052:10.358 N
006:35.296 W

Kilmore Quay

We had a lie in today, the alarm was set for 0335 😊

Up and out the harbour again just as dawn was breaking. We came in yesterday with 5cm under the keel, we left this morning with 40cm, those sort of depths are what Bol normally races with in Yarmouth, not in new places so far away from home! Anyway, we got out without disgracing ourselves and set the course due south for the next few hours.

Light wind so the motor stayed on and ‘Jimmy’ the auto pilot got to work; we did 1hr on/1hr off for a pretty uneventful 8 hours. There was a curious swell from behind and only 4-5 knots of wind over the deck so it was a pretty rolly journey, but with the tide under us we flew along around 8 knots at times. This coastal section needs to be timed with the tides hence the early starts and short-ish hops in sync with the tidal streams.

A big moment came when we began to turn the windfarm-covered corner due west and head to the south coast of Ireland. As we left the Irish Sea, the water flattened out and the temperature rose, it was as if we had just sailed into a new country.

Before turning towards Kilmore Quay, we crossed “St Patrick’s Bridge”, an alarmingly shallow, well-marked sandbank. With very little swell it was no major concern, but still an anxious moment to see 3m on the depth gauge so far off shore.

The two islands outside Kilmore Quay, Great Saltee and Little Saltee, are both wildlife havens; we followed the very popular Saltee Ferry into the harbour that takes tourists to see puffins and seals. We feel very privileged to have seen so much wildlife these past few months from TC, it’s always such a treat and we never tire of seeing any of it. Today we have been passing Guillemot chicks bobbing on the waves alongside their mothers, extremely endearing.

The very friendly harbour master caught our lines and once tied up the temperature rose further in this seaside resort that is bustling with holiday makers; the familiar sight of children crabbing off the slipway is close by.

We’ll stay here tomorrow as the zero wind continues and it seems like a nice place to explore further after our short walk ashore this afternoon. 

So we’ve just had happy hour in the sunny cockpit and raised our glass to a dear family friend of 30+ years, John Clarke, who has been married to my wonderful Godmother Sue for 20+ years, and died in early July after a short illness; John’s memorial was held this afternoon. We’re still somewhat in shock at the news. John and Sue came to TC the day before we left in April, to think we won’t be seeing him upon our return is pretty distressing. Thankfully we captured the happy moment with this photo below.