LNSC Burgee Lough Neagh Sailing Club
 

Achilles 24' - Icthus - Trevor Currans

Return to Islay

Monday 30th June
ETD 08.00
ETA 14.40
Time 5.40 hrs. Avr. speed 6.3 knts Distance 34 nm

The morning offered us a blue sky with a force four north easterly. As we headed out into the Sound of Jura we had some nasty squalls coming down Loch Sween before the wind steadied further off shore. With the wind on our stern quarter and a favourable tide and only the occasional gusts we made it to Ardmore Island on the East Coast of Islay in very good time. The winds remained favourable, albeit fresh, for most of the trip giving us a memorable sail. However, as we changed course and headed for Texa the wind eased to almost a two, but left a slight to moderate sea which left us pitching about a bit for an hour. However, the wind soon picked up again and took us into Port Ellen on a good five.

We arrived into Port Ellen mid afternoon. At our leisure, we tidied the boat, plotted our course for the next day and did the shower and shave business before strolling up to the Cyber Café, (yes honestly, they do!) to get the weather forecast from the Web and then on to the Hotel for that all important, ‘Fare well to Scotland meal’.

Crossing the Shuck

Tuesday 1st July
ETD 09.30
ETA 16.30
Time 7 hrs Avr. Speed 5.1 knts
Distance 36 nm

Next morning I was awakened with Ally asking , ‘what is it about Scotland this year’? , as he peered out of the cabin. ‘Another blue sky and the chance of a fair breeze by the look of things; we should have a nice trip across the shuck brother’ he said. Once again we left with blue skies, but with barely a force two. We persevered with the light wind and sailed out midway between Rubha nan Leacan and Otter Rock. However, a check on the GPS, an hour out, indicated that the tide was having more influence than the wind so we furled the sails and started to motor the North Channel which was like the preverbal mill pond. As we headed out we could see clouds building over the Rhinns of Islay. By the time we had motored to the Middle Bank, the clouds had caught up with us. There were the occasional white horses showing and a nice breeze blew up. We were sailing again! The winds remained steady at about three, occasional four. But with the wind, enough drizzle to force us to put on the oilies. As we got to the Northern Irish side of the channel the visibility started to deteriorate in the showers. However, by the time we had the Skerries on our stern we could see the white beacon of the Bar Mouth. As we approached the rain stopped and the clouds started to break.

We furled in the sails, started the engine and motored through a totally different animal than what we had done on our journey out. The Bar Mouth was completely flat! By the time we had rounded the corner to Dougan’s Bay the sun was shining once more. As we motored up the river to the Marina we started work on the rigging in preparation to lower the mast for the trip back to Kinnego. On arrival at the Marina we meet Joel, who had helped us sort out our mast the previous year. ‘Give’s a shout when you’re ready boys’ he said, and with a laugh, ‘I don’t want that mast landing across my boat’. ‘Going any where this year Joel’ I asked. ‘Yep’ said Joel, ‘we’re pointing her straight for St. Kilda at the beginning of August’, I know it is not right to covet, but to have the time available and the luxury of such a boat to do a trip like that would be great.

With the boat all packed up and ready for the trip back up the river we thanked Rickie, appropriately, for all his help and for looking after the car. We drove home leaving Icthus at the Marina until Friday, when I would return to make the return trip with Sharon and the two kids.