Getting to Northern Ireland

We had a late night last night, so set no alarm, but the sun woke us up at the reasonable hour of 07:30. It had been a peaceful night for Robinetta, but less so for Worm, who had lain to the wind rather than the tide when it turned, so Julian had got up in the night to trail her off the bow, not the stern. She was along side when we woke!

We had heard the alternator belt squeaking yesterday when we re-started the engine after sailing, which prompted us to do full engine checks this morning. These revealed we did indeed need to tighten the alternator belt, and top up the oil. I also put the remaining diesel from our cans into the main fuel tanks; a much better place for it. Once the engine was back in good condition we turned it on, Julian hauled up the anchor, and we were away from our lovely anchorage at 08:30.

Motoring out from the shelter of Am Froach Eilean into the main Sound of Islay saw little increase in wave action, and the warned against overfalls where the Sound of Islay tide met the Sound of Jura one just caused a tiny amount of movement. We could tell where they might form, but that was all.

Our tidal calculations kept us out of any other overfalls but we over compensated a bit for the expected North Channel tides and instead fell foul of the north going stream up the west side of the Mull of Kintyre.

Julian hauled the main sail up, and we did get to motor sail for a while on our unnecessary course over toward the Mull, but the engine did not go off all day. Rathlin Island was indistinct in the haze, but the sky overhead was bright blue, and the sea sparkled. Julian’s knees got quite red before he put suntan lotion on. George could handle the helming for most of the day, so it was not a tiring trip, just a long one. I prepared a vegetable stew as we left the Sound of Islay, and we ate it as we closed the Antrim coast. Our provisions are getting quite low, so we need to shop tomorrow.

We reached Glenarm Marina at 21:30 and once we were securely moored headed for a drink at the pub.