After a few beers and whiskeys last night at Daves pub called the Griffin we met up with Gerrard King the Stn O this morning again for a quick tour of the new stn which is due to open next month and then on to breakfast in a local hotel. Thanks Gerrard. The swell was still huge when we went out so we cut inside the islands to try and get a bit of shelter. The advice we had been given was that if it was still bad to try and cut up through the Achill Sound which is a drying channel inside of Achill Island that avoids going around the head. Spoke to the RNLI and they were unanimous in saying with the weather as it was, not to go around the head, as it would be too dangerous. We crept up the channel on a falling tide with engine trimmed up and on tick over and with both Kev and Nick sitting in the bows to reduce our draft, depth sounder was only reading between 2.5 - 3.0 feet a lot of the time but we managed it without touching once. Had a chance meeting with the land crew at the bridge but with the tide still falling we didn’t dare stop.

Further on, we had been told about another way of staying inshore by cutting up through Belmullet - there is a 200m disused drying canal that links up to Blackstone Bay you can use. It isn’t in the Almanac, isn’t buoyed and doesn’t show on any charts but it is a god send that could be made so much more of. We crept into the bay and got us close as we could right on low tide before walking out the anchor then Kev and I waded ashore to get some food. Had to wait about 2 hours for the tide and then as soon as we were able walked the boat through. By now it was nearly 7.00pm but we still wanted to make Sligo if we could. Stuck our noses out again but the weather was horrendous so with light starting to fail turned about again and went back to Belmullet. Preparing to tie up we took advice from a chap called Tommy who was watching us come in and then asked about the Fire Stn. Before we knew it, Gary from the Stn, and Eddie, who is a Rib enthusiast, had turned up and were putting our gear in there car.....by far the best was still to come though, turns out Tommy was going for a drink with a friend who owns a superb new hotel and leisure complex just out of town called the Broadhaven Bay, His name is Eamon and he was not going to see us sleep on another stn floor. We didn’t know what to do with such luxury but were not about to turn it down and could not stop grinning. Thanks Eamon. Check out www.broadhavenbay.com, it is fantastic.

Met Eddie, Gary and Tommy for a few beers in the hotel bar and off to a real bed.

After our superb nights sleep and breakfast in the hotel we were (nearly) ready for anything. Loaded the boat up again at the dock and said goodbye to Eddie and Tommy who had come down to see us off. Fair play to them, we had left the bar between 12.30 and 1, while they carried on till 4 and they STILL came down to see us. Top men. Off about 10.20 on the rising tide we were apprehensive leaving the bay for what might be in store for us and were made up to find the sea state much better. There was still a good swell from behind to play with but it meant a much nicer run. Had a classic comedy moment when at one time so much spray came through the boat it set off both Kev and my lifejackets - a surreal moment that led to us having to stop in the middle of the sea we were all laughing so much. These are 275 Newton Crewsaver Offshore jackets and as such bloody huge when inflated. We had to partially deflate them just to be able to carry on. We know what it must be like to have enormous breasts now.

Eventually pulled into Sligo by the Lifeboat Stn and moored up alongside a fishing boat. Our berthing and Beds for the night and in fact all over Ireland had been arranged by an old colleague from Beds and Luton called Tom O'Boyle. He is now a Stn Officer at Sligo Stn and we looked forward to buying him a beer. Unfortunately though, due to our late arrival he was by now on a course in Dublin so it was not to be. He has done a fantastic job all round sorting everything out though and we were sorry we didn’t get to see him. Thanks for everything Tom. Meanwhile, a couple of guys from the lifeboat station had been sound and opened up the stn for us to have a tea and chocky while we waited for the support guys. Brendon from the Stn did a fantastic job looking after us though even arranging for his brothers called Jimmy and Vincent who own a great pub called the Crozon Inn to give us super. It is great food there and highly recommended. Thanks Guys.

This was to be our longest day with around 130 NM to do so we needed the weather. Bottom line was, if we didn’t get to Portrush today it would be game over as we would run out of time and so not be able to finish. Had breakfast at a local hotel curtsey of Sligo Fire Brigade and said our farewells to Brendon. We needed to crack on with our early start but soon ground to a halt when Kev realised he had left one of the charts we needed back at the stn when he was getting the met forecast. Just as well we went back for it though as it was to be the most used chart of the whole trip.

