Monday Mooring

Monday 19th & the crew Jon, Alex & Mick are waking up to a grey sky in Bangor. I had a cracking day yesterday, leaving what has been my home for the last four years at 0700 in still air but blue skies Thankfully the crew opened out my sail & emptied gallons of water from within the sail bag, at least I could dry my main. We motor sailed 1500 rpm at 7knots for a while, where was this F3-4 the Metoffice had been saying since 0100 including a F6 later (up to 25 knots). Again passing Arran & just after lunch the wind came NW as predicted at 15 knots, the engine was off. The auto pilot took over from Mick & a course was set direct to Bangor

As discussed by the crew on leaving the relatively calm waters of the Clyde & the protection of the Kintyre peninsula the sea state changed to become a rolling one with 23 knots of wind, now was later. The Mull of Kintyre & Ireland now covered in a misty haze, I was in the Irish sea no longer did my radio have the sound of the Clyde coast guard but an Irish one. A single reef was put in & I cruised along at 7-8 knots with jenny away. Eta was due for 2000 which is just as dusk turns to darkness & Belfast Lough was relatively quite, although the ship at anchor as observed by mick, past to stern !

                                                                        Alsa Criag

We arrived at 2030, Bangor like Inverkip has a very narrow entrance & we moored up on the hammer head of the first short pontoon not an easy manoeuvre but if boats had hand brakes then that's how Jon would've parked me. Stopping some 10 feet from the pontoon & allowing the wind to blow me on, job done !