Day 31
Depart Rathlin 12.40 arrive Glenarm marina 1615 - 23 miles.
Mainsail hoisted and code 0 unfurls outside the harbour.
1330 abeam Fair Head - the fourth and final corner of Ireland on our circumnavigation.
Wind dropped and furled code 0.
1340 off Murlough Bay - I can’t believe Mike and I cycled down and back up that slope!
1450 sailing across Red Bay - wind has veered into the south which wasn’t forecast, but just enough angle to unfurl the jib and we enjoyed a nice fetch across.
Unfortunately, the wind veered further ahead of us as we neared Garron Point and we furled the jib.
1522 abeam Garron Point
No wind and oily flat sea motoring up towards Carnlough and into Glenarm bay. Contacted the marina manager Billy who helped us berth stern to in one of the fingers.
Sun still shining so drinks and a late lunch on the cockpit. 😎
Friends from Bangor marina invited us for a drink in the past Road Inn before we returned to the boat for a final night dinner onboard.
Day 31
The LAST day and the sun was shining! Champagne sailing for our final leg (Neale’s favourite type of weather!)
Depart Glenarm 1000 arrived Bangor marina 1522 - 23 miles.
We were joined onboard by Wendy again and Neale’s daughter Megan, together with my granddaughters Rhémy and Aurelia for the final leg to Bangor.
Rhémy, Aurelia and Megan were on high-alert dolphin watch; apparently a pod has been sighted off Ballygalley over the past few weeks. All the crew were delighted to have multiple sightings over the next few hours.
Passing Larne lough keeping close inshore to keep out of the north flowing tide and avoiding the ferry leaving Larne.
We kept in behind Muck Island for as long as possible keeping out of the tide and rounded it within 100 meters - close when looking at the rocks from the boat!
1240 abeam Muck Island (very close!)
The crew had a great view of the Gobbins cliff walk and some were inspired to commit to a future visit.
1310 altered course onto the final bearing that takes us into Bangor marina - 175’M.
1340 abeam Black Head and we sighted a motor boat heading towards us; it was RNIYC club members Karen & Robert Beckett onboard. They came alongside to welcome us home and presented us with a bottle of champagne - very kind.
We were running ahead of schedule and as the breeze filled in we hoisted the mainsail and unfurled the code 0 to have a nice gentle sail across Belfast Lough.
As we approached Bangor we were met with an armada of sailing dinghies (Lasers competing at the Youth Worlds being hosted by Ballyholme YC).
We sailed between both fleets ensuring we did not encroach onto the race course and dropped sails as we prepared to enter Bangor marina. Andrew brought the rib out to join us, bringing Grandson Raffi, Neale’s daughter Zoë and Granddaughter Darcy out to join us for coming back home and into the Marina. Raffi joined us onboard for the final docking.
Press photographers, representatives of NIPANC, friends and previous crew, all met us as we docked, with a special guest appearance from my mum, Isabel Vaughan, all waiting to welcome us in safely! We enjoyed a great celebration on the pontoon to mark the end of our voyage. And what a voyage!
Postscript
We sailed over 920 miles in 32 days, only losing 2 days to bad weather.
Unfortunately, that meant missing planned stops at Crosshaven (Cork harbour) and Rathmullan (Lough Swilly); both places I had previously sailed with Neale.
However I am delighted to have completed the journey within the time I had planned, and that was only possible due to the efforts and commitment of the various crew.
A massive thanks to:
David Eccles (2 legs)
Gordon Patterson (2 legs)
Rory Graham
Toby McCullough
Mike Vaughan (3 legs)
Wendy McCullough (2 legs)
Warren Polly
Andrew Vaughan
Adam McCullough
Ross Vaughan
Nigel Kearney
Chris Fletcher
Odile Vaughan
Megan McCullough
Rhémy Polly
Aurelia Polly
And thanks also to Megan McCullough who ran the blog and Instagram pages, and to Catherine Vaughan who coordinated all the logistics and liaison with NIPANC.
I’m sure I will have many other memories to add to the boat log over the coming months; it has been a wonderful experience, and I am so very grateful to everyone who has donated to the charity.
My original target was £2,000; today it has passed £10,000!
Over & out for now,
Gavin
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