Badger of Baltimore’s 2005 Cruise

“Bangor to Bangor, leaving Ireland to starboard”

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We had planned to sail around Ireland in 2002, sailing anticlockwise. However strong westerly winds prevented us getting around Malin Head and we ended up doing the E, S & SW coasts only that year. So in 2005 we decided to have another go, but learning from 2002, this time we planned to go around clockwise.

‘We’ are David & Maggie McMullan and our boat Badger of Baltimore is a Contessa 32.

 

 

South of Carlingford we decided to photograph all of the lighthouses we passed to document the journey. So the report below is accompanied by many lighthouse photos. Unfortunately the third film jammed in the camera, so we have no photos north of Clare Island.

 

 

Part 1 – June 2005 “Bangor to Beare Island”

Sunday 12/6/05 Bangor to Ardglass

The boat was launched in 2005 later than usual on 23rd May and apart from a quick Tuesday night race, we had very few outings prior to setting out on Sunday 12th June on Part 1 of our cruise. We had to be back in Bangor during July to assist with other sailing activities, so we planned to break the trip and leave the boat in the SW of Ireland during July and to continue Part 2 of the cruise in August.

 

We departed from Bangor marina just before 11am. The wind was blowing N/NW 20-25kn, so we set off from the marina towards Ballymacormick Point with a reef in the main and several rolls taken in on the genoa. As we passed Ballyholme Bay, Richard Honeyford was scooting about in one of the Ballyholme Yacht Club’s RIBs, instructing on an ISA performance-training course.

By 11:30 we had rounded the Briggs Buoy and were on our way south. We gybed off Donaghadee and ran on towards Skullmartin Perch with main only – preferring not to bother with goose-winging the genoa. Carrying the flood tide and with a tail wind we were past the Feathers beacon by 14:00 and cut inside of the South Rock old lighthouse. When abeam Ballyquentin Point the wind had moderated sufficiently for us to shake out the reef in the mainsail and some of the genoa. We made it into Phennick Cove Marina in Ardglass Harbour by 16:30. Our journey had started!

Distance travelled: 32nm. Marina cost £16/night.

 

On Monday 13th June the forecast was NW5-7 backing W4 overnight and then backing S-SW4-6. So we decided to stay put and explore Ardglass and surrounding areas on foot.

Crew from a visiting boat came to ask us about ‘the overfalls off Bangor’, which has us nonplussed for a while. “Bangor N.Ireland, not Bangor Wales?” we queried, to be sure we weren’t being asked about the Menai Straits. It turned out they were referring to the overfalls off the Copeland Islands and we happily lent them our detailed charts of the Copeland Islands and of Belfast Lough for them to use for their passage planning for going north.

 

Tuesday 14/6/05 Ardglass to Carlingford Marina

Having ‘done’ Ardglass, we were keen to move on and planned to head for Malahide. It was raining early in the morning and there was a drip coming in on the aft side of the mast. It was still drizzling when we got underway at 08:15. With 2 reefs in the genoa and 1 in the main, we were just fetching a course of 200º on a beat. In the lumpy sea and the drizzle, it was miserable sailing. We were making 4-5kn, but after 3 hours we decided that as we were no longer fetching the Dublin area, it would be better to turn and head into Carlingford instead. In the southerly wind, it was quicker to furl in the genoa and motorsail as it was still to windward. Once we got near to the entrance of Carlingford Lough the rain had cleared and we had quite a nice trip up to Carlingford Marina, counting off the channel marks are we went. We were in alongside the marina by 15:25. Distance travelled:35nm.

One of the reasons for giving up on getting down to the Dublin area was that there was water leaking in at the mast and running along the headlining on the port side and down onto the cushions, etc. We had installed a new deck ring during the winter and the flexing of the mast at deck level must have loosened the sealant between the deck ring and the deck. It appeared that there was also a separate leak down the aft side of the mast.

After drying out what we could below, we got ourselves cleaned up and went for a beer to cheer ourselves up. A couple of other boats which were in Ardglass and heading south also appeared in Carlingford – we weren’t the only ones to abort our sail to the Dublin area.

The forecast for the next couple of days was S-SE becoming SW 5-7, so it looked likely that we would be in Carlingford for a few days. We had a talk with the marina staff and agreed that we could use their travelling hoist to lift out the mast, so we could reseal the deck plate with Sikaflex and hopefully cure the leaks in that area.

