Inishbofin to Killybegs - a marathon endurance 01 June 2023

 

Leaving Inishbofin at 06.00 this morning 

Beautiful morning at 06.00 with light NE wind and not a cloud in the sky - as we set off on our longest passage on this trip - 12 hours to get to Killybegs.  Within half an hour we got a Met Eireann yellow Small Craft Warning that there is to be force 6 winds between Slyne Head and Erris Head.  We are exactly in the middle of that area.

Fortunately the warning says the wind is this afternoon and we hope to be out of the area by late morning. Nevertheless, I suspect we are going to have some stiff winds before we get to Killybegs.  

In the meantime, what a magnificent mornings trip.  We were joined briefly by some unidentified dolphins, and then as we headed north with Clare Island and Clew Bay on our right , a Minke Whale surfaced about 10 metres (just 10 metres!) from the boat.  Much too much of a surprise and too brief to get a picture. Then north past the jagged Bill’s Rocks in the middle of nowhere (what was he thinking?!), and onwards to Achill Island (where the Banshees of Inisherin was actually filmed).

Bill’s Rocks with Achill Island behind 

As we rounded the western tip of Achill three Bottlenose Dolphins joined us, again just briefly.  Big animals.  The sea also got lumpier as we turned directly into the wind.  We’ve been motoring three hours now - nearly time for breakfast.

Our next landmark is the Belmullet Peninsula. At its southern tip is Blacksod Bay where the Blacksod Whaling Company started whaling operations in 1910.  It closed in 1932 after a rather fitful operating life, including being a refuelling station during WW1.  About 25 years ago all four of us visited the site which only has hard to find foundations left, but we did manage to find parts of harpoon heads on the beach, a few of which are still in a cardboard box in the garage at home - I’ll have to look them out.

As we traveled up the Belmullet Peninsula we kept inside its outer islands, providing short periods of calmer water.  We pass Inishkea South, where there was also a whaling station (opened in 1908, and slightly more successful that the Blacksod station - it had its ‘best’ catch in 1909 when it caught 102 whales, with Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the haul.  The company closed in 1922).

All was relatively calm right until we reached Eagle Island - with its lighthouse that looks like a WW2 German gun emplacement - at 11.00.

Eagle Island at the top end of the Belmullet Peninsula 

As we passed the island 3 or 4 Bottlenose Dolphins came to inspect us - perhaps to see if we were equipped for what was to come, or perhaps to check our sanity.  Who knows.

Anyway, we then started on a full six hours of about force 5 winds, and a sea that would have done justice to several Beaufort points higher up the scale.  The waves were on top of an Atlantic swell, and were breaking constantly.  Our boat lurched forwards and backwards and side to side, it rolled and pitched, and everything that wasn’t screwed down ended up on the floor - even our very heavy wee chairs bowled over. Gordon lost his expensive beige Tilley hat overboard - there may now be a very dapper dolphin parading around the Belmullet.

Today was as rough as we would want to be out in - rougher actually.  As usual a video gives no idea of how rough it was, but here it is anyway 


As we crashed through the waves huge quantities of water came over the boat, including right over the flybridge.  By the end of our 6 hours we were all soaked to the skin and pretty tired.  We were very thankful to get into the shelter of Slieve League, an hour from Killybegs, and almost immediately we were joined by a couple of groups of Common Dolphins.

We got into the only remaining visitor berth at Killybegs marina at 18.30.  Very thankful to have arrived, and to get the berth.  Time for a cup of coffee, a shower, some food and a celebration for having got this far.

Todays boat bird list is very short - couldn’t see birds through the flying spray - at just 17.

Today’s route 

























































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