Sunday Sailing

Sunny Sunday 22 March, forecast 12  to 15 Knots SouthWest, brownie points on board and here go. Thomas and I head for the open sea.

Out through Dublin Port, passing all the big stuff.

It takes us about 20 minutes to motor down the channel and clear the lights at Poolbeg.

A few other sailboats have gone ahead, we can see their sails on the horizon. They were too far away to photograph, so I got the Stena Line instead.

We head towards Howth and The Bailey Lighthouse. Nice steady breeze and blue water.

I love the red sails on Smuggler, if I had a saxaphone, I would learn how to play "Red Sails in the Sunset"

Just past the headland of The Bailey, we noticed a grey line of rough water. In the space of 200 metres, the seas  doubled, wind piped up to the forecast 15 knots and the sky went gray. We had full main and genoa up, so trying to heave to and reef, we spun around and ended up speeding back home. Easing off the main and cursing the lack of quick reefing, we took off. Afterwards, we saw on Navionics that we had reached 7.3 knots ! That was full sail, broad reach and with the tide. A little bit of a knife-edge in a little day-sailor.

Anyway, all on board were happy, so we barrelled on.

The Dublin Pilot boat took a look at us, so we waved and they carried on.

Sunshine changes everything, especially the mood of hairy old sailors !

On home across the bay and bit by bit the sea calmed. Even the wildlife came out to play.

Back to our mooring and little Smuggler all tied up, but ready for more fun.

Currach on the Liffey

Coming back to my mooring yesterday, after a failed solo sail in 20 knot winds, I heard Dublin Port Radio tell a ship's captain to watch out for "two fellas in a currach on the South side of the channel". And there they were.

The beautiful, black tarred rounded shape standing out against the commercial background.

I'm trying to get close enough for a good picture, but they are closing fast.

Two hardy men in a canvas covered boat.

Rowing in unison, a great Sunday out on the water.

A few us built a currach many years ago, but that's another post.

Fear

 

Last Saturday, 7th March, Thomas and I puttered out to Smuggler to go sailing. The forecast was Force 6, gusting Force 8. We got the sails ready, two reefs in the main, the smallest jib hanked on and everything looking good, swinging on our mooring.  Two people said as we went out, " you're mad to go out today, there'll be plenty other days". 

It was a gloriously sunny day and warm but really blowing. Still tied to our mooring, I sat in the cockpit to get to a feel for it. At each gust, the boat heeled and the jib nearly hoisted itself. I looked down the river and all looked smooth, the wind was South Westerly, straight over the land with no fetch at all.

I was afraid. Not afraid of the wind, though maybe I should have been. I was afraid of looking silly if someone had to rescue us. I was afraid of breaking a shroud and loosing the mast and again looking silly out there. There would be no other boats on Dublin Bay as most are still on the hard.

So we packed up and motored back to shore. To do something, we walked into the boatyard and watched sailors getting their crafts ready for lifting in a few weeks. When I told a few that we had intended to sail,  they again said, "it wouldn't be safe, you were mad to even think it".
I still think I missed out on a great opportunity, but fear probably kept us safe. So how do you test yourself and your boat ?

Moths in Action

On a little side trip into Dun Laoghaire Harbour, I saw my first Moths in action. 

My boat felt like a lumbering tortoise in comparsion. Their speed really was impressive.

With nothing to hold them back, it was safer to plod along and let them avoid me.

Dublin Port

One of the unexpected joys of having a boat moored on the Liffey is passing by the big ships, cargo and cruise and ferry, that pass through Dublin Port. They dwarf my little minnow but as long as I know my place, I can still look at the giants.

The Dublin Port Pilots and Tugs move around, shepherding these hunks of steel.

When I pass close by, the lettering on the sides can be bigger than little Smuggler.

Coming back late, things can look even better.

To be continued...