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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.
07:10? Through the worst of the 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 to start with 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 π |
Monday a.m.
The tentative plan is to head south tomorrow leaving on the tide about 09:00 if the forecast is to be believed, earlier if it is calm, later if the wind has not dropped. Dundalk Bay about 30 miles away is the most likely destination but 45 miles to The Skerries is not ruled out. It Dundalk then it will likely be 20 miles to The Skerries on Wednesday, leaving early for the tide (the ebb runs south south of Dundalk) and hopefully to get most of the way there before the wind backs to the S or SE but I don’t put a lot of credence on that this far out.
Dundalk or even Ardglass direct to Anglesey can’t be ruled out but is probably unlikely, the forecasts are dependent on the position of shallow “waves” in the isobars that can’t be acutely predicted so who knows?
What happens for the rest of the week is anyone’s guess although easterlies might come along as a slack area of high pressure drifts northeast wards across UK but it probably means heading to Anglesey will not happen for a while, if at all.
At long last I might get a few warm or hot days.
Monday p.m.
I have been to the local chandlery and hopefully I'll not get soaked by rain again. French Guy Cotten top, very basic but quite long and waterproof to the highest PPE standard, ditto new boots made in Italy, they are particularly impressive, ISO standard with crush proof toe caps, non slip on steel, penetration resistant etc..The top would not be as comfortable dry as a yachty design but it will only be used, probably on top of the Henry Lloyd (it is large enough), when its raining.The price? Together £140, about half the price of the cheapest Musto offshore jacket and 10% the price of a premium Musto suit. If its good enough for trawlermen.....
Also, laundry done, water replenished, refuelled, a bit of shopping and ready for the off.
The 12:00 inshore forecast looks reasonable for tomorrow, if it is W 3 - 4 after midnight and before c 06:00, The Skerries (see above) are a good possibility :
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough - Strong wind warning
24 hour forecast: South or southwest 3 to 6, veering west 3 or 4 later. Slight, becoming slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle later. Good, occasionally moderate or poor later.
Outlook for the following 24 hours: West or northwest, becoming variable later, 3 or 4. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight except in far north. Mainly fair. Good.
But the Met Eireann 12:00 forecast for the next 24 hours does not agree:
Irish coastal waters from Malin Head to Carnsore Point to Valentia and for the Irish Sea
Wind: Increasing south to southwest force 4 or 5 imminent, occasionally force 6 in the east and on the Irish Sea. Later increasing force 6 at times in the north. Decreasing south-westerly force 4 or 5 by the end of the period.
Click here for the next leg south.
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