53.23.346N   006.04.028W

 

79.6 Miles logged to Howth

53.9 Miles logged to Ardglass

 

We had visited Kilmore Quay almost exactly 3 years ago on our way South when the weather was better!

 

   

 

Away at 0600 to catch the tide; a pattern that would be repeated over the next few days! Around Carnsore point and headed North past Arklow’s wind turbines, avoided the fast ferries and headed into Howth Marina which was very full. Yacht Club Race night, plenty of activity and they allocated us rather a tight berth!

 

   

 

   

 

A superb dinner at the Oar House     www.oarhouse.ie    then drinks aboard “Moonbeam” with Hugh and Wendy from ‘Mikara’ (RCC) who were heading south.

Our plans to leave on the first of the flood tide north were scuppered when we discovered that ‘Moonbeam’ was aground in her berth so a wait of a couple of hours for more water then we thought we might top off the diesel tanks but when we tried the marina discovered their tanks were empty!!

So later than planned we headed north and reached the lovely port of Ardglass at 20.30hrs.

 

   

 

   

                                                                                                         Ardglass at low water!

 

While taking a stroll around the small town we were impressed with the friendliness and politeness of the locals; as we have been everywhere in Ireland. Indeed as we passed two youths wrestling on the pavement the teenage girl watching told them not to curse “ because there are tourists about”!

 

Mysterious things happen on boats! At Kilmore Quay our binnacle compass was 180 degrees out while alongside the marina berth and after Howth our wind direction display started reading backwards- is “Moonbeam” trying to tell us something!