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.
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.
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