Eventually got off about 10 - not the early start we wanted but still do able. Made steady progress but gradually the weather deteriorated. First rain, then bigger sea's again and finally visibility dropped to about a mile. The sea can be pretty lonely when it gets like that so we went for a pit stop on Aran island. Got even wetter about then when Kev did his spray thing again, least our jackets didn’t inflate this time.

Aran was a pretty lonely place as well - we couldn’t see anybody! a phone call to Malin Coastguard told us things shouldn’t get any worse though so after confirming our passage plans we headed out again. Took some careful navigation from Kev taking the inshore route between Aran and Burtonport as there are lots of rocks and none of the lights seemed to be working but eventually we got through. Nick driving now and as we pushed on it started to clear. Even the sun came out. After what seemed like an eternity of headlands we eventually rounded the infamous Malin Head and rejoined the Irish Sea, this was another big landmark for us and very welcome. Had a close call with a pot buoy on what must have been on 50m of slack line that led to a lobster surfing but luckily the line only caught the leading edge of our leg and didn’t foul the prop so was easy to clear. Just as well as hanging by the stern into a following sea would not have been much fun. We were glad to see the back of the Atlantic and almost immediately the sea's calmed and were able to speed up a bit. Once in Portrush we met up with the guys on support who had already been to the Stn and got everything sorted. Were advised to strip the boat and put her on a swinging mooring in the harbour so a fine day was finished off with another swim in.
One of the lads gave us a lift into town in a big red taxi and showed us where to go. A good meal, couple of beers and bed. It is the last leg tomorrow - bring it on!

Support crew had a sweep going today to see how long it would take us fannying around before we went - they have no appreciation of what a well oiled machine we have become! (turns out it was 41 minutes to include getting rigged in drysuits, swimming out to the boat, coming alongside, loading up. refuelling and setting off - Jason won) We have tried to get him back on board again for today but he is having none of it. Sea sickness is a terrible thing.
Met some good tide rips all along the first 20 miles or so till we cleared Rathin Island but from then on conditions were perfect. Took some more sponsor photos for Buff Headgear as although we had worn the kit a lot it had mostly been too rough to take photographs.
Kev had started the day, Nick took the middle and I bought us in. Had a final brief blatt to test the engine and see if it had lost any of its edge - 45.2 knots over the ground against the tide suggests not! It might be a quick boat, but the reality is, that for 90% of the time we have only averaged between 16 and 22 knots and sometimes as little as 10 or 11, so it was good to hear the engine rev out and on song again.
Moored up again at Bangor Marina in exactly the same place we had set off from and shook hands. It has been quite a journey.

Mileage an easy 59.1. Total 919.1 plus about 10 when the plotter was off. Will post total fuel used later when we have gone through the receipts, but off the top of my head would guestimate between 1.5 and 2 litres per mile depending upon sea state and wind / wave direction. We also used 25 litres of high quality Castrol two stroke.

Epilogue:

The only damage to the boat has been a fatigue fracture to the VHF aerial bracket which, as the whole top assembly detaches will be an easy Tig weld and will be done this week. We taped the aerial on anyway at about a 45% angle in line with the frame and it didn’t seem to affect performance at all. Other than that, she drives, looks, sounds and performs exactly the same as when we set off.

The whole team has gelled and performed superbly, (even putting up with the fannying around each day while we got ready) Everyone has got on and given each other space when it was needed. There is no doubt that Neil, Jason and Al have had enough of the van and that is understandable considering the amount of time they have spent either buying fuel, travelling around, sorting stations or waiting for us. Thanks guys, we could not have done it without you.
On the boat we have faced sea's far worst than anything else I have ever encountered, which, considering I have already done a round England and round Scotland says something for the toughness of that Atlantic coast. Nick and Kev have been magnificent and we have all supported and been there for each other when we needed it. Kev is also a dab hand with a chart and Nick drives superbly and won’t give in no matter what is happening.
The hospitality we have received has been truly humbling. Total strangers have done everything they possibly could to aid and support us and nothing has been too much trouble. The Irish are extremely generous and one hell of a people. Thank you to you all.