On Wednesday afternoon, we were finally waved over to the basin by the hoist to get the mast out. They had to wait for the tide to raise enough to get us into the basin without running aground, but we very nearly didn’t have enough height left for the keel-stepped mast to come out through the deck. Eventually by moving the boat back a couple of feet we got the last 2-inches out. The yard staff walked the mast back and up into their yard, whilst we went back to our berth to get the deck ring off and then resealed.

During this period a large steel Scandinavian yacht came into the marina. She looked like she had been fabricated in a shipyard, rather than crafted by a boat builder. She has a large diameter stainless steel mast.

On Thursday afternoon we got the mast re-installed and set about tightening up the rigging and getting the sails back on.

Costs for stay: €25.35/night; showers €1.80 each; mast lift 2*€55 + €39 labour costs

 

Friday 17/6/05 Carlingford Marina to Dun Laoghaire

The weather forecast was SW4-5 backing SE 3-4, with occasional rain or drizzle.

We set off at 09:45 motoring in mizzle. Because of the mizzle, it was quite difficult to see the next channel marker at times, but it helped that another yacht had left a short time before us and gave us a general idea of where we should be heading.

At 10:45 we cleared the navigation channel at No2 and motor-sailed towards Rockabill Lighthouse.

Rockabill Lighthouse from the west.

 

By 16:00 we were NW of Lambay Island and decided to carry on to Dun Laoghaire to make up some of the lost time at Carlingford & Ardglass. The wind was almost on the nose by this time, so we dropped the main and just motored the rest of the way.

After a while, the alternator belt started to slip, giving a high pitched squeal and a smell of burning rubber. First we tried tightening it and later, when it started to squeal again, we disconnected it.

The Bailey Lighthouse, at Howth Head

 

Then there was a different smell coming up from below when we were off Howth Head. After removing the engine box again, we found the engine battery was almost boiled dry and the smell was the battery acid boiling off. We quickly disconnected the engine battery and motored onwards through the Traffic Separation Scheme into Dublin Port and into Dun Laoghaire. We contacted the marina and were allocated berth Q16B near the entrance, but it proved to be a long hike to the marina office. What a big marina it is! We were alongside and tied up by 19:25.

Distance travelled: 51nm. Marina cost: €39/night

After the battery trauma, we adjourned to Scott’s Bar for some food and a drink to revive the spirits.

The following day, we firstly tried adding water to the battery and were surprised when it showed it was still fully charged. However after a phone call to a marine electrician, who suggested it was likely to have warped plates, we replaced the battery. In the evening we met up with old university friends, John and Hilary Fitzpartick (John is now a Professor at Trinity College Dublin), and another couple and went for a meal together at The Purty Kitchen Seafood Bar. Several bottles of wine later, we staggered back aboard and set the alarm for a relatively early start the following morning.

 

Sunday 19/6/05 Dun Laoghaire to Arklow

After breakfast we departed from the marina at 09:40 and proceeded through Dalkey Sound and on southwards. We had a quick check of the engine & battery. The engine battery appeared to be charging at 15.5V, which was high, whereas the domestic batteries were charging at 14.5V, which is more normal. Hmm…

Once past Dalkey Island we unfurled the genoa on a broad reach and were making 7.2kn SOG.

By 11:05 we were off Greystones, but the wind had died away and the genoa was furled away again. But the sun was shining. At 11:50 we had our first dolphin sighting of the holiday, which we believe was a pod of 5-7 Risso’s dolphins. They had a very erect dorsal fin, with mottled grey colouring on their body and they went past in a northerly direction totally ignoring the boat.

At 13:00 we passed Wicklow Head, see photo.

Wicklow Head Lighthouse, in the haze

 

By 14:50 we were tied up in Arklow Marina and the water in the marina basin was as dirty as usual. It’s a pity they cannot get a water flow through the basin to flush the rubbish away, because it is such a convenient stopping place when going up or down the east coast. We walked up into Arklow and had a late lunch/early dinner in Kitty’s.

Distance travelled: 34nm. Marina cost: €25

Monday 20/6/05: Arklow to Kilmore Quay

To make best use of the tides, we were up relatively early again and were underway by 08:45. It was a nice sunny morning. Just outside the harbour moth we stopped the engine as there was an odd noise and tightened the alternator belt. The noise continued, so we removed the alternator belt and the noise stopped. The engine battery was 15V and the domestic batteries were at 12.7V, so the engine battery appeared to be still charging at too high a voltage. As the batteries were both well charge, we continued on with the alternator belt removed.

From the outside of the harbour we could see the new wind turbines being installed on the Arklow Bank. These weren’t visible when we arrived due to reduced visibility.

