Sunday 13 June 2010 Portpatrick N540 50.551’ W0050 07.134’

Departed Douglas (at last!) at 0700 bound for Portpatrick. The forecast promised SW Force 3 to 4 veering NW and increasing Force 5, with rain. The rain and mist slowly cleared as the day wore on but the worst was when Carol was on watch – she claimed her woolly gloves were invaluable in keeping warm! Richard and I we were down below, warm and dry having a zizz.

Portpatrick is the only shelter along this coast. It was built for the ferries to Ireland in the days of sail but was soon displaced when steam ships came onto the route and could operate out of Stranraer. The main breakwaters collapsed many years ago and hence entry to the harbour is between the collapsed rubble of the old breakwaters, then sharp left into a very sheltered basin. I visited Portpatrick many years ago an din those days it was full of fishing boats but today it is almost deserted, apart form a few small motor boats.

Moored alongside the harbour wall, Richard became agitated that there were pigeons nesting in the wall and tried various ruses to scare them away, all without success. He claimed that their billing and cooing would keep him awake!

Late evening we were joined by Mark Hillman of Milly Brown with his French crew, Elisa. Whilst they went off to town looking for supper, the Alcyone crew went to their bunks.

At last we were in Scotland. Now for the best bits - the cherry on the cake if you will - of 3 weeks crsuing the Clyde Western Isles and Caledonian Canal.