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Back to Part 1 (Woodbridge to Crookhaven) Friday 12 June - Crookhaven to Lawrence Cove (Bere Island), (charts 2129, 2184, 2552, 1840) 23 NM, 5 hours 25 minutes Forecasts for Fastnet and Shannon differed but both became W 5 to 7. Made passage plans for Sneem (Kenmare River) and Lawrence Cove (Bere Is) in Bantry Bay, planning to get a feel as we rounded Mizen Head. However I felt tired after 12 hours sailing yesterday, and the weather was a bit miserable for an anchorage, and I knew Lawrence Cove had diesel, so opted for the latter. Rounded Mizen Head on last of the flood so not too bad. Past Three Castles Head the white Ardnakinna Light House at the West entrance to Berehaven was clear at 9 NM but the visibility closed in and after mooring the north bank of Berehaven was obscured let alone the mountains. Grumpy Skipper and Sukanuk also left for Lawrence Cove a bit before us at 0815, but we got there first and helped them moor. The very friendly marina had opened in June 1997 and been considerably extended during the winter. 9.5 metre £10/night, showers (new, very clean) £1, diesel 30p/litre, electricity and water on pontoons. Excellent shelter all directions. Telephone. Village store and PO in Rennin village 10 minutes. Should be called surprise or secret marina as it is the extreme SW corner of the cove, doesn't appear until the last minute and if you didn't know it was there you would have turned back as the depth fell! About 20 yachts here. We should be spelling Bere bere and not bear, no connection with bears! It was called Beerehaven in a map of 1599. Walked into village in rain. First day without any sunshine, 14°C. June? Shop takes you back 50 years with mahogany counter with assistants and all stock on shelves behind! Papers come in at 11 and can be reserved. Lawrence Cove Marina qualifies for four stars. Privately owned by a couple that are really putting themselves into it. There was no GSM signal in the marina so I had to walk about half a mile up a hill (when the rain had stopped) to find some shade to see the laptop screen. I felt like an enemy agent crouching behind a wall! Saturday was pretty wild but we had an excellent and mountainous cycle ride across Bere Island (which remained a British base until 1938 and still has camp buildings in excellent order - no vandals here!) Sunday 14 June, Lawrence Cove to Sneem and Derrynane, (charts 1840, 2495) 45 NM, 9 hrs 20 mins total Because the wind was forecast N we went first NE to Sneem hr (which was really lovely - wish we'd stayed) then west to Derrynane. Anchored in a tiny harbour with a terrifying entrance between rocks using leading line with plain concrete beacons that could almost be buildings. Some red and white paint would do wonders for first-time visitors! Today has given the best forecast from the Wet Office (as the Irish call it), but it blew up as we entered the harbour and is still 20 knots gusting 25+ Hope it quietens before we turn in but the anchor bit very reassuringly. Monday 15 June, Derrynane to Dingle, (charts 2495, 2789, CA Hbk) 35 NM, 8 hours 15 minutes Glorious morning! Rowed over to the little pier below the leading mark. Up a steep zigzag road with magnificent views over the harbour and outlying islands with Dursey Island in the distance. No wonder holiday homes are popular here with their huge picture windows. We saw two further planning permission forms posted in lovely unspoilt spots and hope this isn’t going to become a continuous village. Returned to find Grumpy Skipper getting ready to depart, but as they had fouled their anchor they were not much ahead when we left at 11. Three headlands: Bolus, Canduff and Bray with fine mountains inland. Dingle marina is in a well-sheltered natural harbour. An amenities block was scheduled for opening in July. Delightful town even boasts a cybercafe, which was fully utilized when we visited. Wednesday 17 June, Dingle to Fenit, (charts 2789, 2254) 41 NM, 9 hours Left 0600 after satisfactory wind forecast. After missing the dolphin Funghe, Dingle's special tourist attraction, on the way in, we were rewarded by not one, but four dolphins gambolling around us. Later one kept close company while the others cavorted across the bay and we assumed this was Funghe. Later saw puffin. Our departure was timed to pass north through the Blasket Sound on the last of the north-going stream giving a SMG of 7kts. Once round Sybil Point, our most westerly point in Ireland (10°30’W) the wind increased to its forecast range of force 5 to 7 SE, and despite the lee shore became uncomfortable. Our attempts to close with the cliffs were however thwarted by salmon nets and I just stopped in time to avoid over-running one, the owners in the fishing boat either oblivious of us or unconcerned - normally they wave vigourously as the next one did! Their seaward ends were at least 2.5NM off-shore. The sea died as we rounded Brandon Pt and passed through Maghareee Sound with the Seven Hogs islands to port. Entered the new Fenit Harbour marina. This is connected to Fenit village by a viaduct 6 cables long, with a small shop at its root and excellent store a little further on the right. 