2025 June 15th, Day 78 Knockinelder Bay south.

Facebook posts:

06:40: The forecast this morning is not good light to moderate winds on the nose but there may be westerly or even NW this afternoon or evening that would help. The next few days are worse from here with possible F6 later tomorrow, so I’m going for as far S as I can manage, hopefully The Skerries, once there there will be more options.

Currently (06:43) bashing through the over falls off Strangford under engine with the SSW wind, that has just increased from F2 to F4, and the tide right on the nose, making them worse, when the tide turns in an hour or so things should be more comfortable. Hoping it doesn’t rain to much.

07:10? Through the worst of he over-falls but now F5 on the nose. this water was dead flat as I approached in light winds, a few minutes after the wind increased it was like this. At no time was I within the charted area (just) as soon as I saw it I headed further out helped by the tide from Strangford - if the tide had been going in I would have been further out although the over-falls are worse on the ebb. It got worse after this but I had to stop filming.

08:45: Alongside at Ardglass. With revs for 5.5 knots I was struggling to make three against a short steep sea and that was before the tide turned into the wind. 3 hours to cover 9 miles and the first 3 were at speed in calm water.

The wind is unlikely to turn even to the W let alone NW before 14:00 and it could be light so it would be a VERY long day motoring and I’m not in that much of a hurry.

There was very heavy rain as I approached the harbour but mercifully brief and it had gone before I entered. The entry was rather intimidating as it was low water and the front pontoon was full so I had to go round to the back through a narrow gap with about a foot of water under the keel but I made it without incident.

I made a quick trip to the shop for bread and lunch before the rain started again, light but I am parked with the stern to the wind so have to have the hatch shut which is not helping my gear dry, the boots especially are still soaking inside, fortunately the alternate jacket that I know leaks but was dry when I left and not heavy with water was good enough to withstand the brief shower and the French spare boots that are rather tight definitely do not leak.

There is a chandlery here mainly catering for the commercial fisherman so I will visit tomorrow to see if they have a Guy Cotten jacket for when it's really wet and which does not get very heavy with absorbed water.

I'm not making any firm plans for a day or two until I see how the forecasts are trending but I am checking out the direct route to Anglesey which although a long leg with a TSS in the way should be doable in a SW wind without tacking.

10 miles over the ground in over 3 hours 😒