We proceeded south outside of the Glassgorman Bank and then through the Rusk Channel, inside of the Blackwater Bank. There is a new wind farm ashore opposite the N-end of the Rusk Channel. By 12:55 we were abeam the W. Blackwater buoy. The wind was on the nose and the seas were increasing, so we dropped the main to stop it flogging.

By 15:48 we were approaching the Fundale buoy, off Carnsore Point - the SW corner of Ireland. The tide had now turned against us and our progress slowed considerable to 3.5kn SOG, giving us another 3 hours to Kilmore Quay. But at least with the tide change (or perhaps being more in the lee) the seas were flatter, so the boat’s motion was less uncomfortable. We passed inside of Black Rock and through the St. Patrick’s Bridge and turned into Kilmore Quay.

Eight days to get from Bangor to Kilmore Quay was a long wet slog with head winds most of the way!

We went up to Kehoe’s Pub and discovered it has been totally renovated inside. Distance travelled: 50nm. Marina cost: €15/night

 

 

Tuesday 21/6/05 – Kilmore Quay to Waterford Marina

In the morning we went up to the Stella Maris Community Hall for a shower, and planned to have a cooked breakfast in their café, only to find the café wasn’t open. However we did make use of their internet access service and checked e-mails and had a look at the weather charts for the following few days.

We stocked up on bread and milk from the shop and diesel from the Harbour Master and departed at 11:15, which was Low Water. At the entrance we were down to 0.9m below the keel but got through unscathed and once out in deep water again, turned for Hook Head.

Hook Head Lighthouse

 

Despite keeping 1.5nm S of Hook Head, we encountered quite big rolly seas. We unfurled half of the genoa to steady the boat a bit as we cut across the seas and up in towards Waterford. Once well inside a line between Hook Head and Swine’s Head the seas flattened and the passage up to Waterford was very pleasant.

The fairway buoy was ‘off station’, but we picked up the channel markers , just past Creadan Head. It was our fist time going up to Waterford and although it is a bit off the beaten track, if you are en-route past this corner of Ireland, it proved to be a very enjoyable and interesting trip.

The buoyed channel leads across a shallow expanse known as Duncannon Bar. Passing the town of Duncannon to starboard there are no less than 3 Martello Towers, which hints at the strategic value of this waterway. By the next bend in the river at Passage East the width has narrowed considerably, giving the feel of passing from the estuary into the River Suir. The shallow parts are well marked with buoys and lit piles on the river banks. At the large bend at Chhek Point there are a number of boats moored to Port and a Power Station and a railway bridge over the River Barrow to Starboard. The river narrows again going past a number of commercial quays to starboard. Just past Little Island there is a shallow patch, or perhaps we deviated from the proper channel, then back in to deep water the rest of the way up to Waterford itself. Going up we followed another yacht, which turned out to be a Nauticat from Strangford Lough. We tied up on the inside of the pontoons at 16:55.

Distance travelled: 32nm. No charge for the berth, but paid a deposit at the hotel opposite Reginald’s Tower for an access key to the pontoons.

Waterford was preparing itself for the arrival of the Tall Ships in early July, with a lot of construction going on by the pontoons and on the adjacent roads.

Wednesday 22/6/05 – Waterford Marina to Dunmore East

On Wednesday morning we opted for a bit of historical culture and started with a visit to the Waterford Treasures exhibition at the renovated Granary building, followed at 12:00 with a walking tour of the historic buildings in the centre of Waterford starting at the Granary and ending at Reginald’s Tower.

Waterford was founded by the Vikings in about 900AD and became Ireland’s first city. It lies close to the confluence of three rivers - the Barrow, the Nore and the Suir. These rivers between them drain a large part of central Ireland and would have given the Vikings a lot of inland waterways to explore. Henry II arrived in Ireland at Waterford and declared Waterford and Dublin as royal cities, which belonged to the crown and throughout the medieval period Waterford remained the second city in Ireland. In more recent times, it gave its name of course to the famous Waterford crystal.

In the late afternoon we departed from Waterford and carried the tide back down the river Suir to Dunmore East harbour. We tied up outside a workboat, rather than a fishing boat in the hope that they may be departing a bit later in the morning.

Distance travelled: 15nm. No charge for o/n stay.

 

Thursday 23/6/05 – Dunmore East to Crosshaven

The 07:00 forecast gave S-SW F3-4, so we breakfasted and departed at 08:10. By 09:00 we were off Brownstown Head, with two distinctive towers.

