Decisions

Had a word with Finn today and we are staying until Wednesday, it's a bit of a gamble with the weather. I am guessing that the pattern of cyclonic weather and myriad little fronts will calm down after Monday. I just hope that the light southerlys won't be too light, I am hoping to have a play with the Gennaker. 7-10 knots would be perfect as long as it's aft the beam. The plan is to head west and explore, the Bann and Mulroy Bay, hopefully we could also call at Inishtrahull which has to have one of the most perfect anchorages on a deserted island you could ever want or need. Yesterday was officially the last day of summer ( in meteological terms ) although certainly in the morning you wouldn't have believed it, Lynne and I were breakfasting and reading the papers in the cockpit in glorious sunshine, however by the afternoon the drizzle and then rain had returned as another frontal system passed through. We are very lucky to not be in any kind of rush or hurry, we are getting used to staying and exploring if we find a place interesting.

This shows the coast looking towards Portrush, Lynne is stood on top of the cliff and Malin Head is in the far distance.

Plans again

Yet another ponder on the weather charts. Do we go back east ? What's happening next week? The summers ending........what to do? It looks like the weather is settling for a while but the winds are southerly and light next week. A plan begins to form, go west and try the entrance to the Bann river go up to Colraine, stock up on essential supplies then round Malin head and seek the entrance to Mulroy Bay beyond Fanad head. There are three narrows before emerging into broad Water, a totally sheltered 10 mile inland sea. The more I look at the pilot and the few charts I have the more intrigued I become.

The charts were last done in 2006 before that it was 1860 something..... So it looks like we may be if not completely alone then certainly less crowded. Most yachts hurrying to sail from Bloody Foreland and round Malin head, locals only at a guess would be bothered to negotiate the intricate narrows. We however have time on our side. So that's a plan then!

Beached again

We are blessed aboard Dark Tarn with many different ways to obtain weather forecasts. Our prime one, probably because it takes no thought or clock watching is our NASA Navtex. This little beauty just sits there ( it's been switched on now since May ) and receives the inshore forcast twice a day.

We also listen out on VHF for the coastguard weather updates, more usually when we are actually sailing when the VHF is on all the time.

In port we have the internet and mobile phone forecasts from the Met office, we can download synoptic charts and GRIB files. In short we are spoilt for choice.

Yesterday the forecasts were predicting force 8-9 gales, however in Ballycastle the sun was shining and the wind was a SE force 3, because it was SE, and SE was the direction we were wanting to go we went to the beach and sunbathed in the afternoon.

Within a couple of hours angry black clouds were looming and we only just had time to pack up and shelter under a tree before an angry downpour soaked us both to the skin, it also got a little windy.

After 20 mins or so the rain stopped and a beautiful rainbow arched across the sound towards Rathlin island.

We walked back to the Marina via a route we hasn't used before and came upon the ruined Friary at Bonmargy. We had a good look around while our clothes dried out a little.

As you can see the sun was out again!

these are the war graves of some sailors from the first and second world wars whose bodies washed ashore after their ships sank off the coast.

We returned to Dark Tarn to prepare a meal and within a few hours the wind was blowing over 35 knots and the rain was lashing down. We snuggled down in our warm cabin after quickly checking our mooring lines.

The moral of the story is that I had come very close to not believing the forcast, which turned out to be surprisingly accurate. 

However even if it had turned out to be wrong I had lost nothing, in fact had gained a lovely afternoon and had a shower into the bargain.

In other words trust the forecast!

Beached

Sitting in the saloon listening to the wind howl outside, I have just downloaded some forcast synoptic charts and have been trying to make sense of the complex of multiple lows and fronts predicted for the next 120 hours. I have promised Lynne no more force six or above ( force 6 is sometimes known as a yachts mans gale ) so one possible consequence is that we stay in Ballycastle for another week or so.

It's a very nice place to be stuck and the harbourmaster gives us seven days for five, which means it's also quite cheap especially considering the electricity is free. Surprisingly the weather is actually fairly sunny and bright, albeit windy.

This is actually a surface wind chart used by pilots, useful for sailors too!

This is the synoptic for about the same time.

Today we got crashed into by a school type Bavaria 36 leaving the berth next to us, they took off a bit of paint and didn't even apologise. Very unprofessional, the skipper was forced to take the helm which basically means he screwed up big time! At one point the yacht was pinned between Dark Tarn and the Moody in the next berth along.

Hopefully the weather will allow me to repair the damaged top sides.

Yesterday we went for a walk on the beach in the sunshine, it was quite idyllic.

