MV Dirona travel digest for Belfast 2017


Show Belfast 2017 travel log map Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise.

On the map page, clicking on a camera or text icon will display a picture and/or log entry for that location, and clicking on the smaller icons along the route will display latitude, longitude and other navigation data for that location. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at //mvdirona.com/maps/LocationCurrent.html.


   

10/23/2017: North Channel
On our run south from the Isle of Gigha to Belfast, we're starting to see a fair bit of commercial traffic as we near the North Channel. We'll soon cross our July 13th track from Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland to Greenock, Scotland. That sure feels like a long time ago.
10/23/2017: Mull of Kintyre
We left the Isle of Gigha at 5am this morning to pass the Mull of Kintyre at slack water and ride the flood current south. The large white building partway up the hill at the left is the Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse.
10/23/2017: Pitching
The maximum pitch over the past 5 minutes is 15.4°—the seas are picking up a bit as we run south with the current against about 20 knots of wind. Note: Our weather station had failed a couple days earlier and was reading erratically. We cycled the power and it ran will for nearly a day, but it failed again after we got underway this morning. Time to replace it).
10/23/2017: Speed
The winds and pitch have settled down and now we're making good time with a 1-knot positive current.
10/23/2017: Traffic
Belfast is a busy port. We're starting to see a lot of vessel traffic as we near the harbour limit.
10/23/2017: Maiden Lighthouses
East Maiden (left) and West Maiden lighthouses on The Maidens just outside Belfast Harbour. The lighthouses, on two separate rocks, were completed in 1829. East Maiden still is operational, but West Maiden was discontinued in 1903.
10/23/2017: Gobbins
The dramatic Gobbins Cliff Path opened in 1902 and runs along the cliff base through tunnels, into caves, and across suspension bridges. We would have loved to make the walk, but it was closed for the season.
10/23/2017: Blackhead Lighthouse
The Blackhead Lighthouse was completed in 1902 to guide ships into Belfast Lough and the port of Belfast,
10/23/2017: Whitehead
Colorful houses in the seaside town of Whitehead just outside Belfast Harbour.
10/23/2017: Pier
Cloghan Point oil terminal extends 4020 ft (1,225m) into Belfast Lough and was built in the 1980s to offload oil to supply the Kilroot and Ballylumford power stations.
10/23/2017: Stena Superfast VIII
All vessels arriving entering Victoria Channel into the Port of Belfast must first get approval from the harbour master. And we could see why: the channel is rather narrow and is very busy. The Stena Superfast VIII, en route from Cairnryan just across the North Channel in Scotland, was one of two massive Stena ferries entering at the same time we were.
10/23/2017: Port of Belfast
Two more Stena ferries moored at the Port of Belfast, with the port's container ship cranes visible between them.
10/23/2017: H & W Cranes
The Harland and Wolff twin shipbuilding gantry cranes, named Samson and Goliath, dominate the Belfast skyline. Harland and Wolff are a shipbuilding and offshore construction company founded in Belfast in 1861 who built most of the ships for the White Star Line, including the Titanic and its sister ships Olympic and Britannic. Goliath is 315 ft (96 m) tall and was completed in 1969. Samson was completed five years later in 1974 and stands 348ft (106m).
10/23/2017: HMS Caroline
The HMS Caroline, part of the Royal Navy National Museum, with the H & W gantry crane Goliath in the background.
10/23/2017: Titanic Studios
Paint Hall, once the main Harland and Wolff painting building, now is home to Titanic Studios where they film the HBO series Game of Thrones.
10/23/2017: Belfast Harbour Marina
Dirona moored at Belfast Harbour Marina. The H & W gantry crane Sampson is just visible in the distance at roughly the center of the picture. The unusual silver building at the left is Titanic Belfast, a museum devoted to the story of the Titanic and its construction in Belfast.
10/23/2017: Lagan Wier
Pedestrian bridge over Lagan Weir, built in 1994 to improve the water quality of the Lagan River. Steel barriers keep the river artificially high at low tide while dredging and an underwater aeration system have improved water quality sufficiently for spawning salmon to return, along with otters and seals. riverside development also has increased now that the waterway has a constant high water level, rather than smelly mudflats at low tide.
10/23/2017: Lunch
We had an excellent lunch at McHugh's Bar. The pub is in Belfast's oldest building, dating from the 1711. It's great to be back in Ireland again.
