Land's End and North

Moonbeam
David and Lynn Wilkie
Mon 27 May 2013 06:32
 
52.10.338N   006.35.246W
 
227 Miles Logged
 
The strong winds were due to go to the NE and become variable so we were looking forward to a strong tail wind to Land’s End but no NE appeared so we ended up motoring out of Salcombe and due west.
 
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The wind was forecast light for Saturday evening then increasing from the SW so we abandoned plans to visit Falmouth and the Helford River and carried on past the Lizard under power and rounded Land’s End under a full moon at 23.30hrs.
By mid-day the wind had built a little and we motor sailed North but the forecast then changed to SW Gale 8 by late evening and we did not plan to get to Howth until early the following morning! A change of plan and we headed up 30 degrees for Kilmore Quay just west of Carnsore Point on the SE tip of Southern Ireland.
By then we had a rapidly building breeze and had a glorious broad reach for 25 miles to the small fishing port and marina where we squeezed onto a rather short pontoon!
 
Meanwhile Donald had exhibited his usual charisma and attracted a couple of birds -- two swallows attached themselves to him
 
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Unfortunately the bitter cold had weakened them too much and despite his tender administrations they both died.
 
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Sunday night was very wet and windy and we were glad to be moored up and there was little reason to get up early! Late morning the rain cleared and we walked the small town getting fresh meat, soda bread and fruit and coincidentally visiting a local pub.
 
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