110 berths including 40 visitor, but plenty of room. Charge £1/metre/night with minimum £10 including excellent showers, but electricity requires card at £1. Got soaked cycling into village and Margo fell off bike after getting stuck in old rail track. Diesel on quay within marina. Thursday 18 June, Fenit to Carrigaholt (Shannon), (charts 2254,1819) 25 NM, 5 hours 30 minutes Wind forecast today SSW5/6 increasing S/SSE 6/7. Set off in 20knots but this fell to 5 so we had to motor. At least 12 dolphins saw us off from Fenit, and we later had even more to welcome us into the Shannon. They drove the echosounder mad - was it attracting them? - so I turned it off. The other excitement was a helicopter flying very low over us and practically giving me a heart attack - I thought at first a power boat must be about to collide! The Shannon got very rough (wind against tide) as it narrowed at Kilcredaun Head where it narrows, so instead of proceeding to Kilrush we anchored round the corner off Carrigaholt Pier well out of the tide. Stopping here saved us a further 7NM to Kilrush (and back next day) with its lock and expensive marina. Good holding out of the stream and quiet night. Margo painted the castle from the boat so we didn't need to go ashore, although Tom Pilkington commented in email that the mussels on the pier are excellent! Sun actually shining (2045hrs) at last. Friday 19 June, Carrigaholt to Kilkronan (Inishmore, Aran Islands), (charts 2254, (3338), 3339) 50NM, 9 hrs 45 mins Forecast of S 4/5 occasionally 6, so set off with one reef in main and mizzen. Again saw dolphin, but these showed no interest (what do they do at night? do they sleep?) Splendid run with 6 knots SMG for some hours. Wind peaked at 21 knots by which time we had 8 rolls in genoa to keep things manageable in Atlantic swell. Heard a May Day from a fishing boat with anchor not holding but Galway lifeboat was with them in 2 minutes to tow them off. Sea become very rough as we approached the Aran Islands, but the 1NM wide Gregory Sound was clearly visible. Waves breaking against cliffs were sending spray up about 30metres. Fortunately it got quieter in Gregory Sound before becoming really tranquil in Killeany Bay. Anchored in 3m south of Kilronan slip, took bicycles ashore in Avon, and cycled to Dunaengus fort (1st century and one of finest of its type in Europe), 3 miles plus a 20 minute uphill walk. The central area is surrounded by three massive walls and a palisade of sharply pointed stones facing upwards around it, but the south side is "bounded" by a precipitous 75 metre drop to the sea below. A rather eccentric young man was standing on a rock outcrop overlooking the sea! Returned to a super sea-food chowder at the Dun Aonghasa restaurant overlooking the bay. Highly recommended! Returned to find Avon missing but some teenagers had just taken it to the other side of the pier, bless them. Saturday 20 June - Kilkronan to Galway Dock, (charts 3339, 1984) 25 NM, 5 hours A perfect morning! And (or but) no wind. Extremely smooth passage east to Galway Dock arriving shortly after the gates had opened (HW-2). Had to wait while a large trawler came out very slowly, and was called on VHF by Frank Sheridan, our HLR, who was on board! He had left our mail in the gate machinery room. Found a splendid shopping mall with good shops. Galway Dock to Cashla Bay, 23 NM, (charts 3339) 4 hours 40 minutes Left Galway just before gates closed at HW, and easy run against light headwind allowing me to type and email under way (for first time). Moored alongside Aran Flyer overnight, having been told (wrongly) fishing harbour not for yachts. Sunday 21 June - Set off 0800 but found bay rough and met a French yacht entering. They called out that it was gusting 35 knots and they had split their mains'l en route from Galway. Decided to turn back and read while anchored with mizzen reducing roll. The French yacht later entered fishing harbour so we lay alongside it, rafted against an interesting engineless sailing vessel with open hold and rock ballast, and five fishing vessels, 11 to walk across in total. Visited a ghastly local pub modelled on an American road house. Monday 22 June - delayed by fuelling and left at 1115. After battling two hours into headwind and rough sea (and still in lee of Aran Is. to south) I asked myself: why do we cruise? To enjoy ever-changing scenery? Fog! Sailing? Making 3 knots motor-sailing into rough sea! Outdoor living? Heavy rain! U-turned and sailed back at 7kts feeling somewhat sheepish as our French neighbours took our warps again! Excellent hot shower while fish auction in progress. Met the manager and founder of the fisherman’s coop, born in Hitchin! Fish used to go to Dublin for auction and then be sent back to Galway; he started selling locally, making more money staying ashore, then started an auction in Galway before getting £15M investment here to reclaim land and build new quay with 4m at LW, and ice plant and auction hall. Gale warning for tomorrow. So Babaji is stuck again! We took the bus (good value) back to Galway, a scenic route, and explored this interesting town with fine church. By chance HLR Capt. Frank Sheridan was on the quayside, so we had a quick chat in the rain. They have started knocking down an old building on the east quay to build a new harbourmasters office for him. Wed 24 June - Rossaveel to Clifden, (charts 3339, 1820) 45NM, 10 hours Forecast SW/W 4/5 becoming 5/6, so we set off at 10, leaving our French neighbours waiting for a North wind! Relieved to pass Slyne Head, thus accomplishing another major headland hurdle. We kept 2 NM off and it wasn't too bad, long Atlantic rollers of about 3m and not too rough in 22kts SW. Racon not shown in '98 list of lights. Anchored in 8m in Clifden, a pretty natural harbour, near the sailing club building and RNLI slip but didn't go ashore. Thursday 25 June - Clifden to Inishboffin, (chart 1820) 17NM, 3 hours 36 minutes Chickened out of the High Island Sound inshore passage but the sea off High Island was horrendous and we'd have done better inside. The Atlantic rollers meet seabed rising from 75 metres to a vertical cliffs in only 3 cables and doubtless the reflections cause the trouble. We had set off for Killary Hr, quite a bit out of the way to the west as the CA handbook is offputting about Boffin Hr. However the wind dropped to 10kts and once clear of the breakers on Cuddoo Rock it looked placid to the North so made for Inishboffin and had a smooth entry and quick anchoring near RCC yacht Albuera before lunch. Ashore to pier to walk to lovely white sand and shells beach in sheltered Rusheen Bay with azure sea but temperature not living up to appearance. Quick refreshing bathe. Back to shop beside Day's bar for provisions before it closed, then refreshment in Day's Bar. Continued in Part 3 ©Raymond Glaister 1998 |