Burtonport
June 20, 2023
HM 231 Burtonport.
It took me three attempts to sail around the NW tip of Donegal and into the Atlantic. On the first occasion we got as far as Burtonport harbour, which on the chart it is like a needle in a haystack of rock! What a wonderful place - we were now in Enya country and on route had anchored off Bunbeg near her birthplace of Gweedore and seen the most stunning lenticular clouds about Mount Errigal.
At Burtonport we met the energetic Noel McGettigan who told me he had "been at sea since 9!'. That could be a record. As a fisherman he had worked out of Killybegs, worked on gas pipelines for Shell and ending up as a pilot working out of Aberdeen. He told us about fishing of Rockall, catching unlimited "brown crabs" which have no quota and which were shipped off to Japan and China and the strange connection Ireland had with the west coast of Africa. More of that later when I visit Killybegs.
His harbour had a buzz about it, and no wonder, it had just been awarded 23 M Euro from the EU for development. Noel told us about plans for new buildings, on office for him and a new marina which he thought would be ready in 2025/26. Donegal is Ireland's second largest county with 200 piers and slipways and only three HMs.
He was very amusing about his job, although the locals are friendly, he said he "could" be angry with someone every day and recounted a story about a local nautical "tinker" who buys old boats and whenever Noel goes on holiday sets up his own illegal scrapping business at the end of the pier. While we were there two boats were being dismantled and the tinker was on his final warning from a patient Noel.
Burtonport and all of Donegal is very beautiful. I think this this is the reason Noel said he "never" goes home angry - what a lovely man.
The forecast was not good as we left the harbour and we turned back to the safety of Lough Swilly - possibly the first time I had been forced to retrace my steps.
It took me three attempts to sail around the NW tip of Donegal and into the Atlantic. On the first occasion we got as far as Burtonport harbour, which on the chart it is like a needle in a haystack of rock! What a wonderful place - we were now in Enya country and on route had anchored off Bunbeg near her birthplace of Gweedore and seen the most stunning lenticular clouds about Mount Errigal.
At Burtonport we met the energetic Noel McGettigan who told me he had "been at sea since 9!'. That could be a record. As a fisherman he had worked out of Killybegs, worked on gas pipelines for Shell and ending up as a pilot working out of Aberdeen. He told us about fishing of Rockall, catching unlimited "brown crabs" which have no quota and which were shipped off to Japan and China and the strange connection Ireland had with the west coast of Africa. More of that later when I visit Killybegs.
His harbour had a buzz about it, and no wonder, it had just been awarded 23 M Euro from the EU for development. Noel told us about plans for new buildings, on office for him and a new marina which he thought would be ready in 2025/26. Donegal is Ireland's second largest county with 200 piers and slipways and only three HMs.
He was very amusing about his job, although the locals are friendly, he said he "could" be angry with someone every day and recounted a story about a local nautical "tinker" who buys old boats and whenever Noel goes on holiday sets up his own illegal scrapping business at the end of the pier. While we were there two boats were being dismantled and the tinker was on his final warning from a patient Noel.
Burtonport and all of Donegal is very beautiful. I think this this is the reason Noel said he "never" goes home angry - what a lovely man.
The forecast was not good as we left the harbour and we turned back to the safety of Lough Swilly - possibly the first time I had been forced to retrace my steps.