Belfast

[marisca]

Following my successful visit to Stornoway where I got to meet the S'way CG voice - " Southeast three or fowur" - as lovely in real life as she sounds - I am now in Belfast searching for "furr / purr".

Belfast City Marina is right in the city, has awfy smart bogs, food shop within 2 min walk, and the most complicated automated paying system requiring two separate machines that wisnae working when I arrived. From this button pushing, credit card depleting automaton comes a number which, when the code pads are working, let you in and out of the marina and bogs. There is also a long suffering voice on an intercom for when the system fails. £16 a night for any length and all the leccy you can draw, showers are included - very strange to be standing waiting for the water to stop and it just doesn't.
Only drawback is the long buoyed channel but Belfast Harbour Radio (Ch 12) was very welcoming and, once you are in the channel, warn all the ferries, tankers, etc. of your existence. No diesel - Carrick is the closest - and that's about it.

[cpedw]

When we were last there (2011), Belfast CG was in Bangor Marina. A very swish, modern marina with Diesel too. I can't find visitor rates on their website but I seem to remember there was a sharp intake of breath when I heard what it was going to cost...

Derek

[Booby Trapper]

£16 !!!! That's double what it was 2 years ago.

[marisca]

£16 !!!! That's double what it was 2 years ago.

Aye, but there's a few more diversions in Belfast than, say, Largs or Kip. I gather that when it was £8 a night the place was hoaching with gin palaces connected with leccy cables as thick as your arm.

[pagoda]

Belfast can be got at quite easily from Bangor - there are trains and buses, and the Titanic exhibition is worth a look.

On the "gin palaces with cables as thick as your arm " theme, there is a definite market for 220V 3 phase at marinas/harbours here in Norway!. People are so used to cheap electricity here (10p per unit or less) they run massive boilers or aircon systems 24/7 for that home from home feel. I feel distinctly ripped off when charged by the day, since I only charge batteries and boil the occasional kettle!
As about 50% of all the boats here qualify as gin palaces by Scottish standards, the demand for power isn't trivial

[Mariner_One]

five years ago I reached Belfast also from Bangor. Oh God, I cannot remember which boat it was. Oh, I'm getting old.

[Hvar]

I'm looking forward to the time when I'm going to take this trip!

[Burst Boiler]

Went to Bangor last May for 2 nights. Ended up staying a month. Great place in itself with lots of pubs, restaurants, cinema etc plus an easy train ride into Belfast. Considered moving the boat there - might still do for a season.