning. How are you doing?" A really friendly part of the world. I didn't try it, but was recommended the Cellar (or Cavern) in the Triangle in the centre of town. The menu looked fabulous, but my pension limits the number of times I can spend £15 on a meal.

Glenarm marina is very handy for the jump to or from Scotland, but Glenarm itself has little other than a couple of pubs. Walk or catch the bus to the old fishing village of Carnlough, 3 statute miles north, where there is lots of choice for take-aways or eating in. Facilities at the marina are a bit basic, located in a portakabin.

Bangor marina has excellent facilities, a chandlery etc, and the town is something of a shopping centre. If you are planning to visit the Royal Ulster YC, take some tidy clothes - it is so smart that it makes the Yacht Squadron seem a little tatty.

We chose to go to Ardglass from Bangor because the south-going tide was too late for the hop to the Isle of Man, and left very early the following morning. It deserves a longer visit. I wish I'd had a video camera to record the wonderful display of boatmanship by a girl of about 10-12 years playing with three seals in the harbour.

So far, the only port of call I have made in the Irish Republic is Kilmore Quay, on the South coast, just around the southeast corner.
 

Danny Jo

Active member
Joined
13 Jun 2004
Messages
1,886
Location
Anglesey
Visit site
The armada stopped at Craobh marina (pronounced Croove) and decided to stay put the following day to let the forecast force 7 blow over. Duncan (not sure of his surname) is a professional boatman who has had a Mitchell 31 for the past 18 years. It was recently re-engined with a 265 hp Perkins. If I wasn't a raggie, I'd really want one of these.

DSC_0232.jpg


Duncan operates from Craobh. He charged £25 per head for a 3 hour trip, and was prepared to go out with as few as four passengers on board. He is a great talker, full of tales of his escapades with camera crews on board in Force 9 gales. The boat has a "semi-planing" hull, capable of about 18 kts. He showed us its paces; one of the most impressive features is its ability to stay bolt upright with both helm and throttle full on.

DSC_0142.jpg
 

contessa26

New member
Joined
4 Jan 2006
Messages
209
Location
Scotland
Visit site
[ QUOTE ]
The armada stopped at Craobh marina and decided to stay put the following day to let the forecast force 7 blow over.

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah, thought so. Thanks for the excellent pics. Yes, Duncan Philips knows the waters around that area...
Best wishes.
 
Top