A Modern Pilgrimage

Zoonie
Mon 4 Jul 2022 09:07

A Modern Pilgrimage

I mentioned in my last blog our short walk up the hill where we sat above a grave yard and ruined church to receive a good phone signal; well, on the way back down to the harbour we passed numerous others on the same pilgrimage, not for divine intervention but for device connection. The sheer wild beauty of the surroundings we witnessed inspired us to take one of the numerous and well-marked walks around the centre of the island, to include the second highest point above a blanket bog, festooned with pretty bog cotton.

Called the Middle Quarter walk, it follows some of the old bog roads where cartloads of turf bricks would be extracted for drying and using as fuel. Two other walkers were silhouetted against the skyline making me wonder if that was where our path would lead us. It was, and after a slippery but mercifully short climb we also were soaking up the expansive views from the Atlantic, over the coastal bays to the moody mountains on the mainland.

Back on board, you will have read my mentions of the guillemots, seen in happy profusion at sea from south to north along the west Ireland coast. Well two decided to adopt Zoonie’s side deck and with a flutter and twang, as one made contact with Zoonie’s wire handrail, they came aboard for a break two mornings running. By luck I was in the saloon and spotted them from inside. The two photos are through glass but at least I managed to get evidence of their visit. The picture of the two in the water was taken inside the marina in Killybegs where they are tame and well fed. It has been a pleasure to see so many, suggesting a healthy population.

The final photo shows the dark arc Zoonie's movements made to the full scope of her anchor chain while in Inishbofin during the strong NW to Southerly winds.

On the last day of June we moved on towards Achill Head, and realised Zoonie was under-performing in the generous wind and we had to top up her speed with the engine. This was not good and we surmised her hull is foul. Hopefully we would be able to sort this once we reached Killybegs.




Avast logo

This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
www.avast.com


JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image