10/23/2017: Albert Memorial Clock
The Albert Memorial Clock Tower was built 1867 in honour of Queen Victoria's deceased husband. The tower has a slight lean and the locals say that "Old Albert not only has the time, he has the inclination".
10/23/2017: Custom House
Near Lagan Wier, the elegant Custom House was built in Italianate style between 1854 and 1857. The bronze sculpture on the right, "The Speaker" is a memorial to the days when the steps were a Speaker's Corner.
10/23/2017: St. George's Church
St. George's Church on High Street was completed in 1816 on the place where the settlement of Belfast began and the name of the city is derived. Beal Feirste is Irish for "the sandy ford at the mouth of the Farset". The River Farset, now carried via tunnel under High Street, is a tributary of the River Lagan. A small chapel once stood here, used by pilgrims waiting to cross the mud flats at low tide.
10/23/2017: Victoria Square
Looking up to the dramatic glass dome and observation deck in Belfast's Victoria Square shopping mall.
10/23/2017: Spirit of Belfast
The sculpture "Spirit of Belfast" near the main entrance to Victoria Square mall. The sculpture's design reflects the texture and lightness of linen and the strength and beauty of shipbuilding, two industries that drove Belfast's growth and success.
10/23/2017: Bank Buildings
Looking down Castle Place to The Bank Buildings, completed in 1787. Two centuries later, in 1975, the building was damaged when three bombs exploded inside and a major fire broke out. The structure has since been restored and refurbished.
10/23/2017: Donegall Place
Looking down Donegall Place, with the dome of Belfast's city hall building visible in the distance.
10/23/2017: City Hall
During the Industrial Revolution, Belfast became Ireland's major industrial city with thriving linen, heavy engineering, tobacco and shipbuilding industries. In the 19th century, Belfast was known as "linenopolis" because it was world's largest producer of linen and for a time had the highest population in Ireland. The city's prosperity is reflected in their extravagant city hall, completed in 1905. The statue in front is of Queen Victoria, who in 1888 awarded Belfast city status.
10/23/2017: Central Staircase
The elegant Belfast City Hall interior is full of Italian marble and stained glass. This is the central staircase leading to first floor rotunda.
10/23/2017: 1897 Street Map
Belfast City Hall houses an excellent, and surprisingly large, visitor exhibition detailing the city's history that just opened this year. This floor map shows Belfast in 1897.
10/23/2017: Reflection Space
The Reflection Space in the city hall visitor exhibition is dedicated to Belfast's late 20th-century civil unrest, known as "The Troubles", where more than three and a half thousand people died. The sobering display includes unattributed quotes from those affected by the events.
10/23/2017: Dinner
We had an excellent light dinner at Bullit overlooking a whiskey keg sculpture in the patio. It almost was warm enough to eat outside.
10/23/2017: Dusk
Looking back to downtown Belfast across the lit pedestrian bridge over the Lagan Wier as we return to Dirona. We'd had a wonderful first day in Belfast and the city felt as safe as any we'd visited, with no sign of "The Troubles".
10/24/2017: Limelight
The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is one of our favourite bands and we'd been following their European tour dates to see if they'd line up with our travels. It was looking like we would be in Belfast when they were playing at the Limelight, so we bought tickets a week ago and here were are. The Limelight is a famous venue for live bands, so it was exciting to be here, but especially to see BRMC.

After a great meal as the iconic Crown Liquor Saloon, we walked to the Limelight club and arrived early enough to get a spot up front.
10/24/2017: Restavrant
The backup band for BMRC, Restavrant, is not really our style, but they have in incredible amount of energy and we actually really enjoyed their show. If you look closely at the drum set, you'll see it's all old parts he's found in a junkyard with the stand being a suitcase, the cymbal an old Texas automobile license plate, and the drums various cast-off items.
10/24/2017: Sound Board
Looking across the sound board to the bar at the side of the Limelight. When we lived in Toronto we often watched live bands in small venues like this, and haven't really done much of that since leaving Canada. It was great to be back in a live-music venue again. Note the decorations on the ceiling and walls— Hallowe'en is a big deal in Northern Ireland.
10/24/2017: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club put on a fabulous show, and we were only feet from the stage.
10/24/2017: Robert Levon Been
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club guitarist and singer Robert Levon Been playing to the crowd.
