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| Cape Ferry overtaking us off Sherkin |
Soon we are tacking up the sound, gaining on a small open boat ahead of us. Then to our amazement, a rib comes along and takes the small boat in tow. Cheaters! We grit our teeth and sail on. The wind was forecast to be NW, which would give perfect conditions for sailing to Cape. We’ve been to Cape twice this holiday (once by ferry and once on Inishbeg with Con) and to go a third time in our own boat would just be so perfect. I really want this to happen. But I haven't shared that thought with the others yet for fear of the reaction.
When we come alongside Sandy Island and the Catalogues, Laura wonders why we aren't turning towards Cunnamore and going back the way we came. I tell her there is not enough water in Goose Island Channel at this state of tide, and we'll have to go the long way around. That's a little white lie, because I'm still hoping to make Cape. But I'm also willing to turn around if it's too rough and the girls complain. The wind stays in the west as we beat up between Heir and Sherkin, so I settle for going around the outside of Heir. Continuing on to Cape would be too long and uncomfortable. Although the sea is smooth, there is still a moderate swell left over from yesterday’s strong winds. The Cape ferry approaches from behind and passes on the inside as we head towards Drowlaun Point on Sherkin, and her wake gives us a good shaking up. We had been hoping to see dolphins, as we had spotted a few around here from the Cape ferry the other day, but there are none around today. We even tried calling "Here dolphy, dolphy, dolphy!" but it didn't work.
It's taken us nearly two hours to get this far, and the girls are starting to complain. We decide to take a shortcut between Toorane and Bream rocks, which should knock a few miles off our journey. There's no risk (another little white lie) since there's not much wind and we're near slack tide so it should be fine. As we approach the passage we can see a fisherman in a small boat pulling up pots over on the western edge of the Toorane rocks. It's slightly comforting to know we're not alone out here. Since there is still a risk of strong currents flowing around and between the rocks, we start the engine and motor-sail through the gap. Shortly after passing through we spot a group of 4 or 5 seals swimming near the north side of the rocks.
The next danger we need to keep an eye on is Anima Rock, lying half way between Heir Island and the Easter Calf. We try to make a heading which will take us west of Anima Rock, but we can't make headway that close to the wind and have to tack to avoid it. We keep in mind Con's tip that you're on a line through it when Jeremy Irons’s castle is visible between the Skeams.
The wind is finally veering to the northwest, but too late for us to make for Cape, and it means we have to tack up between Heir and the easter Calf. I hesitate for a minute over taking a short-cut between Heir Island and the Skeams, but quickly decide that one big risk and two little white lies are enough for today, so we go outside the Skeams. The wind is now NNW and getting a bit gusty as we pass Horse Island, and Laura is not happy about the boat heeling over. I must remember to let out the main more when we start heeling. We head for Kilcoe Castle, and I tell Laura that we’ll drop the main when we get behind Manin Island, as it will be a bit more sheltered.
Soon the lines of mussel farm barrels start appearing in the water. We grab the binoculars and try to identify a clear passage through. Finally we grab the iPad and look at the recording of the track we took on our way out, and decide to follow that in reverse. We drop the mainsail and start the engine, and motorsail up Roaringwater Bay, keeping between the lines of blue barrels. When we come alongside Lisheen Pier we turn to port and head for the moorings. I can’t identify our mooring buoy at first, but then manage to pick it out with the binoculars. We pick up the buoy, attach our mooring lines, and prepare to leave the boat. That means taking everything off, as Tiernan will be hauling her out. Con had offered to pick us up with his rib, but in the mean time he got sidetracked by somebody needing help with a pump, and he won't be able to come over.
After several phone calls, Laura ferries Eileen ashore to be picked up by Julianna, who will take her back to Baltimore to get the car, in which she will return to pick us up. Laura rows back to the boat and we take all the stuff off and row back ashore. As we approach the pier, a fisherman's car and trailer full of lobster pots are blocking the slip. He comes over and gives us a hand to carry the dinghy past and get it up to the top of the slip. We start chatting, and it turns out that his sister was good friends with Eileen in school!
We deflate the dinghy, but still can’t squeeze it in the boot of the car so we leave it sticking out. And we almost left without the oars. It's been a long day and we're all nearly starving at this point, so what a pleasure when we get home to discover that Danny has prepared a wonderful leg of lamb for dinner.
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| Back on the mooring in Roaringwater |
Looking back at the sailing we did this summer, several things stand out. When we picked up the boat three weeks ago, Tiernan had left the rolled up jib tied down on deck. There was bad weather forecast, and he wanted to reduce windage and the risk of it coming unfurled. When we left the boat the jib was still lashed down on deck. We never hoisted it. Does this boat have too much sail area? Does this area have too much wind? Probably a bit of both, but it's also related to the level of confidence of the crew.
There is still a problem with chafe on the mooring lines, as tubing and webbing chafe-protectors continue to wear through. The boom crutch is a big success, if a bit rough and slightly too long to store easily below. Tiernan said he will make a new one over with winter, nicely finished and maybe a bit shorter.
With respect to the crew, my ears got sunburnt so I need to get a good hat. Laura is afraid of the boat heeling too much and capsizing. Eileen is obsessed with hitting a rock and sinking. At the same time, we are slowly but surely pushing back the limits, getting more comfortable with the boat, and getting more familiar with the area. At least I am! We might not have done much sailing in terms of quantity, but I feel like we got some real quality time afloat, and that's the essential.
Logbook
Friday 29/07/2016
Baltimore towards Roaringwater
R, E, & L
Baro 1012.4 steady
Mostly cloudy, temp 18
Wind W veering NNW F2 gusting to F4 later
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