29th July 2013 - Bangor to Killybegs

Drat drat drat .... I missed my alarm call and the 05.00 am small boats departure time.
I scurry out from the B and B, suit up in the marina changing rooms and join the 6.00 am departure time for the big boats. 

Mustering outside Bangor Harbour

At first I am a little anxious about keeping up with them, but with the mid leg fuel stop, I open up the throttle a bit and cruise at around 25 knots. The seas are calm and I am beginning to relax and enjoy the amazing views of the Antrim coast.
We pass between Rathlin Island and the mainland. Rathlin looks peaceful this early in the morning and I must return there for a closer look one day.

We stop at the rope bridge fishermans cottage. there are sea caves here as well.

 Carrick - a - Rede rope bridge

Rope Bridge at Carrick-A-Rede

In tight to the sea cliffs

From here we head on to the Giants Causeway.

In company With RibQuest 1, I pull Merlin in close to the Causeway

Running on from here in company with Ribquest 1 we both contrive to miss the entrance to Lough Foyle !!! and have to ask a passing trawler for directions to our fueling stop at GreenCastle. We meet up with the rest of the flotilla and take on fuel and food.

Looking studious, but actually eating an apple !
Waiting to restart from Greencastle...and yes that is a happy pig on the transom

Merlin is basically a floating gas tank. Around 120 litres in a Stainless steel under deck tank, plus an additional 38 litres in 2 plastic cans that sit under the seat pad at the front of the console.
After leaving GreenCastle - we head north west - through Inishtrahull Sound, and then lose the shelter of the land, and turn south west to run towards Tory Sound and Tory Island, all the time the weather is picking up. 

Heading along the North West coast of Ireland

We pass Bloody Foreland (nice) and head full on into some bad weather. I am struggling to maintain the pace of the bigger boats at this point. SeaWolf - a 10 meter offshore Humber Rib slows to my pace. 

Seawolf keeps tabs on Merlin in the distance

Pushing on past Aran Island, I take 3 big thumps in succession, and a short while later the boat takes a huge thump as it comes off a wave, which in the spray and poor visibility I hadn't had time to react to. It feels like someone sticking a knife in my spine. I am winded, and cant even get a yelp of pain out. 
I am off the gas and just sitting upright in the boat. Seawolf comes over to check on me.
They pass on that the small boats group is very close now and suggest I go over and join them. 
I pull myself together and adrenaline takes over. 10 minutes later I am slogging along through the weather with the small boats at a realistic pace. The bad seas continue, lumpy confused, as Merlin crests a wave and drops into the trough, the spray thrown up at the front of the boat is picked up on the quarter by the wind and thrown straight at me. The amount of spray hitting the visor on my Gecko prevents me seeing clearly and again I stuff the boat a few times. (Later in Killybegs some wag has the answer to that problem ..... "get a cabin"- doh!)
The bad weather continues until we can turn East at Malin Head and run into Donegal Bay heading for Killybegs. We ride along on a following sea, this in itself is tricky to drive and requires concentration to avoid the wave behind catching you up. Finally after 180 miles at sea and 14 hours, we pull into Killybegs and spot the refueling trucks on the quay. As I wait my turn at the pumps, my back realises its got no reason to ignore my brain and starts to spasm. 

Arriving in Killybegs

Waiting my turn for fuel

By the time I have rafted up (badly) with the other boats and struggled up to the top of the ladder I am really feeling it, but I check the skippers meeting time and must eat as am starving. Finally I collapse into the bed at the Tara Hotel on the quayside. The rumour mill is suggesting tomorrow's weather may be too bad to continue, but I know not to pay too much attention, the weather in Ireland will always surprise you given a few days.

All the boats rafted up at Killybegs - Merlin is extreme left.