10/24/2017: Great Evening
Robert Levon Been, from the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, said "It's great to be back in Belfast. You make us feel simultaneously safe and yet, at the same time, petrified." We agree.

It's impossible not to reflect on years of news coverage on how dangerous Belfast was, even though those years are actually distant memories now. In some ways it makes Belfast a more exciting place to be. There's no question it's now a world-class city and is well-worth visiting. Every place we went the Irish were warm and friendly, and we always felt safe.
10/25/2017: River Lagan
Looking west across the River Lagan from our berth at Belfast Harbour Marina on a calm morning.
10/25/2017: Self-Serve
Belfast Harbour Marina is completely self-serve. Moorage is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is paid each day through a car-parking-style machine. The moorage receipt includes a security gate code that expires after 24 hours. It's an unusual system, but you can't beat the price at only £16.80 per night including power.
10/25/2017: Titanic Belfast
The striking Titanic Belfast museum was built at the head of the slipway where the ill-fated RMS Titanic was launched in May of 1911. The multi-media exhibit describes the construction, loss and underwater discovery of the Titanic and details Belfast's shipbuilding heritage. Viewed from above, the museum building forms the logo of the White Star Line, the company that owned Titanic and its sister ships RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic.
10/25/2017: Drawing Office
The multi-media exhibit included many historical photographs. We were amazed at the size and scope the Harland & Wolff drawing offices where over 1,000 ships, including Titanic, were designed.
10/25/2017: Shipyard Ride
Part of the exhibit was a multi-level amusement-park-style ride through a realistic recreation of the H & W shipyard.
10/25/2017: Boilers
Everything about Titanic, an Olympic-class vessel, was on a massive scale. This photograph shows two rows of boilers for sistership Olympic. For scale, note the person standing partway along on the right.
10/25/2017: Byford Dolphin
Titanic builder Harland & Wolff still is in business, but with shipbuilding in decline has branched out to other industries. They recently refit the massive oil rig Byford Dolphin, shown towering about the famous H & W gantry cranes Samson and Goliath in this dramatic night photograph on display at the Titanic Belfast museum. The Byford Dolphin stands 355ft high, weighs around 12,000 tonnes, can drill to about 20,000 ft (6,000 m) and can operate in water as deep as 1,500ft (460 m).
10/25/2017: Belfast Harbour Marina
Dirona moored at Belfast Harbour Marina viewed from the Titanic Belfast grounds.
10/25/2017: Slipways
Looking to the Titanic Belfast exhibit along the Titanic Slipways Memorial where the the Titanic, Olympic and Brittanic were built and launched. The memorial includes lamp posts positioned where the gantry cranes once stood and a full-sized outline of Titanic and Olympic where they were built side-by-side.
10/25/2017: Titanic Studios
The Titanic Studios buildings viewed from the end of the Titanic Slipways.
10/25/2017: Nomadic
SS Nomadic was a tender to RMS Titanic and the only surviving White Star vessel. Titanic and Olympic were too large to dock in France's Cherbourg harbour, across the English Channel from the UK, so White Star commissioned the Nomadic to transfer passengers and cargo between ship and shore. The vessel was recently restored and now is on display at historic Hamilton Graving Dock adjacent to the Titanic Belfast exhibit.
10/25/2017: Bow
Looking across the bow of SS Nomadic to the Titanic Belfast exhibit. The buildling on the right is the old Harland & Wolff offices, including the drawing office, which have recently been converted to a hotel.
10/25/2017: Crapper's
We had to take a photo of the toilets on Nomadic: original Valveless Waste Preventers built by Thomas Crapper.
10/25/2017: River Reroute
The Lagan River was rerouted several times to ease passage and reclaim land. The blue line shows the original river path and the red line shows the waterways by 1903.
10/26/2017: Dawn
We're really loving the views from our berth at Belfast Harbour Marina. The night scenery is particularly impressive in calm conditions. This is looking across the River Lagan at dawn.
10/26/2017: Weather Station
Our weather station has failed twice in the past few days, so this morning James climbed the mast to replace it with a spare. The weather station failure turned out to caused by it being filled with salt water. It appears that although it's 30 feet above the water, it's been hit by enough wave pressure to both crack the case seam and fill it with salt water. We suspect that was one of the three storms we saw on the North Atlantic crossing. We replaced the weather station and ordered another one to serve as a spare.
