OGA boats muster at Peel
The Peel Traditional Boat Weekend has been running since 1990 and is a popular event for traditional craft with a focus on boats, people and the sea. This year, it runs from 5 – 7 August, 2016.
Well-known for traditional Manx hospitality the weekend has been chosen as the muster point for Gaffers from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland as they plan to set sail on the Celtic Cruise in Company, 2016. The planned passage will take the fleet up to the west coast of Scotland, returning to Bangor 17 August.
‘Molly Cobbler’ met up with Grimsby-based ‘Step Back in Time’ in Whitehaven at the beginning of August, both planning to sail across to Douglas for the Festival and to meet up with other gaffers for the cruise from 8 – 16 August. ‘Felinheli’ sailed from Holyhead and several others are making passage from N Ireland and Dublin Bay.
Changing plans: bad weather forecast
Sitting at the fire in December and thinking of next year’s sailing season we only remember the summer sunshine, so planning a cruise only has a fleeting glance in the direction of the weather.
When the fleet assembled in Peel for the Traditional Boat Festival and enjoyed the hospitality and comradeship that Peel is famous for, the weather was one of the main topics amongst the 17-strong fleet hoping to join the OGA Celtic Cruise, 2016.
Over the weekend and at the skippers’ briefings it became apparent that Monday’s departure for Portpatrick wasn’t going to happen and Wednesday looked like the only day that was in any way favourable. On Tuesday it was decided that while Wednesday was fine the weather over the next 4 or 5 days was not going to be good for sailing to Scotland.
Alternate arrangements for a shortened cruise over to Ireland were agreed. On the positive side on Monday we enjoyed the Peel Mardi Gras parade with Brazilian Dancers who must have been perishing.
Wednesday proved to be as forecast and the fleet left Peel with Joe Pennington and ‘Master Frank’ heading home to Ramsey. The rest of the fleet headed off, splitting again to Strangford and Ardglas to enjoy the Down Coast, Strangford and Portaferry, a second home to some Dublin Bay OGA boats.
John Wedick, Dublin Bay OGA
19 footers only head for Scotland
The Peel Traditional Boat Weekend has been running since 1990 and is a popular event for traditional craft with a focus on boats, people and the sea. This year, it runs from 5 – 7 August, 2016.
Well-known for traditional Manx hospitality the weekend has been chosen as the muster point for Gaffers from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland as they plan to set sail on the Celtic Cruise in Company, 2016. The planned passage will take the fleet up to the west coast of Scotland, returning to Bangor 17 August.
‘Molly Cobbler’ met up with Grimsby-based ‘Step back in time’ in Whitehaven at the beginning of August, both planning to sail across to Douglas for the Festival and to meet up with other gaffers for the cruise from 8 – 16 August. ‘Felinheli’ sailed from Holyhead and several others are making passage from N Ireland and Dublin Bay.
With the bad weather forecasts, most skippers have decided to head for Strangford Lough.
Strong winds are forecast so ‘Step Back in Time’ and ‘Molly Cobbler’ decide to head north to Kirkcudbright and cross the entrance to the Solway Firth before returning to Whitehaven. Sally put it best: ‘Only 19 footers in our gang!’
We left Douglas Harbour before 0530 and as the boats poured out each time the bridge swung, the Harbourmaster was heard to remark, ‘Half the boats in the Irish Sea are leaving Peel this morning!’
Outside, to say it was bouncy, was to put it mildly. We sheltered inside the breakwater, and headed north at about 0700. ‘Step Back in Time’ drew ahead. With a Force 3 most of the day both boats made good speed, as the distant Scottish coast became steadily clearer.
The wind backed southwesterly in the afternoon, and soon after 1500 it suddenly increased to Force 5, with heavy rain. ‘Step Back in Time’ was already beyond Little Ross Island at the entrance to the Dee Estuary, and ‘Molly’ was only two miles off, so dropped all sail and motored past the island.
The rain stopped, and the winding channel through beautiful low hills was very easy to follow. On reaching the moorings at Kirkcudbright both boats successfully moored before the ebb had got going, which was just as well! We stayed there for two windy days, exploring the town and the neighbourhood by cycle and bus, definitely worth a visit.
Mary Gibbs, skipper ‘Molly Cobbler’
