Donaghadee, Bangor, Rose and Black Guillemot

Day 52
23rd June
The best time to leave is at slack water, taking the start of the ebb down the narrows to the sea. The tide tables gave this as 11.30 today, so there was time to go round the town again and shop for groceries. Also took this photo of the futuristic lifeboat house at Portaferry.

Nearly ran out of coffee! That would be serious. At the butcher's bought liver and pork and leek sausages. The helpful berthing master came round at about ten, and was paid. We chatted for a while before he went off to tend his crab pots. At the appointed time the tide went slack, and we were off, heading into a fair breeze that augured well for later, when it would be possible to turn north and sail. Passing Seagen, I noticed a rib in attendance with a diver down. The Marine Biology Dept. of Belfast University are involved with the project. The current got progressively stronger as we neared the sea, and at the bar there was a nasty chop, but at 6kts over the ground we were through it rapidly and could set sail to the north. The breeze was very good at first, but it gradually fell away until it was necessary to use the engine off Portavogie. The sea became even smoother, and so we were able to maintain a water speed of 6kts with a helping tide raising our groundspeed to nearly 7kts. Some porpoises passed going the other way, but nothing else of interest happened. Donaghadee Harbour was very quiet, and I tied up at the quay near the lifeboat at 16.15.
In the town there were the usual boarded up premises and property for sale. With the emergency budget and the cuts to come I fear for this province. The nearest hotel to the harbour offers Wifi access, so I look forward to updating, etc., later tonight.

And so, fortified by liver and onions, I took self and computer to the hostelry, Pier 35, and updated whilst drinking a good pint of Bass. Back on board long lines were rigged fore and aft to allow for the 3m rise and fall of tide, and then I turned in. What is it about harbour walls that attract the drunken youth? My rest was rudely broken by loud screaming from the females and profanity from the males as a group of perhaps six young men and women, well in drink, approached along the pier. There ensued a game of "I'll do it if you do", which went on for an age until one and then several took the plunge. Having got it out of their system, and no doubt feeling the cold, they slowly departed, the high-pitched squeals of one young woman fading into the distance, to my relief. The wind had dropped to nothing, the boat lay quietly alongside, and slumber took over.

Day 53
24th June
Up and away. The long lines rigged last night worked well. Getting out was straightforward: the wind kept the boat straight in reverse as we backed off from the wall and out into the harbour mouth. Then round through the well buoyed Copeland Sound to Bangor. From the Sound it was possible to see the Isle of Man, the Rhinns of Galloway and the Mull of Kintyre. In under two hours we tied up in Bangor Marina. This is big, modern and well run, but not expensive. A nice change!
The shower was very welcome. Bangor seems prosperous and busy. In the marina is a tame seal, Rose by name, that will eat out of your hand, provided you are offering fish, and a colony of Black Guillemot which are habituated to people, and provide an amusing diversion with their bright red legs and white wing flashes. They look and behave like miniature penguins. The rest of the day was spent mooching round town and sorting out an oil change for the engine, which was due.