Sunday, 21 August 2016

OK OK so we’re not in Belfast yet!


 No bother
 I’ll just tell you about our doings in and about Portrush. We arrived here at 1700 just as the tide (as in rise and fall of the sea not the washing up stuff) turned. So we were motor sailing in light winds and BIG SEAS narrow entrance that we surfed in. Swung around and secured to the pontoon. Paid our tyth of 75# for 2 nights wandered up to the YC for a pint and then called it a night.
Sat. July 30/16 Up not so early at 0800 had a shower put the laundry. Went up town had breakfast while we waited for the 1025 local bus to do the tour of the rope bridge, Giants Causeway and Bushmills. (the town not the distillery)
Nice cheap bus ride Got off at the rope bridge did the walk of death with 35,000 of our closest friends took the obligatory pictures had a cuppa while waiting for the next bus. It arrived right on time so we leapt aboard and headed off to the causeway.
Arrived at the Causway with 38,000 of our closest Oriental friends. Walked down to the sea shore arrived at Low water did a look around and then took the uphill bus for 1# saved the knees it did. Then we walked down to the narrow gauge railway station purchased our tickets had a snack and the caught the 1530 for the ride into Bushmill. After a 45 minute ride we went to the Distillery.
 Didn’t do the tour as have done those and the last one for the day had already started. But did talk to one of the helpers about differences between regular, black, blue and green. I was told “night and day”. Really what does the rotation of the Earth have to do with the quality of booze? I just wanted to know if I could taste the difference. The nice young fella said sure can. Go into the bar tell them I sent you and you can have a tasting.” Wowzer” I thought to myself as I made haste to the bar, hailed the barkeep, told him ”Hank” sent me.” Whose Hank” says he.” Ooops” I said” not Hank but Hamish”or “Paddy”. That seemed to work as he poured out two measures of the Blue and the Green and I sipped as we discussed the state of the world. Both were excellent! So much so that I couldn’t choose between them so purchased a bottle of each.
We then caught a Bus into Colraine as it was closer than going back out to the causeway for the return bus to Portrush. Got into Colraine asked about the train to Portrush how much and when. The Nice conductor persons said ”that’s it right there and it’s just leaving!” Do our bus tickets work on the train” asked Sally. “No” said they, “Ahhh heck” said Sally. “Ohh go ahead” said the nice conductor person held the train while we leaped aboard. Had an interesting trip in the car with all the drunks! Arrived in Portrush returned to the boat had happy hour finished the laundry. Sally spoke to a couple up on the Pier. Called it a night and had a not so good night due to SSSQQQEEEEEEKKKKKYYYYY fenders!!!! Bahhh. We were the inside boat of a 3 boat raft.
Sunday July 31/16. Up early finished the laundry, Got the sewing machine out and mended the sail cover. Sally shortened our fleece sheets and we sewed them up and finally got underway at 1400 with tide and had a rapid trip down to Belfast past the causeway and the bridge and a bunch of cliffs and a bunch of sea caves etc etc etc. We arrived in Belfast Lough just at Sunset and had a long motor into the harbour proper dodging fast ferry’s, tankers, bulk carriers, slow ferry’s, fishing boats, Lobster Pots, Bally bouys sleeping birds and other flotsam and jetsum. We heard our name mentioned at one point as we were sneeking down along the outside of the channel. Since both our big radios were not radioing we resorted to the little hand held to contact the harbour authorities that we were aware of all the BIG boats and we would stay out of their way. We were thanked for that. Eventually we arrived at our chosen destination, saw an opening on the first Pontoon slid in tied up and alakazami nighty night.

I’m reexhaausted just from writing this never mind reliving it! 




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