After Youghal and before Kinsale

Fri. June 17/16. 0400.

Behind Ferry Point Youghal Harbour.

After a Very good nights sleep without a worry in the world (Ya right saeth Sally) I arose, put the kettle on made the tea kissed my honey awake and gently said the tide is right it’s time to leave.

I didn’t get hit or sworn at! Had tea dressed in our dirigour sea going duds started the engine dropped the mooring and gently slid off put the engine in gear and got underway for points West. Otherwise known as Cork 36 miles away.

We cleared the harbour and shallows and at 0700 on a Gray morning turned the engine off and unfurled the Genoa and made our way west at 6.8 to 7.2 knots with an off shore wind and flat seas.

We arrived at Cork harbour at 0900 as the wind was picking up and gusting to F7 (about 30 knots) Furled the Genoa started the engine and began motoring into the 2^nd largest harbour in the world!

We decided we would go right up to Cork city as Sally remembered there being a pontoon there. Had a nice uneventful ride past Cobh and 7 miles up to the centre of the city Lapps Quay. Got a nice spot on the pontoon.  Got squared away and then went for a walk.

We returned to the boat in the afternoon and two Customs officers came for a visit. Nice friendly visit no hassles.  Stayed on board as tired and had an early night.

Sat. June 18/16.

0730 Up. No rest for the just and pure. I’m going back to being Grummpy and mean! Anyway made tea and off we went to the English market and downtown and some serious geo caching.  Lots of people around . got hungry so bought a couple of breakfast sandwiches at Centra and went to a Park to eat them. Had to beat the pigeons and crows off with rather large sticks (Big Birds here I guess from all the food thrown away by terrified tourists.  We Found 2 ½ caches and missed 1 so not bad for us and it brought us up to the 250 mark.

We returned to the boat in the afternoon and Ross from Valhalla ( boat not the place)came for a visit. He out talked Sally! She is now feeling insecure.

Sun. June 19/16.

0730 Up Cold Rainy day (what else is new?) Tea and Cereal for breakfast  then we got underway for Cross haven. As we left the pontoon a BIG Seal began splashing about and catching it’s breakfast. Wasn’t worried about us. There was another very fat one laying up on one of the cross beams of the pier. It didn’t care either. We had an uneventful motor boat ride down to Cross haven and took a finger on a pontoon. We arrived just before noon and went up to the RCYC Club House and had breakfast. I had Eggs Benedict and a pint of Murphy’s Sally had a full Irish breakfast and a glass of Murphy’s. It rained and blew for the rest of the day and the hatch over the Salon decided to leak! Left to head up to Drakes Pool to the Anchorage but it was too miserable and the rain hurt when it hit my sensitive face so we turned around and went back to the finger and spent the rest of the day.

Monday June 20/16.

Up early sun out did some odd jobs sterilized Port water tank then drained and refilled both Port and Starboard tanks. We got under way at 1430 for the long 10 mile journey to Oyster Haven.  The Around Ireland Race had started on Sat? The weather was so bad outside that 2 or 3 boats quit and came into the club. We have reciprocity at the Royal Cork Yacht Club. But what that means over here is that you can come and stay but it costs you. In our case 34 Euro which is about $45.00 Cdn per night.

We decided to leave in the afternoon as the weather was good for the afternoon with wind out of the NW but was going to change at night to be on the nose F6. We motor sailed all the way and entered Oyster Haven  at 1700. Lots of moorings and the wind as on a schedule started to blow. So we entered the West arm and took a good mooring and this time had no issues what so ever. (Ha we’re good!!).

Quiet enough that we decided to change down the big Genoa for the smaller 130% A much nicer sail for the heavier winds we’re probably going to get as we get further west.

Another early night but beginning to finally feel rested again.

Tues. June 21/16 Happy Summer Solstice!

Up At 0730 Tea in cockpit a nice quiet warm morning! Will be an easy day doing odd jobs reading fishing and not much. At least that was the plan. We all know what happens to  plans don’t we? I started by servicing a mast winch that hadn’t been touched since we cross 5 years ago. Pretty easy the I went and tightened up the bolts holding the hatch to the deck. One was very loose and the threads had been stripped. So gooped it and hope it works. Sally was up at this point and said she had just heard the Bilge pump cycle and come on again! I listened and watched it and sure enough it did. Hmmm it’s a new pump and shouldn’t be doing that I thought. So I emptied 3 gal of water into the bilge and it didn’t pump! Well a bilge pump that doesn’t pump isn’t much good to anyone. I tried it on manual and that didn’t work either! Phooey! Used the manual pump to remove the water and then took the electric one out and cleaned it. Put it back in opened one of the water tank drains and emptied a couple of gallons of water into the bilge. $#%$#^& Pump didn’t pump! Double phooey!! Gave it a good shake and bang and it woke up and finally did what it was supposed to and got payed for. Pump Water! Think it must have got air locked somehow. Had hotdogs and beans for lunch laid out some routes on the GPS and tablet, finished the day getting the fishing tackle ready.  Omelet and Salad for dinner.

This is a very nice spot and we might even stay here tomorrow.