Brownstown Head, with two towers

 

We had planned to visit Dungarvin and/or Youghal, as we had by-passed them on our previous trip. However with the alternator still disconnected, we were very conscious that without a means of charging the batteries, we were at risk of running the batteries down. So we decided to head directly to Crosshaven instead and try to get our electrical problems rectified at Salve Marine’s yard.

In the S/SW wind we motorsailed with the main hoisted. We had light rain on and off, with the occasional squall of 20kn.

Passing Ballycotton Island and the Smalls we encountered our first salmon net of the trip. Before we actually could see the net we were hailed by a fishing boat and asked to alter course and go to the south of him. (To which Maggie responded “What did he say?”)

Ballycotton Lighthouse

 

As we continued on in to Crosshaven, passing Roches Point lighthouse, the low cloud was breaking up and the sun was trying its best to break through. We tied up at Salve Marine’s pontoons at 18:45 and got plugged into the mains to charge the batteries. We had phoned ahead and discussed our electrical problem and they said they would arrange for an electrical mechanic to check it out on Friday.

It had been a long and somewhat boring day’s passage, so we relaxed with a drink and had a meal aboard and then adjourned up the street to a pub.

Distance travelled: 57nm. Marina cost: €20/night

We waited and waited on Friday, but to no avail. By 5pm they said they couldn’t get the man they thought may be able to fix it and had a look at the problem themselves. They were able to give us a spare alternator belt, as our own one was quite badly worn by this stage. They also tried changing the splitter diode, but that made no difference. So we concluded that our own splitter diode was working correctly.

That evening we ate at the small restaurant inside the Salve Marine yard, which was run by the owner’s daughter. As we were finishing our meal, we got chatting to another couple, who had just arrived in their boat Sayonara, and had come up to the restaurant for a drink. They had travelled around from Oyster Haven and said they would be spending a few days in Crosshaven and offered us the use of their mooring in OysterHaven, which we said was our next place to visit/explore.

 

Saturday 25/6/05 – Crosshaven to Oyster Haven, via Cobh

Early Saturday morning was the Lions first test match against the All Blacks, and I was able to go up to the pub, give the agreed knock at the door and be smuggled inside to watch the game along with about 15 others. A disappointing 21-3 defeat, with Brian O’Driscoll taken off in the first minute of the match with a dislocated shoulder. Not the greatest start to the day!

We filled up with fuel and paid our debts and motored up to Cobh to go and visit the Cobh Heritage Centre. We were able to tie up alongside a floating pontoon opposite one of the hotels, which was just a short walk to the Heritage Centre. The Centre was in part of the railway building and told the story of the famine and the emigration from Ireland via Cobh.

After a quick walk around the centre of Cobh and a visit to a cash point, we returned to the hotel for lunch, only to be told they didn’t do food on Saturdays! Instead we went aboard, and headed back out of Cork Harbour and had a sandwich enroute.

Once clear of the Spit Bank we hoisted the sails and sailed around to Oyster Haven and tied up on Sayonara’s mooring. The heavens opened just as we finished putting the sail cover on, so we didn’t bother getting the dinghy out for an exploration of the inlet. Instead we just watched other boats come and go and listened to the distant cries of curlews.

Distance travelled: 15nm.

It turned out that Saturday had been the final day of the Sovereign's Cup, being held at Kinsale. As we approached Big Sovereign island off Oyster Haven, we could start to see more and more sails on the horizon, near the Old Head of Kinsale. In retrospect we thought it was just as well that we hadn’t planned to stay overnight in Kinsale!

Sunday 26/6/05 – Oyster Haven to Castletownsend

Having visited Kinsale, Courtmacsherry and Glandore on our 2002 trip, we departed from Oyster Haven at 09:00 bound for Castletownsend. Initially we motor-sailed, in order to recharge the batteries and also to get us round and clear from the Old Head of Kinsale as quickly as possible.

We rounded the Head close in this time, in about 20m of water. This kept us out of the much of the race, but there was an eddy coming down the west side of the head, which produced some bouncy bits as we cleared the west side of the Head.

Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse, from the west

 

By 11:15 we were abeam Seven Heads and shortly afterwards the highlight of the day was seeing a sunfish close in by the boat. With a relatively flat sea and good underwater visibility, we could quite clearly see the shape of its body, and the fin lazily slapping from side to side.

Galley Head Lighthouse

 

We dropped sails and motored in to find an anchorage off Castletownsend, arriving at 15:15. Distance travelled: 31nm.

