Week 28 8 – 14 July 2019 Portrush, Northern Ireland – Inishbofin Island, Ireland 224 nm and two lay days.

8 July Monday Portrush – Mulroy Bay, Ireland 47 nm
Very bright night from the street lights in Portrush. Light rain and a light southerly wind. The tide didn’t call for an early start and we had late breakfast before we took the possibility to fill diesel at the pontoon using a hose. 300 liter of diesel and an unknown amount of water later we cast our lines and motored in no wind towards the north tip of Ireland, Malin Head.
We know we would have current against for the first twenty miles, necessary to get following current around Malin Head. This part of the coast doesn’t offer many places to stop for the night and that’s the main reason for our long daytrip partly against the tide.
For some time we had as much as three knot against, making the 50 mile long trip time consuming.
On the third part around Malin Head we had two knots of following current which helped us reaching our anchorage.
We were lucky to almost not have any rain during the whole day, but motoring with no sails in no wind condition. Coming into the river we had some trouble getting the anchor in the direction we wanted to coop with the strong Tuesday wind due to wind against current.
Finally we got it perpendicular to the current, a way we have found good with our heavy Delta anchor. Most of the time we weigh anchor with this condition the anchor is still in the same position in spit several tide change.
Dinner and shortly after we fell asleep after a long day motoring.

9 July Tuesday Mulroy Bay layday waiting for the wind to shift.
Quiet night after we got used to a donkey ashore that sounded like a boat wanting us to move!
Rain and southerly wind. We worked at the table whole morning. Very convenient to prepare for the coming islands and of course our log/blog.
We used some time to discuss if we should change our itinerary and end up in Gothenburg instead of Portuga/Spainl. We need o do some work on the boat on the hard and even if the temperature is higher in Portugal, it’s easier and more efficient to do the work close to Gothenburg. We decided to postspone the decision and sail to the Aran Islands and there decide where to go.
The tide made us change scenery at the table, as we had anchored in a river mouth with strong tidal shifting four times a day.

10 July Wednesday Mulroy Bay – Tory Island 20 nm + 4 km hiking
Early start to get out of the river before the tide changed eight o’clock.
Rain all around us when we weigh anchor and could determine that the anchor still was perpendicular to the tide directions. On the way out we had two knots following current in the narrow parts. Close to the estuary, the current was next to nothing.
Coming out at sea the wind did not give us a direct route to Tory Island. We opted for half an hour motoring to the next mainland cape, and then we could sail to Tory Island. We arrived just as the ferry from the mainland arrived. The harbour is very small and because of that we waited outside in the swell for the ferry to enter. After only minutes we were in the harbour and found a place at the wharf. Two meter tide calls for long lines and special care when mooring.
We got an Irish sailboat rafted on Moon, and when that was secured we took a walk to the western cape and the lighthouse. The rain came back just as we returned to the village;, in fact we were right outside the pub! Very convenient and a pint later the rain was gone and we could prepare dinner down in Moon.

11 July Thursday Tory Island lay day waiting for not southerly wind and hiking.
Rain most of the night. After breakfast we saw blue spots among the clouds and made the camera backpack ready for a hike to the bird cliffs.
East cape of the island is much higher and steeper into the sea compared to the western part. We walked through the village and east to another smaller village, twenty houses alongside the “main road”.
Finally we reached the razor shaped narrow peninsula, not possible to climb for “normal” people. Very dramatic and very scenic. Not many birds on the cliffs, but the more normal high shoreline had many nesting birds. Unfortunately we could not come close enough to get good close up photos., but a nice long walk in changing weather condition, some rain and some sunshine.
On the way back we stopped in the little grocery shop and bought some very fine carrots.
Back in Moon we did some drying up before we went to the second pub in the village. Unfortunately the live music had just finished, but a pint is always good.

12 July Friday Tory Island – Teelin Harbour 51 nm
Early departure in rain and a fresh north westerly wind. Wind towards the wharf, but we have become quite experienced to manage without a bow thruster using a spring line and our big round fender. Because of ebb tide the pulpit was below the wharf and it was a new experience. The big fender was enough to keep the pulpit off the concrete wall!
Out in open sea we sat sail, a reefed main, full cutter and a reefed Yankee. The wind was more west than expected and we got a very close haul to clear the first islands and skerries, a very though sail in near gale condition and very confused rough sea state spiced with a lot of rain.
At noon we could ease the sheets and unfurl the reefed Yankee. Together with that more comfortable sailing the sun actually cleared the clouds. Got a very nice second part of the trip, east into Donegal Bay where we anchored in Teelin Harbour. Just a few miles before Teelin Harbouir we past close outside Europe’s highest sea cliffs (we don’t believe it, we have been to Norway) where two climbers just had reached the summit.

13 July Saturday Teelin Harbour – Broad Haven Bay 52 nm
Weigh anchor before breakfast and motored in almost no wind.
Coming free from shore we got wind and could sail a close reach with full sails and get good speed in spite of light wind thanks to almost flat sea. Three hours later the wind died completely and we had to start the engine again. But no wind condition made it possible to explore some narrow rock infested narrow sounds coming closer to Broad Haven Bay.
Anchored in five meter over sand between shore and three visitor moorings. The moorings are not marked with maximum load and we haven’t been able to find any information, so better be safe than sorry we use our own heavy ground tackle.

14 July Sunday Broad Haven Bay Inishbofin 54 nm
Up with the rooster and weigh anchor six o’clock to time the tide around Erris head which can be rough in tide against heavy swell. No wind so of course the following current was very welcome.
But most of the day we had almost no current. Clear sky and partly some light wind saw us sailing in gentle pace along the shoreline.
In the afternoon we got company with some dolphins. Half an hour before we arrived in port we got new wind and the headsail came out and gave us an extra knot.
Already half past four we were anchored and had a glass of wine in a sunny cockpit a sun that had been shining now for two days.

Annika & Björn