20-8-016

The morning was again wet and windy but after checking the weather gribs again it still looked okay for later.
I baked brownies in the morning and we spent the morning reading.
We flattened the dingy and put it under the boom to clear the decks so it was easier to a reef in the main as the wind was to increase during the night.
We left at 1500 and sailed down the channel in a NE3/4.
The wind went to the N then W and dropped so at 1700 I had to start the engine to get to the Mull of Kintyre for the start of the south flowing tide.

The coastguard were broadcasting a severe gale 9 imminent for the Irish Sea.

As we got to the Mull it looked very calm so we went in close but ended up in big overfalls for 4 miles and lost the wind so I had to start the engine again but at least we had the tide and were doing 8 kts.
As we cleared the Mull the wind came back NW4 and we ran goose-winged doing between 7 to 8 kts with the tide as night fell.
The visibility was very good even though there was cloud and a full moon behind it and heavy rain showers.

At one stage I thought I saw a red flare on the horizon and was about to call the coastguard when I saw another flash and then what looked like sparks.
I then realised it was a fireworks display at Groomsport but as we were 25 miles away the fireworks looked like they were on the surface.

I had to avoid quite a bit of shipping and again the AIS was brilliant.
Firstly I had a Guard ship on my direct course which was drifting with the current at nearly 3 kts and again as we were running I had to hand steer in pouring rain to avoid.
An hour later I picked up a fishing boat on a head on course but he altered course a mile away from me just as 2 cross channel ferries were getting very close.
When that was all over a cargo ship which was coming from behind and was well away from me because he had altered course for the ferries altered back to his original course and ended up passing me by a few hundred metres.

I had forgot how busy it can get around here and because it was such a clear night I could see ships lights everywhere.

Eventually at 0130 I managed to get to bed for some sleep.
We lost the tide when off Portpatrick and the wind which was due to increase during the night eased so we bashed about into wind over tide and only doing 2 kts.
I managed to get 3 hours sleep before the movement woke me.

21-8-16
We only had 25 miles to go and the sill in Peel didnt open until 1200 so there was no point starting the engine.
It was a nice morning and gradually as we passed the Mull of Galloway the tide eased and the wind came back from the SW.
We got into Peel at 1100 and picked up a mooring to wait for the sill to open after calling Peel harbour on VHF radio.
They swung the bridge and we got into the inner harbour which was quite full but we managed to get alongside a large motor-yacht which had been here for the traditional sailing weekend.
David and Norma who own Albiquila were very nice and we sat in the sunshine and chatted for over an hour.
We then sorted out Granuaile's sail covers and shore lines and slept in the saloon for a few hours.

We would have loved to have continued on further north in Scotland but unfortunately the weather was not to be great for trying to get back south and we have booked in to do the Holyhead Traditional Sailing weekend which will finish our 2 years away so we are back to enjoy Peel and the Isle of Man.