From the mooring area, the town has a ‘well kept estate village’ appearance. We launched the dinghy and went ashore to restock with bread and milk. There are no shops near the jetty, but we set off up a very steep hill and found a small shop near the top. Before returning down again, we stopped off in the next door pub/restaurant for a cooling drink and then meandered back to the boat. We left the groceries back aboard and explored further up the inlet in the dinghy, past a second trop of anchored boats, a ruined castle and some beached abandoned fishing boats. Once the mud flats started to close in around us, we turned and came back to Badger.

 

Monday 27/6/05 – Castletownsend to Schull

The next place we wanted to visit was Schull, which again we had missed in 2002.

It was a bright sunny morning – perhaps summer had finally arrived!. We left at 09:05 and slowly motored out of Castletownsend. By 09:25 we had rounded Black Rock and headed towards the Stags motor-sailing. The wind was on the beam with 8-10kn.

By 10:45 we were off Kedge Island, near Baltimore, when we saw our second Sunfish. The wind was gradually dying and we decided to go around the outside of Clear Island, instead of going through the Gascanane Sound.

 

Indeed the sea was so flat that when we arrived at Cape Clear, we decided just to go on out and around the Fastnet Rock, 4nm to the SW. It was in this area in 2002 that we saw repeated sightings of dolphins, Minke and porpoise. But in 2005 we saw none.

Old Lighthouse on Clear Island, from the east.

 

 

The Fastnet Rock was quite spectacular, see photos below.

 

Fastnet from the SE

 

Afterwards we had to double check where Schull was and headed up along the west side of Clear Island, past Calf Island and then in between Castle Island and Long Island towards the entrance to Schull.

As we approached the moorings in Schull, there was a sailing course in progress, and who should we see but Richard Honeyford again!

We picked up a visitor’s mooring at 14:40, then went ashore to the sailing school and had a shower. Refreshed we went up into the town for some supplies.

Back aboard sitting having dinner, we noticed a motorboat with smoke billowing out of the back of it. Others ashore must have seen it as well, as a RIB came out from the sailing school, but it turned out to be a BBQ!!

Distance travelled: 30nm. No charge for the visitor’s mooring.

Fastnet from the SW

 

 

 

Tuesday 28/6/05 – Schull to Lawrence Cove Marine at Beare Island

The good weather was not to last and Tuesday started off overcast and cool. Maybe just as well, as parts of me were quite pink after the sun found the bits that I missed with the suntan cream yesterday.

We left Schull at 09:15, went up the inside of Long Island and cut through the Goat Island Sound to avoid some smaller islands inshore. By 10:30 we were passing the entrance to Crookhaven – motor-sailing with a poled out genoa.

 

It started to rain at 11:00 and half an hour later, as we rounded Mizzen Head, the wind increased considerably and we reached under reefed genoa only towards Bear Island, passing Sheep’s Head enroute.

Crookhaven Lighthouse

 

 

Mizzen Head Lighthouse on left, with bridge across to the ‘island’.

 

Initially we planned to anchor near Castletown Bearhaven overnight and then motor down to Lawrence’s Cove the following day. But with the unsettled weather and a small craft warning of N-NE F6, we decided to go directly to Lawrence’s Cove, arriving there at 15:00.

Distance travelled: 24nm. Marina cost: €18.5/night, but cheaper rate for longer stay.

 

 

Our plan was to leave the boat at Lawrence’s Cove Marina during the month of July, whilst we returned by train to Bangor. As it transpired it was fortunate that we arrived a day earlier than planned. The ferry and mini-bus to Cork connection was OK for Wednesday, but didn’t suit on Thursdays.

We were advised to move the boat around to a vacant berth tucked away at the far end of the marina, and snuck round with very little water below the keel. (We were assured the bottom was fine silt.) After a meal ashore at Kitty’s Cafe, we packed and got ready for an early start the following morning to walk round to catch the 07:30 ferry.

The connections back to Bangor worked surprisingly well. After getting Murphy’s ferry from Rerrin to the mainland, we were collected by Harrington’s mini-bus at the ferry car-park and dropped off at the station in Cork at 10:15. The Intercity to Dublin left at 10:30; we had to change stations in Dublin and arrived in Bangor at 18:10.

 

Contact details:

Laurence Cove Marina, run by the Harrington family – 353 (0) 27 75044

Murphy’s Ferry Service - Tel/fax 027 75014; Mobile 0872386095.

Harrington’s Minibus Tel: 027 74003; Mobile 0872678388

 

 

Continue to Part 2