Aleria's Jaunt to Scotland: 6-7 July 2013 Arranmore, Donegal, Ireland
Fog in Donegal and PRMMMC* *(personal remote maritime mobile mechanical consultation) Glen Head just as fog rolled in and the engine alarm went off. Today was to be the day of diminishing winds. We got up early and motored out of Killala, set our sails and sailed across Donegal Bay keeping a watch out for fishing vessels out of Killybegs. We now have an aversion for fishing trawlers, as could be expected. Unfortunately, none of those we saw had AIS. Just as we rounded the northwesternmost tip of Ireland where weather always seems to make headlines, the wind died. Big swell was still crashing on the rocky headland. So we fired up the engine and started motor sailing toward Arranmore about 6 miles away. Within minutes, the overheating alarm came on the engine. We had seen that a couple of days ago, so Alex had then topped up the antifreeze and it had stopped. Now, it was on again and alarming. We had to shut down the engine. With the wind dying, our only choices were