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Monday 17^th August.  Left at 0600.  Wind was SW so that scuppered my plan to go the Glenarm (NI) as this would mean motoring straight into the wind for 30 miles or so.  Aimed for Portpatrick (Mull of Galloway, Scotland) instead as this allowed us to sail close hauled on a fetch-cum-reach in around 15/ 18 knots of wind at a consistent 6 knots or so through the water.  Over the ground was a different matter, the tide was not favourable.  Neither was the sea state to Jan’s taste.  Lumpy and ‘orrible having been whipped up into a frenzy by several days of strongish wind.  Truth is we both felt slightly sea-sick most of the day. 

Arrived Portpatrick at 1445 which (being an hour before LW) was not good.  We got in with about a metre under the keel to spare, giving half-tide rock an offing of about a metre too!  Rafted up by 15.00 hrs.  Hot and sunny in the inner harbour late afternoon but a bit like being in a goldfish bowl cum submarine pen.  I had to blow up the dinghy to take Oscar ashore rather than haul him up the 30ft plus of iron ladder.