A nice sunny Monday morning, with much excitement from the locals that this was going to be a good week of weather.....their first sight of the sun for a long time. However, the shipping forecast and various internet sites we were using for weather were less enthusiastic. The downside of a sudden bit of warmth from the South coupled with very light winds is sea fog ; a lot of it was forecast for the Irish Sea. We really do not like fog.

 

We decided to head out to sea and make towards the south of Arklow Bank, and then make a final decision on whether to just go down the coast to Kilmore Quay, or head further afield. In order to get our own back on the pesky Irish tides we left at 1145, in order to give us a favourable tide almost all the way to Kilmore, if that is where we decided to go...this tidal push could shave a couple of hours off the journey time.

 

We soon hit mist at sea and decided to head for Kilmore. I should add that we always check in and out with the Coastgaurd on our trips, and had deferred checking in this time until we had made our final decision. Going to Kilmore meant that if the visibility got really bad we could head in shore into shallower water were the big nasty ships cannot go, and with our radar and plotter we would be safe. As it turned out, the visibility was not too bad, and eventually cleared up, which was just as well since we spent the whole trip dodging lobster pots. John once again excelled at pot spotting, although we all had difficulty with the ones 'coming out of the sun' ahead....much non pc comment about ' bandits coming out of the sun at 12 o'clock'.

 

In contrast to my last trip down this coast we went close inshore around Carnsore Point and so missed the horribleness of Tuskar Rock, and then went through the narrow gap of St Patrick's Bridge towards Kilmore. The final mile into Kilmore Quay harbour provides entertainment of the highest order, and this time was no exception. Firstly, we made our way from the fairway bouy on a leading line to the shore, which involves lining up two big posts on the shore, and so long as you keep them lined up you are going to the right place. This gets progressively more exciting since we had an approx 3 knot cross tide, which means the boat points in one direction but sort of crabs sideways in another...ie you think you are going to hit things you are pointing at , but you won't because you are moving sideways through the water, keeping the posts on shore lined up. And so we went, with Claire monitoring the plotter to cross check that we stayed away from the rocks.

 

The leading line takes you VERY close to the corner of the harbour breakwater, which protrudes like the sides of a square box into the sea. Since we were still moving sideways, the sight over the bow is fairly discouraging, ie looks like you are going to hit the wall. Then, suddenly, we are out of the current and now we really will hit anything in front because we are no longer moving sideways...straighten up quickly to keep the posts in line and then stop...because at this point we are almost ashore.

 

So far so good. Then a right angle left into the narrow harbour entrance, at which point I started to chat cheerfully about last year and the experience with a trawler suddenly deciding to block the entrance. It seems it had been waiting all year to do exactly the same thing again. Half way in some of Ireland's finest decide to swing an ocean trawler and block our entrance. They were all watching us and doubtless hoping to hear the pleasing cracking as steel met wood and fibreglass. But we foiled them, because I have now fixed an earlier problem with reverse gear and we easily stopped and loitered around while they messed about, then in we went.

 

But Kilmore Quay held a surprise in reserve. As we tied up a pile driver began to knock the seven bells out of some posts in the marina. You will be familiar with a pile driver's noise, but probably not with the two for the price of one noise when in water ; first the bang through the air, then a deafening sonar like bang through the water and hull.  This was not good, but just before we went in search of a hotel, peace descended and it turned out that there would be no more pile driving...this story will continue tomorrow.....

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Brian Whitefoot

 

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