d66 c22 Aug31 Fri 950 Clonakilty Baltimore 1600 38m924

Chose to hug the coast.   Headed out to Galley head (see also day32)

Later a diversion to the 1000BC burial ground

just before Glandore

On reaching Baltimore, checked that the Clear Island ferry would be running tomorrow.

d65 c21 Aug30 Thu 940 Kinsale head of Kinsale Clonakilty 1345 49k1426

Beautiful morning as I headed S from Kinsale.
Nearly got to the Old Head oof Kinsale but was stopped short by the manned entrance to a golf club which allows only members to travel to the lighthouse.  
Hence a distant view of the lighthouse (see also day31)

It was off Kinsale Head thet the Lusitania was torpedoed in 1915 with the loss of 1200 lives.
Heading around Courtmacsherry bay I had views of its attractive town, quay, and lifeboat on the far bank of the Argideen estuary.

Along the way I came across several references to Michael Collins  - -  I'll ask about these.

d64 c20 Aug29 Wed 1000 Cork Kinsale 1245 19m855

First day back on the bike after about 5 weeks of not using the legs much.

Decided on a short ride on back roads, which turned out to be hilly.

Very blustery weather, with heavy rain for the last 2 miles.
Found out about the Spanish presence in Kinsale

Then had a Murphys or two in the Armada Bar

d63 Aug28 Tue Cork

Retrieved my bike from Victoria Cross Cycles.
Posted my sailing gear back to England.
Repacked the panniers and prepared to resume cycling.
Reminded of someone I might remeet on the Atlantic coast.

.

d62 Aug27 Mon Waterford-Cork

The forecast weather would have made it difficult to sail to Cork, then to Cornwall, before the next gales arrived.
So we went our different ways, the boat with the rest of the crew towards the Scillies,

and I by bus to Cork to resume cycling the Atlantic coast of Ireland.

d60,61 s27,28 Aug25,26 Sat,Sun Wicklow-Waterford 102nm

Because gales were forecast for Sunday evening, decided to sail overnight to reach good shelter in Waterford 100nm away. 
Motored out round Wicklow Head then sailed S. 
Wind dropped so resorted to motoring, but the engine drive that had been temporarily fixed in Berehaven on day34 failed at 20:00, so Paul & Graham working in torchlight in the cramped engine compartment replaced the failed drive with a new part in 3hours, while the rest of us sailed the boat as smoothly as possible.  
Rounded Great Saltee Isle at 03:30 and headed for Hook Head,

then up the estuary to Waterford Sunday morning.

d59 s26 Aug24 Fri Dublin-Wicklow 29nm

Tacked out of Dublin Bay into a south easterly.

Cut inside Muglins Island.
Carried on tacking to Bray Head,
then the wind changed in our favour and we laid Wicklow on one beat in three hours of pouring rain.

d58 s25 Aug23 Thu Skerries-Dublin Poolbeg marina 27nm

Woken up early by the wrong sort of sound coming from our tethers to the quay.
Fixed the problem then decided to sail on.
Rounded the Howth headland, and put in close to the centre of Dublin.
Saw the Tall Ships gathering.
Amerigo Vespucci

Half the fleet

from Equador

from Italy ?

pic

pic

pic

d57 s24 Aug22 Wed Ardglass-Skerries 54nm

Departure delayed by a Dutch yacht aground and blocking the channel. 
Beat for several hours into an opposing wind. 
Passed the mountains of Mourne.

Then once G took the helm, the wind veered to help us, the sea became less confused, the sun came out, and we could head for our choice of ports.   Happy Borthday G.

d56 s23 Aug21 Tue Donghadee-Ardglass 29nm810

Decided not to sail to Isle of Man because it would have been difficult to get back to Ireland against the forecast winds over the coming days. 
Timed our departure to make the most of the tidal flow, tacking SSW against a SW wind, and got in before the wind strengthened as forecast.

d55 s22 Aug20 Mon Bangor-Donaghadee 14nm781

Rest of crew3 arrived.   Did some man overboard practice.  Set sail to get inside xxx island with its 3 hour tidal gate. Layed up against the harbour wall in this small port for the night.

d54 s21 Aug19 Sun Belfast-Bangor 12nm767

Crew3 started to arrive.  Sailed from Belfast centre to Bangor.

d53 s- Aug18 Sat Belfast centre

Day off from sailing.
Crew2 departed.
Cleared some admin, explored Belfast centre.

d52 s20 Aug17 Fri Carrickfergus-Belfast centre 4nm755

Almost no wind, motored into Belfast centre marina

d51 s19 Aug16 Thu Bangor-Carrickfergus 12nm751

Short sail N across Belfast Lough

d50 s18 Aug15 Wed Rathlin Island-Bangor, County Down 35nm

Started at 04:00 to get the most of the tidal streams. 
Had a torrid 2 hrs punching into easterlies (wind against tide) along the N Antrim coast.  
Once round xxx Head, close reached SE. Zoomed along past the highland glens and the Mountains of Mourne (see day13) and turned into Belfast Lough. 
Moored at bangor marina on the S side of the lough, for protection against the coming southerly gales.

d49 s- Aug14 Tue Rathlin Island

Secured the boat by 04:30, then rested.