Just over Lynne's head toward Rathlin Island in the distance is the location of the infamous Slough na hearne whirlpool. The tides in Rathlin Sound run at 6 knots plus. It deserves great respect.

Post script.

The skipper of the sailing school boat turned up this morning with a bottle of wine and an apology, we agreed on a small financial settlement so everyone is happy again, which is how it should be!

Giants Causeway

Had a day out to the famous Giants Causeway in county Antrim. We had an early start for us catching the bus at 9.30 am. We paid to enter the visitor centre but you don't need too, however you do get a free audio tour thingy and it is a stunning building.

The weather was beautiful, and the coastline was truly stunning and impressive, it's quite a long walk down to the basalt dyke that formed the causeway 60,000,000 years ago ( see the audio tour thingy came in handy! )

I have spent quite a lot of time at the other end of this dyke having been storm bound on Staffa in the Hebrides a couple of times. Staffa is home to Fingals cave.

The blocks are a variety of four, five, six, and seven sided shapes.

these are some of the vertical columns the horizontal joints are interesting, if you take them apart (just kidding) they are all a ball and socket joint with a convex and concave mating face.

 These are Finn McCools organ pipes, apparently he only plays them on Christmas morning , about 6am.

This is Finns boot

The Amphitheatre withs Finns chimneys, apparently when they are smoking the Giant is in!

Walking along to the Amphitheatre.

It's a popular place on a sunny day!

Awa to Ireland

In a depressingly familiar pattern we left Port Ellen in a very mild force 3 which after an hour or so built into a solid upper 4 lower 5 and as we came mid crossing stayed at a six for at least an hour. We reefed the genny initially then put a reef in the main ( getting serious now)

Sea state was beam on and getting up to two metres.

No fun. 

I had decided to abort the direct approach and sailed instead for the upside down lighthouse on the west end of Rathlin island, as we entered the over falls which were getting up to  three or four metres I was reflecting on the wisdom of this decision however we were committed at this point.

As it happens a yacht on a circumnavigation of Ireland was approaching from the west and via its AIS was able to assertain that we were doing  seven and a half knots despite towing a dingy and having several rolls in the genoa and a reef in the main.

We later got very drunk with the guys from Chaika II in the Harbour Bar, we left at 3 in the morning but I believe the session went on till 5 am!

Ballycastle is a beautiful place, it's always had a place in my heart as it was the first" foreign"  trip I made as skipper.

The fearsome tides around Rathlin Island deserve respect and prior study, however the marina though small ,is tranquility itself and the facilities are first rate.

The town, Harbour Bar within staggering distance and one of the best chippys in the world (Mortons)

Just off to the right.

Dark Tarn is in the middle of the picture.

looking towards Fair Head.

Rathlin Island from the breakwater, we came around the left hand end past what is known as the upside down lighthouse as it's at the bottom of a cliff not the top!

 Fair Head so called because a beautiful princess was danced over the edge and died at the bottom of the large cliff. The foreground is the beach at Ballycastle.

We are going to stay here a week as the Lammas Fair is on this weekend, there will be loads to see and do, hopefully not always involving drinking until the wee small hours, although the people are so friendly it seems churlish to refuse!

Islay

Finally decided to leave our wilderness paradise and go and see what was happening in the rest of the world, besides supplies were running low. Sent Lynne out for a load of Bog Myrtle ( it's a natural midge repellent)?and the boat smelling sweetly of the stuff we were able to sit in the cockpit and read by moonlight.

The weather forecast was basically saying the same thing every day 6-7 NW.

There seemed to be a small window presenting itself so we made our way back down the tortuous passages and out of the ' Lost World'

The weather was kind and a nice run down the outer Loch and into the Sound of Islay saw the wind barely above a 3.

However our small window shrank noticeably as we approached the rock strewn coast of Port Ellen.

The wind pipped up to a good 6 and I rolled away the genny and resorted to engine as the approach to the channel buoys was head to wind, visibility then almost vanished as lashing rain and cloud obscured the coast. To add a worry two cardinals appeared that were not marked on any of our charts or mentioned in the pilots. However it was largely common sense and after a worrying hour we got Dark Tarn tied up at the small pontoon behind the pier.

As if by magic the sun came out and the cloud and rain disappeared!

We were very grateful to be safe and once more on Islay, the island were Lynne and I were married.

We will stay awhile.

Dark Tarn is centre left of picture wth the black hull.

