Obviously with so many days with light to no wind, and more recently no engine to motor along; this passage was taking longer than expected.
Dan and I spoke over the course of several days, trying to decide which would be the better path to reach Oban, Scotland. Time and distance were important, but weather played a key role in the decision. The west coast of Ireland would expose me to more than one gale. That being said, a near gale was coming behind me which had just left the Iberian Peninsula.
I had to find a safe harbor with services that could tow me in. These would be very limited on the west coast. I knew of at least one in England is I went up the Irish Sea. I also needed a mechanic to look at my engine.
The decision was made. I would go farther east and head up the Irish Sea. I would race the bad weather behind me. The timing was bad to reach the port in England. I would reach that harbor around midnight and have to sail around until I could reach them in the morning. The weather that was chasing me would arrive first.
My spirits were fairly low at this point. I was approaching the entrance for the English Channel. I had no idea what to expect. Even though I had decided to go up the Irish Sea, I kept myself far from the Maritime Traffic Separation Zones where shipping gets more congested.
A Fishing Boat Having Left Norway via the English Channel
Another Fishing Boat at Dawn
I was seeing more ships/boats. I knew I was close to the English Channel. These fishing boats are relatively small. So, they came close; a half to a quarter mile away. The larger ships could not be seen visually. However, I could see them all electronically using AIS. I explained in a previous post about AIS. I can see their signal up to 32 miles away.
The sky was getting darker ahead. The dark clouds stretched across the horizon. I was going to have to sail through it.
Then I heard the thunder. That’s something I do not hear often at sea. Then another rolling boom, but closer. Then a flash of lightning ahead of me. another was to the starboard (right) side. I won’t lie. I was getting nervous. This thunder storm was moving fast and getting closer. I quickly changed the sails for the worst possible winds. Then there was a boom directly over head. My chest felt the vibration. Then I was blinded and heard another boom. I didn’t know if Distant Horizon was hit by the lightning. I was under the solar panels. So, the metal over my head should protect me. I should have been down below away from all metal, but didn’t have time.
A moment later, when I could see again. The chart plotter and instruments were still all working. Distant Horizon wasn’t hit. The next boom was far off behind me. I was through the storm!
The sky cleared quickly and was just dark behind me now. That’s when I saw land. Land! for the first time in 17 days. I still had several days to go, but I would have land on my left and on my right the rest of the way. Somehow, that was very comforting.
First sight of land in 17 Days
The Irish Sea is not know for it’s calmness. With wind from the south over 20kts and an ebbing tide running south with a current over 3kts meant rough conditions… then add the long rollers coming off the ocean colliding with that… I was sailing through a very mixed up sea.
Mixed up Irish Sea
For 10 days now, Dan has been my only source of weather. Everyday at noon, I would text Brynn, my oldest daughter, my positional information and general state of well being for me and the boat. So even though I sail solo, I am not actually doing this alone.
Step in Brynn. She researched, without me asking, places that I could get the boat serviced.
She knew I was headed for Oban, Scotland. I had concerns of a long inland sail against currents and then being towed in.
She asked for basic information about the problem and what I needed to get it resolved. She used that information to begin her search. She came up with Bangor Marina near Belfast, Northern Ireland.
With no other viable choice at hand, and Belfast Lough being just two days away. Three days closer than Oban… I immediately started checking charts and guides to ensure it would be a safe location That I could get in to. Let me tell you! She hit a home run with that one!
Bangor Marina is a well protected Harbor with a 30 foot wall surrounding it.
Those last miles ticked off quickly. It only took me one more day to reach Bangor. A total of 18 days at sea.