China Girl, UK Circumnavigation - Year 5

From Bangor we need to get to Troon, CG's home for the winter. The weather is doing its best to stop us. Even at this late stage we had a few doubts about making it. It's spot the weather window again. Ray arrived on the 20th, a window opened up on the 21st to get to Glenarm, just up the NI coast [...]

26 September 2023 | Troon Yacht Haven

More rain.... Arrival of crew

Lots of rain in Strangford Lough. We arrived on the 14th, 15th we sat on the boat and watched the rain all day, did nothing, went nowhere. 16th we managed a quick hop from Ballydorn on the southern coast to Kircubbin on the north coast, about a 3 h trip sailing on the jib. A quick look around the village [...]

15 September 2023 | Ballydorn in Strangford Lough, county Down

From fog to rain

Carrying straight on from the last post. Dun Laoghaire to Skerries was 4 hours on the motor in winds up to only 7 kts, but at least it was dry. Since then our weather luck has changed. Skerries to Carlingford, 6 hours on the motor in rain. Carlingford marina has a very narrow entrance, so much so [...]

15 September 2023 | Ballydorn in Strangford Lough, county Down

Time Flies

Just found the time for an update, thinking the last had been about a week ago, only to find it's been nearly two weeks. Sorry folks. We've only moved CG five times, from Arklow to Dun Laoghaire (pron Leary) to Skerries to Carlingford lough to Ardglass to Strangford lough, 112 miles in all. The trip [...]

04 September 2023 | Arklow

Around the final corner

We left Kilmore Quay on the 2nd September to nip around Carnsore Point to anchor in Rosslare bay. The point is the end of the south coast for us and the start of the trip up the east coast to complete our circumnavigation. 3.5 hours mostly on the engine in little wind but a half hour sail towards the [...]

So much for a boring 4 hour motor...

16 September 2021 | Port Ellen, Islay

Ann and Steve Crome | threatening rain

12 September was our 40th wedding anniversary. We booked a massage and afternoon tea package in a hotel in Oban. I've had a couple of massages before but am not an affectionado. This one was great, very relaxing. Afternoon tea with Prosecco was upgraded to afternoon tea with champagne which turned in to 2 bottles. The evening was hazy....

Next day we set off for Carsaig Bay expecting to motor given the forecast. We did at first but then the sails went up (c 12 knots of wind) then we had to reef (c20 knots of wind) all pretty much on the nose so we were beating. Excellent trip, 29 miles, a 7 hour day. Following day Carsaig Bay to Craighouse, the biggest place on Jura (big being a relative term, one shop, one cafe and one restaurant [fully booked]) But another sailing day, again a beat but in lighter winds, 16 miles, 4 hours. Yesterday we moved here to Port Ellen on Islay, forecast as a motoring day, we ended up beating with reefs in again in up to 20 knots of wind. 5 hours, 25 miles tiring but great.

Now we are hiding in Port Ellen expecting strong winds and loads of rain tomorrow (Friday) Rounding the Mull of Kintyre on Saturday is the plan, we must have a following wind and flatish seas, so let's hope the weather forecast is actually right or things will get very tricky.

Not been a lot to photograph, but the image shows some pretty cloud formations and reflections in Carsaig Bay our anchorage the other night.

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