Displaying items by tag: Quoile Yacht Club
How One Northern Ireland Sailor Kept His Spirits Up During Lockdown
Since his return to sailing with the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in Northern Ireland, Newcastle Yacht Club dinghy racer Marc Miskelly tells RYANI how he kept up a positive attitude during the lockdown months.
Miskelly — who also sails a Sadler 34, Star Chaser, out of Quoile Yacht Club — has just come out of a winter spent refitting his yacht when restrictions were put in place.
“I had two boats fully prepared very early, ready for the season, however with lockdown [they] were going nowhere,” he says of the time.
On top of that, Miskelly found himself furloughed from his job for up to 10 weeks — but resolved to keep himself busy with DIY jobs around the house, improving his personal fitness and even eSailing through his local club.
The call of the sea was never far from his mind, however, especially in May when he was supposed to have been cruising the Scottish islands in Star Chaser.
But since July he’s been making up for lost time, starting with cruising the East Coast of Ireland and hopefully embarking on that long-awaited jaunt around Scotland before autumn sets in.
Situated at the head of the Quoile River estuary on Castle Island. There is a short stay pontoon with water hose at Quoile Yacht Club. Visitors can anchor off the moored yachts between Castle and Gibbs Islands. No overnight berthing at the pontoon without permission.
Quoile Yacht Club
The Quoile Yacht Club was founded in Downpatrick at the Quoile Quay, on the then tidal Quoile River, in 1958. When, in 1962, the Ministry of Agriculture built a barrier at Castle Island, to alleviate the regular damaging flooding to which Downpatrick was subjected in times of high tide and heavy rain, they agreed to relocate the club to the seaward side of the barrier. The site was excavated and levelled, and a slipway provided. Thus the Club was reborn on its present site, with sheltered deepwater moorings, space for caravans, clubhouse and parking. After 40 years of investment and improvement the Quoile can boast the best facilities on Strangford Lough.
Quoile Yacht Club, 21 Castle Island Road, Downpatrick, Co. Down BT30 7LD, N. Ireland. Tel: 028 4461 2266, Club Secretary email: [email protected]
(Details courtesy of Quoile Yacht Club)
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