Unfortunately, being a Tuesday, the hotel/restaurant was closed.
Also, the pub closes at 17:30.
Also, the people who ran the cottage we had stayed at on day12 were away in Belfast, so missed out on meeting them again.
With bad weather threatening from the E we decided we'd leave at 04:00 next morning.

d48 s17 Aug13 Mon Lough Swilly-Rathlin Island 71nm704

For the second day we set out with Scotland as our destination
Comfortable down wind out of Lough Swilly then NE round Malin Head. (ref day10)

ESE along the coast.
Sunset PIC
Crossed from Donegal to Antrim.
Because gales were forecast over the next 2 days, we decided against sailing to Mull of Kintyre. Instead put in to Rathlin Island at 3:50am Tues.    From the boat took this pic of our planned restaurant just afterdawn.

2

d47 s16 Aug12 Sun Downings Bay-Lough Swilly marina 38nm633

Out of Sheep Haven, with an objective of sailing to Mull of Kintyre, or Islay.  
Long beat ENE then round Fanad Head,

Wind strengthened, weather forecast wrong, so tacked 12 miles up Lough swilly to shelter at the marina for a night.   Try again tomorrow.

d46 s15 Aug11 Sat Cruit Harbour-Sat Downings Bay 39nm595

NNE to Bloody Foreland, round Inishbeg, and Horn Head to shelter in Downings Bay

d45 s14 Aug10 Fri Teelin Harbour-Cruit Island 46nm556

Sailed W along the S side of Sleave League

and its 2000ft cliffs and occasional dwellings.

Then round Malin Beg Head, inside Rathlin O'Birne Island, N to aran Island.
View of its lighthouse from sea (compare with day 7)
Southern view

Northern view
Then a tricky navigation between islands to a tiny harbour and pub.

d44 s13 Aug9 Thu Portnafrankagh-Teelim Harbour 61nm510

Out past eagle Island, then close to the Stags

The a long slog across Donegal Bay (looking back)

4

d43 s12 Aug8 Wed Inishbofin-Poertnafrankagh 29nm449

Once clear of Inishboffin, motored N past Inishturk then Clare Island.  
Motored along the magnificent achill island coast, then rounded Achill Head
S view

N view

Put in at the island of Inishkea S, an ex whaling station, for an hour.
Finally inside Inisgora, round Annagh Head, and anchored in Frenchport bay for overnight shelter.

d42 s11 Aug7 Tue Roundstone, Connemara-Inishbofin 30nm420

Little wind dead astern so motore-sailed out to Slyne Head

then headed N with a view of the Twelve Pins of Connemara

and put in to Inishbofin

..

d41 s10 Aug6 Mon Inishmore, Aran Islands-Roundstone, Connemara 28nm390

Walked up to the 3500 years old fort
pic

with its pointed stones to block a horse charge

The view from the fort of the surrounding rock strewn land

Sailed for the mainland and moored up for the night

.

d40 s9 Aug5 Sun Kilrush-Inishmore, Aran Islands 62nm362

Down the Shannon, round Loop Head

then managed to lay the Aran Islands in one long tight beat in a cold but helpful strong north westerly.
Saw the cliffs of Moher distantly before berthing at Kilronan in the gloaming

d39 s- Aug4 Sat Kilrush

Rest and maintenance day while new crew arrived and first leg crew departed.

d38 s8 Aug3 Fri Smerwick-Kilrush 52nm300

Early start at 06:00 to get the best of the tides.
Ran WNW along the coast in strong winds, past magnificent sea cliffs, then Kerry Head, and into the mouth of the Shannon.

d37 s7 Aug2 Thu Portmagee-Smerwick 29nm248

Headed for the Blasket Islands.
Wanted to go ashore on Great Blasket but the conditions at the only landing place were too bad for us to anchor  - -  strong wind, lee shore, unknown seabed.
Sailed on through the channel, with a force 6, followed the coast past the Three Sisters and sheltered in Smerwick Bay for the night.

d36 s6 Aug1 Wed Berehaven-Portmagee 48nm219

Tacked W into a WSW headwind to Dursey Island
Most of the crew seasick.   I managed to half recover by helming for a about an hour.
Sailed under the cable car between the island and the mainland, then headed NNW up the coast, and put into Portmagee for the night.

d35 s- Jul31 Tue Berehaven 0nm

Spent the day moored at Castletownbere, working to fix the boat with the help of a local engineer  - -  done.
Celebrated at the renowned MacCarthy's bar