Forecasts were still equivocal with F7 in one of them for Sunday so I decided on a dash to Bangor with the option of anchoring in Ballyholme Bay, as good an anchorage as you are likely to find along this coast in a strong southerly or going into Bangor Marina.
Its a long way with complicated tides (explained here, opening in a new window) and I was recommended not to leave an hour either side of low water because of shallows in the fairway to the marina, having seen the area round the pontoons at low water I added on half an hour so that that there would be 1.8 metres (the boats draft rounded up) of water above chart datum if in the dark I went a little outside of the dredged area I would still be floating. So departure was set for 03:45, in the event I left 10 minutes early, did a 3 point turn to head out and was on my way,
Lambay Island from Seaward, previously I have always gone the other side. |
At 10:15 the wind lightened to 8 knots and went round to the SE so up went the spinnaker, typically 45 minutes later and before I had put the camera away from taking the above video, the wind returned to the SSE so the cruising chute went back up to replace it.
Approaching Donaghadee. |
Ballyholme Bay (Bangor) Sunday morning. |
Also Sunday morning: the ship at anchor had been clearly visible 5 minutes previously as this fog bank appeared from nowhere |
A ferry coming down Belfast Loch entering the new fog bank, it is likely that a small yacht ahead would not be visible from the bridge, radar and AIS on both sides makes a huge difference. |
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