First taste of the swell

We had a few things to do to the boat this morning so an early start wasn't an option. Alison got the bowsprit out while I was paying but we decided to get off and bend a jib on whilst underway.

As soon as we were out of the harbour we felt quite a strong swell. It wasn't slowing us down but it made me wear my life jacket and clip on to work on the fore deck. I got quite wet. The bowsprit was spearing the waves regularly.

We had meant to hug the coast but Alison was fixing things in the cockpit and let the boat wander a bit out to sea. We soon found ourselves in uncomfortable overfalls and turned back to get closer to the shore. It was more comfortable in the shallows.

The wind was forecast NW but there was a lot of west in it and there was no point trying to sail. In any case it was taking all our concentration to steer among the roller. Trying to keep the main filled on a dead beat would have been difficult and unproductive.

It was alternately sunny and dull. In the sunny spells the coast line was stunning. In the dull spells it was a little cold.

Every headland and bay was different. Inside the bays we got some shelter from the swell but getting round the headlands was a challenge. Deliberately getting as close as possible to dangerous rocks in order to avoid the overfalls just beyond is hair raising.

Carrickarede rope bridge

One interesting bay has Carrickarede island in it. This used to be a salmon fishing station and there is a rope bridge from the mainland. Now it is a tourist destination and was quite busy. Apparently it makes a nice anchorage on calm weather, proving that today was not a calm day!

Benbane head astern

Another has the famous Giant's Causeway. From the sea, the headland before it, Benbane Head is much more impressive. From the east the cliffs are fluted like some gigantic church organ. As you come round, a huge spire comes in to view. An enormous column of basalt standing higher than the broken stumps around it.

Once past the Causeway, really only identifiable by the people walking on it, the swell fell away. Not long after that the sun came out properly and what had been somewhat unpleasant but visually rewarding really hard work started feeling like a holiday.

Here the cliffs change suddenly from basalt to chalk. Instead of geometric columns there are glistening sea stacks and arches. We were now inside The Skerries and hugging the coast for the view, rather than to avoid swell and overfalls.

Inside the Skerries the cliffs are skirted by gorgeous golden sands.

Even better, a wind shift took the breeze to the north. We raised the main and set the jib and turned the motor off. We were sailing!

We had a gentle beat through the narrow gap between the Skerries and the end of the Portrush headland. People were fishing very close to the waves!

We debated. Should we go on to Greencastle, another 11 miles or stop at Portrush?  We were tired. Portrush it was.

Moored up in Portrush