The First Phosphorescence

The First Phosphorescence

Good Afternoon from Bangor Northern Ireland,

I have made the passage from Whitehaven to Bangor in Northern Ireland overnight.

There was a great send off from Whitehaven as I was waved off the pontoon by fellow yacht owners wishing me well. I was accompanied by another yacht as I hoisted my sails and made the turn towards Northern Ireland, it was fantastic the friendship I had from everyone in Whitehaven and I wanted to say thank you to them all and happy sailing I look forward to returning there in the future.

I had a steady wind and I was making a good speed as I moved along the south west coast of Scotland and the weather reports were for the wind to keep coming.

Well yet again the wind had other ideas and by night fall the wind decided that it was going to vanish and leave me with glass like seas. As I rounded the Mull of Galloway and made my way north north west towards Bangor I happened to look over the side of the boat as a very large dead squid floated by me, and in the wake from the bow of the boat I saw phosphorescence glowing away in the water. This was a first that I had only read about in books and it was huge privilege to see this first hand and something I won’t be forgetting.

As I settled in for the night I had a couple of ships pass me but nothing very close. As the dawn broke and the light came this then brought in the thick fog again something I am really growing to hate. I was looking at the charts and the chart plotter and I was now making my approach into Belfast Lough and I knew I was no more than 2 miles off shore and couldn’t see land, as I closed in and making the approach to the harbour the first sights I saw was a yacht anchored up. The first sight of the harbour was the wall just on my left only 500 yards on my port bow.

Thankfully I got into the harbour and found the correct mooring and finally got my head down after a very stressful few hours in the fog.

When I woke from my nap around 11 am the fog was still in and very slowly lifting but it was murky for most of the day but it finally dissipated and I had a wander along the front to see what I hadn’t when I entered the harbour.

The plan for the next leg of the journey has taken some planning and consideration as the weather has not been able to make its mind up and is now giving out strong wind in the north blowing a 7nts. I was looking at making the long passage straight up to the Outer Hebrides but with the weather it is now giving I have decided to play it safe and head for the island of Islay and Port Ellen and then I can review the weather again but looking to head up to Coll.

I will keep you all updated as to how I get on and how the weather is treating me.

Until next time

Alex

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