Hidey holes

Whilst at Craighouse on Jura there were dire warnings in the press about a hurricane that was presently on the west coast of America, the tail end of which was expected to hit Scotland possibly at the weekend. We had spent a lovely time with Paul and Mo Fay aboard Ti-Gitu and when the conversation turned to immediate plans, mine were firming up to explore Loch Tarbert on Juras west coast. This dramatic sea loch almost cuts the island in two, four miles long and the last two miles were an intricate pattern of leading marks weaving their way through rock strewn passages and vertical cliffs. There were several anchorages each one being deeper and less exposed than the last, a perfect 'hurricane hole'

An early start on Friday, it's traditionally bad luck to leave on a Friday, however our luck held the weather was drizzly and overcast with a surprising amount of swell.

As we entered the sound of Islay I quickly called Lynne on deck to see her first Minke whale!

All was quiet as we slipped past the distilleries on Islay at 8-9 knots with the tide under us, however on leaving the north entrance the sky tuned black and we were soon in a howling gale with white spume being blown of the wave tops and Dark Tarn heeling under bare poles. We continued under engine as we approached the outer Loch, it didn't look promising, the wind was obviously doing its katabatic thing dropping down off the Paps and screeching across the surface of the Loch.

However as we started to make the first of the transits of leading lines into the middle Loch things calmed down a bit and we were surprised to see another yacht coming out. We continued to tick off transits until finally were in the expanse of the inner Loch. We had passed A, B and C leading markers and had a look at two possible anchorages however they were both still exposed to force 4 winds and were fairly shoal to boot. The gorge like entrance to Cumhann beag beckoned and although we were still early at just past mid tide I persuaded Lynne we should " have a look". Lynne did a great job of calling out the instructions for the devious doglegs of D1,D2 and D3 leading marks and Dark Tarn seemingly heading straight for a cliff was turned at the last minute to maintain course avoiding sunken boulders and shoal patches constantly checking the depth sounder to arrive at the Halfway anchorage and perfect peace.

We dropped anchor in our "Hurricane Hole" and breathed a sigh of relief...........

There are no Admiralty charts beyond the outer Loch so the charlets in the Clyde Cruising Club are invaluable. The leading marks which are small concrete pillars were put in at the request of the estate by 'Blondie' Hasler, The above charlet shows the final part from Cuhann Beag.

The 'Halfway anchorage', we later reset the anchor to move us closer to the right of the pool due to a change in wind direction. The Paps of Jura are visible down the passage to Cuhann Beag.

This photo shows the continuation passage to 'The Hole' which is about 200 metres further on and is as far as you can go, there is no good anchorage there despite the name, the hole is over 20 mts deep.

That night at anchor we sat in the cockpit with our anchor light the only other light besides the moon and listened to the deer baying on shore and fish splashing in the water, we also thought we heard an otter moving through the kelp. Lynne said the only thing missing was King Kong battling a dinosaur as it has very much the feel of a "Lost World"

Craighouse Jura

Had a cracking sail down the sound of Jura, no problems with the genoa, had to put a couple of reefs in without any difficulty, as the wind was gusting top of a 5 at some points. Very rough seas approaching the Small aisles, no explanation other than wind over tide. We have stayed a few days as it's so nice and last night the boats builder anchored right behind us so we will stay another day and visit with Paul Fay and his wife, that's their boat in the last photo.

The Paps of Jura.

The Lagoon

Anchored just inside the entrance to the south.

During the night it blew southerly force 5 (24 mph) the boat behaved well and gave no cause for concern, the holding is in glutinous mud so we never moved!

In the morning the wind abated and after lunch the sun even came out. We were too late for a south bound tide ( hoping to make Craighouse on Jura) so we explored in little Allandale our dingy.

Here are a few images.

This is the view we should see tomorrow. As we leave and head south for Loch Sween and the Fairy islands, the entrance to the lagoon is the passage to the right of Lynne. It's fairly small. During the day we saw lots of bird life particularly Herons, as the wind died away completely in the evening we were entertained to a game of hide and seek by a couple of young seals playing and fishing in the Loch.

Happy days

Dark Tarns all fixed, new sheaves came this morning (well done Z-spars) wind instrument was rigged up at the masthead and cable run inside the mast, spent a happy few hours fixing new deck gland ( bolt holes exactly fit the old deck plug, what's the chance?) and running cable to the NMEA backbone. We can now tell you what the windspeed is, what direction it is, what the tacking angle is in degrees, the barometric pressure and pretty much everything apart from the future lottery results. Finally John made me two new halyards to replace the genoa and spare in nice shiny 10mm with a hard eye in each.