An Ilur in Ireland

So I picked up a Silva 70UN compass a few weeks ago. Along with an anchor and a vhf radio it is an essential piece of safety kit, especially in fog. It is removable from it’s clip and can be used as a sighting compass. I decided it was all a bit plastic-ey looking, so naturally I pimped it out in leather!

Here are some photos from a solo camping trip to Blind Harbour. I had intended to go as far as Castletownshend, but after getting hit by an almighty squall(2ndpicture), the wind swung around on the nose and died away to nothing. I was getting nowhere tacking against the tide, so I sculled into Blind Harbour. Not somewhere I would ever plan to go to, but it is a very pleasant spot in it’s own way. I anchored off a small beach, put the tent up, ate my dinner and turned in. It was a beautiful sunny morning when I woke up. I came up with a new place to sleep in the boat too. Using the chests and chart board to support my legs, I slept in the sternsheets. It’s less restricted than on the floor and you can open the tent and enjoy the early morning sun. Breakfast was enjoyed watching a family of foxes playing on the beach!

Got the grill out for breakfast on the Sunday. My mate Max showed up on the Sunday. As you can see plenty of room in the tent! We had to wait until noon for the tide to come in before we left Monday. Wind was southerly so we had to row out of the shallow part of Ballydehob Harbour which is crawling with seals. We were in Baltimore 4 hours later having beat the way there in a force 3-4. As we passed Ringcolisky Harbour we met these Curachs from Naomhoga Chorcai.

After lunch on East Skeam, we ran down Roaringwater Bay and went around Mannin Island by Kilcoe Castle, which was restored and is owned by Jeremy Irons. As you can see the weather at that stage had gotten a little “soft”. Damian took over the helm, doing pretty well considering he had never been sailing before, and we reached into Ballydehob Harbour. Up went the tent and we went into the village to the Jazz Fest. The local signage wasn’t much help though!

So my mate Damian and I sailed from Baltimore to Ballydehob for the Jazz festival there this past weekend. Wind was southwesterly force 5-6. We stopped off at East Skeam island for lunch and a cup of tea. The island is only inhabited by cows now, it’s human residents are long gone.

Sea, Sail, Sky…

It was a northeasterly breeze today. Went out for a sail with my Dad. First picture is of Fail na Seabhac, where I took the photo of the storm a month ago. Next is the approach to Siege Cove. Siege Cove used to be the cove that the residents of the old Carraig na Gcat village used to fish from. They used to fish in dipping lugsail yawls for periods of up to a week or longer out west as far as Cape Clear, then sail back to siege cove, drag their boats up the beach, and carry their catch up the cliff paths in the photos. The one of An Suire from above is from the mid point of the path, visible in the photos to the left and the right of it.

Using a rod to catch mackerel is a bit over-kill and the handling the rod can be a bit ungainly under sail, so I made myself a set of hand lines out of some scrap marine ply. The line is 3mm paracord.

My sister’s fiancé lent me his go pro so I lashed it to the tiller. Apologies if I broke the fourth wall a few times, I was reading the elapsed time on the go pro! If you stick with the video long enough, you’ll see me use the running pole for the first time. It makes a huge difference in a large following sea. I wouldn’t bother using it in sheltered water or on short downwind legs. I also jibe in it, which is interesting with the thumb cleats and all!

Launch Day! Hopefully the start of 5 and a half months of sailing. Fired up the Biolite Grill to to celebrate.

So here is what the sea chests were made for, storing cooking gear. The grill attachment for my Biolite stove arrived today. As you can see it all fits quite snugly. There should be enough room for a folding cookware set I’ll be buying in a couple of weeks. And I still have the other chest for food storage.