Craighouse, Scotland

A foggy day till we arrived.

Moored at Craighouse on Jura outside a distillery.  Warm and sunny now.

Some pictures

Jean at the helm

Alisa Craig

The cliff coast of Islandmagee

Ardglass to Glenarm

This time we set off late enough to get the tides right and early enough to arrive before dark.

Everyone loves Glenarm; its friendly charm, excellent facilities and free washing machine. And of course the Black guillemots. 

Today, we stayed put. Jean did the washing and I watched the guillemots. 

Glenarm

Ducks

Ardglass

We love Ardglass.

..... and to Ardglass

We definitely weren't doing another long day, but Greystones wasn't far enough,  Dun Laoghaire didn't appeal, Hoath might be shallow and full, so we motored the 91 miles to Ardglass.

 It was really very pleasant until the favourable tide ran out and we realised that we would be arriving after dark. But the weather was kind with only a few drops of rain, whilst meanwhile. Devon was being flooded.

Ardglass is a gem of a little harbour although easier to enter in daylight.

We rafted alongside a Hallberg Rassy crewed by a sleepy-looking man in a fluffy bathrobe.

Dale (Wales) to Arklow (Ireland) to Ardglass (NI)

Up at dawn. Our route inside Skomer and outside South Bishop; motoring with the tide was easy enough till it turned and we had 2.5 knots against us for the last 3 hours.

Arrived in Arklow, pretty tired, but  having avoided the plethora of fishing pots outside the harbour. 

It was reassuring to be greeted by the ever helpful, friendly and welcoming man in charge of the marina and visitors'  pontoon. 

Cash Only  35 Euros a night, and a trip in his car to buy some fuel.

Strangely reassuring as well to see that little had changed since last year: the hole in the pontoon made by a fellow sailor jumping off his boat, the local engineering works and the sewage in the river. 

Back to the boat

Up at 0529. Hire car back to Wales. 

Albatross was fine and had been well looked after at Rudders Boatyard. 

Lunch, then motored the 8 or 9 miles up to Dale. Anchored.  

A brief sleep, then enjoyed the lovely evening sunshine. 

Meanwhile in London, a man in a hat had sat on a chair.