10/26/2017: Cast & Crew
A delicious burger at Cast & Crew near Titanic Studios in the Titanic Quarter.
10/26/2017: Accumulator Block
Jennifer standing next to a hydraulic accumulator in the pump house for the Thompson Graving Dock, where the Titanic was dry-docked during construction. Compressor pumps in the floor lifted the huge riveted cylinder. When lowered, its 78-ton weight forced water through pipes, generating hydraulic pressure to open the dock gate and operate capstans around the graving dock.
10/26/2017: Gwynnes Pumps
The original Gwynnes Pumps at the Thomson Graving Dock were the most powerful in the world when installed in 1911 and could empty the 21 million gallons of water from the dry dock in only 100 minutes.
10/26/2017: Thompson Graving Dock
The Thompson Graving Dock was built to handle the mammoth White Star liners Titanic and Olympic. At 850 ft (259 m) long, it was the biggest in the world when it opened in 1911. Titanic was dry-docked here in 1912 for painting and propeller installation. The people just barely visible walking halfway along the floor to the left of the keel blocks give an idea of the scale. Even with such an immense dock, the Titanic completely filled it.
10/26/2017: Caisson Gate
A 1,000-ton caisson gate holds the water out of the dry dock.
10/26/2017: Filling Valves
Jennifer standing in one of the Penstock Filling Valves used to flood the dry dock when work was complete. Refilling the dock took two hours, compared to only 100 minutes to empty it.
10/26/2017: Stairs
Several sets of stairs lead up from the dry dock floor to ground level at various points. The adjacent slides are for transporting equipment and tools up and down.
10/26/2017: Bobcat
After touring the Thomson Graving Dock and Pump House, we watched a bulker that had been unloading coal all day across the River Lagan at Belfast Harbour. The shovel is amazingly effective at picking up massive volumes, but we were both wondering how they would get the boat close to empty with that big shovel. As efficient as the shovel is at taking big scoops, it will leave a lot in the bottom of the hold. Here's the answer: the shovel lowerered a Bobcat into the hold and used it to help get the last of the bulk cargo out.
10/26/2017: HMS Caroline
The HMS Caroline, part of the Royal Navy National Museum, is the only surviving ship from the World War I Battle of Jutland. The ship is moored in the historic Alexandra Dock, completed in 1889 and used extensively by Harland & Wolff shipbuilders.
10/26/2017: Interior
The HMS Caroline curators have done an excellent job in preserving the ship and recreating it as it was in World War I, along with detailed displays and an informative audio tour. We spent ages inside.
10/26/2017: Engine Room
Nearly every part of the Caroline was accessible, and the engine rooms were a particularly interesting part of the tour. The Caroline has 4 large direct- drive Parsons turbines that can deliver 40,000 shaft horsepower through 4 props to propel the Caroline to 28 kts. The turbines and condensers are cleaned and well lit so you can see many of the details. What we found particularly interesting is the approach the Caroline designers took to the challenge of delivering both 28 kts with 4 turbines running flat out and yet still be able to achieve efficient operation and reasonable range when not running at full speed.

In addition to the 4 main turbines, the designers added two small turbines that drive two of the prop shafts through a reduction gear. At low speed, the Caroline can run efficiently with two props idle and the other two props driven by two small steam turbines through individual gear boxes. At speed, 4 large direct drive turbines do the work. It's both a slow but efficient two-turbine boat, and a fast but power-hungry four-turbine boat.
10/26/2017: Bridge
The view to Belfast Harbour from the bridge of the HMS Caroline. The brick building on the right is the pump house for the Thomson Graving Dock.
10/26/2017: Samson and Goliath
The evening sun lighting up the H & W gantry cranes Samson and Goliath. Goliath in the foreground is 315 ft (96 m) tall and dwarfs the amusement park roller coaster installed beneath it. Sampson is even taller at 348ft (106m).
10/26/2017: Morning Star
We had a good dinner at the Morning Star pub on Pottinger's Entry, one of several narrow alleys between High St and Ann St.
10/27/2017: Spitfire
We opened up the area behind the TV to retrieve a part and Spitfire, as usual, was instantly inside.
10/27/2017: Wine Cellar Entry
Walking down Wine Cellar Entry, one of several narrow alleys between High St and Ann St in downtown Belfast.
