Day Eight dawned with the Lord Nelson off Northern Ireland having made very good time through the night. The night watches reported that the sea had been glassy calm in the early hours, not what you normally expect to meet in the Irish Sea. In fact the sea was so eerily calm and glassy with a faint passing mist that some of us felt that the end of the world may well be nigh!
Shortly before the morning meeting the winds were tested and it was decided to set sail. Almost immediately after that the wind turned light to variable but we coasted on across the channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland in bright sunshine. The North Antrim coast from Carnlough round to Garron Point, Cushendall was simply stunning and a very welcome familiar sight to a few of us.
Today, for the first time in the whole voyage a meal was delayed! Captain Neil delivered a very informative talk, complete with a white board and 3 different colours of pen, on Mooring and De-Mooring operations. The ten minute bite into lunch break was well worth it.
The glorious day allowed for some Al Fresco dining. One crew member was noted to be forcefully and liberally plastering unsuspecting voyagers with Sun screen! Visibility remained excellent with the Mull of Kintyre, Ailsa Craig and finally Arran seen in full splendour. A Submarine was spotted rounding the Mull of Kintyre on its way into the Clyde. The huge, surprisingly fast moving vessel was black and ominous. Chris, the First Mate identified it as the same class as one of his previous vessels.
The breeze picked up a little allowing a sail (or drift) until later in the afternoon when the permanent crew conducted a man overboard drill. The final destination for the day was declared as Catacol Bay at the north west end of Arran. The anchor was dropped at 2100hrs and overnight watches briefed.
Fwd Port watch