10/27/2017: White's Tavern
We had an excellent lunch at White's Tavern down Wine Cellar Entry. White's was established in 1630 and claims to be Belfast's oldest tavern. Unlike a pub, a tavern provides food and lodging.
10/27/2017: Belfast Murals
After lunch, we took a taxi tour to West Belfast, the heart of the Troubles. Belfast has a tradition of political murals dating from 1908. Protestant Unionists who supported British rule painted murals of King William III in protest of a Catholic-led push for Irish independence. The eventual Irish War for Independence culminated in the 1921 creation of the separate Republic of Ireland, but Northern Ireland's predominately unionist population, most of whom descended from British colonists, opted to remain in Great Britain.

Northern Ireland's population was made up of a mostly Protestant loyalist/unionist majority who favored British rule, and a mostly Catholic nationalist/republican minority who supported Irish Independence. Tension and hostility between the two groups erupted in the decades-long violence that became known as the Troubles.

The mural tradition was revived during the Troubles. This modern mural in the unionist Shankill Road district is of Protestant King William III, also known as King Billy or William of Orange, who overcame Catholic James II in the 1690 Battle of the Boyne an event that still is commemorated annually in Northern Ireland by the Orange Order.
10/27/2017: Stevie McKeag
Although the Troubles officially ended with the 1998 cease-fire agreement, some murals were painted after that date. Several are a stark reminder of the events, and the feelings that will take generations to dissipate. Stevie McKeag was a unionist and a Commander of the Ulster Defence Association's (UDA) 'C' Company in the 1990s. He earned the nickname "Top Gun" for frequently winning UDA's annual "Volunteer of the Year" award, given to he organisation's top hitman, and is associated with at least 12 deaths. McKeag died of a drug overdose in 2000 and over 1,000 supporters attended his funeral. This mural was painted following his death, with the words "Remember with Pride".
10/27/2017: UYM
Ulster Young Militants memorial showing the "Red Hand of Ulster", a unionist symbol.
10/27/2017: William McCullough
William McCullough was unionist paramilitary who had a reputation as a ruthless gunman and was involved with racketeering. He was killed in 1981 by the republican Irish National Liberation Army.
10/27/2017: Jackie Coulter
The violence wasn't just between unionists and nationalists. The unionists consisted of several competing organisations whose feuds resulted in several deaths. Unionist Jackie Coulter was killed in 2000 by a rival unionist paramilitary organisation.
10/27/2017: Loyalist Bonfire
Every July 12th, some Northern Ireland Protestant unionists march through town to commemorate Protestant William of Orange's 1690 victory over Catholic James II. Massive bonfires, some reaching 100ft high, are lit the night before as part of the celebration. Many bonfires also burn the flag of Ireland, Irish nationalist/republican symbols, Catholic symbols, and effigies. Not surprisingly, these displays often result in sectarian violence and attempts are being made to make the events more family-friendly. The celebration was one of the reasons we were nervous about being in Northern Ireland on July 12th earlier this year.

Our guide showed us this photo of one such bonfire. We don't know when the picture was taken, but the "Parades Commission" referred to on the banner was formed in 2000 to restrict parades deemed offensive or contentious, so the bonfire was built within the past 20 years.
10/27/2017: Loyalist
A display of British flags in the unionist Shankill Road district.
10/27/2017: Quilt
More modern West Belfast murals promote peace and co-existence. This patchwork quilt displays words related to women and the roles they play in families and communities.
10/27/2017: Angels
In sharp contrast to the paramilitary murals, the Lower Shankill Angels are a cross-community group of schoolchildren who created this movie-style poster.
10/27/2017: Memorial
As part of a project to re-image Lower Shankill, nine paramilitary murals were removed in 2009 and the Remember/Respect/Resolution memorial was installed in 2011 on the site of a contentious former Oliver Cromwell mural. Cromwell was a 17th-century English political and military leader who was passionately opposed to the Catholic Church.
10/27/2017: The Lost Streets
Not all the art in West Belfast is politically-charged. This sculpture, The Lost Streets, shows how the Shankill Road has changed over nearly a century by comparing 1920 to to 2012.
10/27/2017: Peace Line
Perhaps the most visible reminder of the Troubles is the "Peace" Line, a series of barriers stretching a total of 34km that separate the largely Protestant unionist and the mainly Catholic nationalist communities in urban areas. Most of the barriers are in Belfast, with the remaining in Derry, Portadown and elsewhere. The "Peace" Line was started in 1969 as a temporary measure, but has outlasted the Berlin Wall that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. The height and number of barriers have actually increased since the 1998 cease-fire agreement, from 18 in the 1990s to at least 59 today. This portion of the wall is along the unionist side on Cupar Way.
10/27/2017: Gate
Gates along the "Peace" Line allows traffic and cars to pass. An agreement is in place to remove the barriers by 2023, but the gates still are closed nightly and all weekend to keep the groups apart and head-off any sudden violence. You can still walk or drive around the wall when the gates are closed, but this detour apparently is enough to limit problems. A study released in 2012 indicated that 69% of residents believe the walls still are necessary to prevent violence. Our guide said that a Catholic who attempted to live in the Protestant Lower Shankill Road area even today likely would be "burned-out" (a term used when a family is forced to leave through burning their house) or possibly killed.
10/27/2017: Clonard Martyrs Memorial Garden
Against the "Peace" Line on the nationalist side we stopped at the Clonard Martyrs Memorial Garden in memory of those from the Greater Clonard area who died in the Troubles and in the Irish Stuggle for Indepencence, including "civilians murdered by loyalists and British forces during the course of the conflict".
10/27/2017: Armour
Homes adjacent to the "Peace" Line on the nationalist side are heavily armoured to prevent Molotov cocktails or other explosive from landing inside the houses.
10/27/2017: Bobby Sands
Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) member Bobby Sands was imprisoned in 1977 for planning and executing a Belfast bombing. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1981 while still in prison, but died from a hunger strike before he could take his seat. More than 100,000 people lined his funeral procession.
10/27/2017: Sinn Fein
On Falls Road at the office of Sinn Fein, an Irish republican party founded in 1905 and historically associated with the IRA.
10/27/2017: Maire Drumm
Sinn Fein vice president Maire Drumm was killed in 1976 by a unionist paramilitary group while recovering from eye surgery in hospital.
10/27/2017: Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela hosted the 1997 talks that resulted in the 1998 cease-fire agreement in Northern Ireland. This mural includes one of his famous quote: "In my country we go to prison first and then become President".
10/27/2017: Joe
Our driver Joe from Castlewellan, with Paddy Campbell's Famous Black Cab Tours, grew up in Belfast during "The Troubles" and experienced the conflict first-hand. He did an awesome job of explaining the issues and bringing history to life. The weapons have been set aside, but there still are two distinct sides and it will take generations for the memories of what happened during the Troubles to fade and be fully forgiven. Interestingly, both sides seem to agree on one thing now: that Brexit is not good for Ireland. Re-introducing border controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland isn't in anyone's best interest.
10/27/2017: Crumlin Road Gaol
After our murals tour, we visited the Crumlin Road Gaol a former prison closed in 1996 and re-opened as a tourist attraction. This is the ornate street-level entry gate.
10/27/2017: Tunnel
Prisoner's didn't enter the jail at street level. Rather they passed from the court building on the opposite side of the street via this tunnel under the road.
10/27/2017: The Circle
Completed in 1845, Crumlin Road Gaol was among the most advanced of its day. The prison consisted of four wings up to four storey's high that extend from a central atrium called the Circle. With its natural light, high ceiling and wrought-iron walkways, the Circle looks quite attractive now, but that probably wasn't the first impression of those interned here.
10/27/2017: Cell
The Crumlin Road Gaol was the first Irish prison designed to separate prisoners with no communication between them. By the early 1970s the jail was overcrowded, with up to three prisoners per cell.
10/27/2017: Execution Room
17 prisoners were executed at Crumlin Road Gaol between 1854 and 1961. Those awaiting execution were kept in a room with secret entrance to the execution room. On the day of their execution, the jailers slid open a secret panel and conveyed the prisoner into the execution room where they were hanged. The clear opening below the noose is where the floor would swing away from under the prisoner's feet.
10/27/2017: Courthouse
The old courthouse across the road from the jail is in ruin now, but plans are underway to renovate it as a hotel.
10/27/2017: Carlisle Memorial Church
Carlisle Memorial Church was completed in 1845 and once was home to one of the largest Methodist congregations in Belfast. The building has been unused since 1982, due to a declining congregation and its location at a major interface between Catholic and Protestant populations. In 2015 renovations began on the building, that is now is perceived as neutral territory and might see joint use.
10/27/2017: St. Patrick's Church
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church was dedicated in 1877.
10/27/2017: St. Anne's Cathedral
St. Anne's Cathedral, also know as Belfast Cathedral, was completed in several stages starting in the early 1900s.
10/27/2017: North Transept
The north transept at St. Anne's Cathedral features a huge Celtic cross and was completed in 1981.
10/27/2017: Silicone Head
In addition to the political murals, Belfast also has a thriving street art community. Artist Emic drew this one on Church Street called "Silicone Head".
10/29/2017: Standpipe
We've made a number of modifications to address the water ingress issue we encountered during our North Atlantic crossing (Alarms at 1:15am), including adding a transom plug to the cockpit locker drain and a fourth bilge pump. The transom plug should prevent water from getting into the cockpit locker and flowing down into the bilge through the shore power cable retractor standpipe. And if water does somehow get in, the new bilge pump should evacuate it. Today we emptied the cockpit locker to make one additional improvement to minimize water flow down the standpipe should the locker flood.
10/29/2017: Gaiter
For an extra level of redundancy, we sealed off the shore power cable retractor standpipe using an alpine boot gaiter. The recommendation came from two blog readers and we think it's a good one. Rod Sumner came up with the idea of a fabricating a Sunbrella water-exclusion sleeve. Paul Wood suggested we buy a pre-made boot gaiter and even recommended the brand. A boot gaiter is a waterproof boot extension that wraps around your leg and is secured with velcro to prevent water from rushing down your boot tops when walking through snow or high water. This was inexpensive, pre-made, and fits beautifully. We installed one on the cord retractor hole, and this seals it 8 inches above the floor. Strictly speaking it should never do anything but, if the locker flooded for any reason, this would reduce the flow below to a trickle.
10/29/2017: Joys Entry
Walking down Joys Entry, another of the several narrow alleys between High St and Ann St in downtown Belfast. We were planning to have lunch at McCracken's pub, but it was 11:30 and they don't serve food on Sunday until 1pm.
10/29/2017: Revolución de Cuba
The beautiful interior of Revolución de Cuba caught our eye and we stopped in for an excellent Latin American meal.
10/29/2017: Popup Bar
Back in Joys Entry, we loved the popup bar tables outside McCracken's.
10/29/2017: McCracken's
We had wanted to visit McCracken's before we left Belfast, so we stopped in for a pint on the way home. As with most places in Belfast, Hallowe'en decorations covered the walls. Hallowe'en isn't celebrated much in most places around the world we've visited, so we were surprised it was so popular in Ireland. As it turns out, Hallowe'en actually originated here.

The ancient Celtic festival of the dead, Samhain, was celebrated in Ireland in early November as summer crossed into winter. Large communal fires were lit to ward off evil spirits of the dead who supposedly returned to the mortal world during this crossover period. When 8th-century Christian churches established November 1st as All Saints' Day or All Hallows' Day, the Irish Celts began celebrating Samhain the day before, calling it All Hallows' Eve.
10/29/2017: Broomstick Belle
The Broomstick Belle steam train to returning Belfast Central after a special Hallowe'en-themed excursion.
10/29/2017: Odyssey Pavilion
We'd been moored next to the huge Odyssey Pavilion for a week, and have walked past it many times, so finally decided to have a look inside. Besides a dozen movie theaters and several restaurants, the pavilion is home to the W5 (whowhatwherewhenwhy) interactive Discovery Center. Many people were out in Hallowe'en costumes.
10/29/2017: View
The view to downtown Belfast from the second floor of the Odyssey Pavilion adjacent to Belfast Harbour Marina.
10/29/2017: Crowds
Crowds along the railing around the marina, with boats rafted all down the dock, in anticipation of tonight's Hallowe'en fireworks display. Thousands of people were in attendance.
10/29/2017: Fireworks
The city put on a fabulous Hallowe'en fireworks display from the Titanic Belfast property. We had front-row seats on the flybridge—it would be difficult to get much closer. Within 15 minutes of the fireworks display ending, we eased out of our slip and started downriver. We were heading toward Liverpool where we'd get treated to another fireworks display, for Bonfire Night, in a week.