Waiting out the Gales. Or. How to keep busy doing nothing

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 Thursday June 29 2017.

After a good nights sleep and a hot shower it’s a new day. The same crappy weather but a new day. We have cereal for breakfast with tea of course.

What shall we do today is the conversation around the breakfast table. Our boat is so big we have a breakfast table and a lunch table and also a dinner table. Anyway back to our discussion.; What are we going to do today?” “I don’t know. What do you want to do?” “I don’t care.” Let’s go to the boat store and see where we can get propane”” Do we need it?” “Think so.” “OK” Then what would you like to do?” “Go into town?” “OK” “Then what?” “Go to archeology museum.” “ummmm,,,,ok”

So off we went in half our rain gear dipsy doodling across two parking lots one drying net(good luck *&^%$%^ down rain) passed the resident Seal who had an umbrella up! Into the Boat/hardware store.  “Can you exchange our propane cylinder?” (show picture) “yes””How much” Pick self up from floor. “OK can you deliver it to the yacht Club?” “No bother””How about tomorrow morning?””Sure” So  we then checked the rest of the stock out to see if there was anything we couldn’t live without. I got lucky. We then went to the train station and got help from a very nice train volunteer to use the machine to buy our tickets. I put the magic piece of plastic into the thing the volunteer pushed the secret numbers and buttons. There as  a crunching and grinding sound.I thought to myself there goes the card. Out pops what I think is two tickets and a receipt for a bunch of Euros. We say thankyou to the nice lady and get on the train.

We sit for a while,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Beep.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Beep,Beep. Something is about to happen! BEEP.BEEP.BBBEEEEP. Shhhhhhhhiisssss,rumble, rumbbbbbbblllle whoosh we’re moving. On our way to Dublin Town.

We get to Connolly Station. ‘Is this where we’re supposed to get off?” “Think so” So we do. Then we try to get out of the station.

For you who have not experienced the Irish rail system and maybe some others in the world.  Let me explain. You buy your ticket before boarding. Then you ride. Then you get to your destination. There you will find a bewildering number of turnstiles and gates with flashing lights and hoards(a lot of people make up a hoard) trying to through the same one your stopped in front of trying to figure out what to do. After carefull observations of what everyone else does. I step up, stick the ticket into the slot provided. The machine spits it back. I reinsert it. It spits it back. This goes on for a while I admit defeat! Go to the security guy. I get the look! OH,OH. Do the explaining .( Too long to go through here) He nice man that he is lets me out. I run to Sally for a hug. I get, what did you do? My ticket worked.” “I don’t know” Oh well.

So now we’re in Dublin. Whooppee! Now what? We need the Tram. “The what?” The TRAM”( For those who don’t know I’m just a little hard of hearing hense the capitalization) “OK” We put cash into a machine and viola(Not the Viola I knew in my youth) out popped two return tickets for the tram.(something that runs very well over here that Toronto is sure to screw up). We arrive at our stop. We get off. I sort of know where we are. Sally say’s”We go this way” I follow. We get to Trinity. “Ahhh”I say the book of Kells. Sally say’s”Let’s go see it””OK” I say. BIIG line up and it costs money. So we don’t go.

We get to the Museum. It’s free!!! We go in  and walk by some old pots and stuff.We’re on a mission at this point. Find an empty table  sit down. Sally goes to order. I wait Food comes. We eat. All is good.

Don’t know how I got into Itelics but fixed now.

“So what do you want to see?” “I don’t care” “What do you want to see?” “The Neolithic and Viking with the battle of Clontorf thrown in.” “OK” so we did.

Lots of stone tools and old pots and swords and axes and a couple of really old dead people some gold and silver(I’m going to buy a metal detector). Had a wonderfull time and then.

The return journey. We get to the station. Go and see the nice security guard. Explain about the no ticket when we got there. He looks at the receipt. “Hmmm, you only bought one” “But I payed for two.” “Nope only one”(this was all in an Irish accent)”I’m sure I payed for two””Look here. One” “Are you sure?” (Iget the look” “Go see the information ticket guy” OK. Off we go to the information ticket guy. Long story short. We bought another ticket and got on the train. Got a free one way ride though.

Return to Howth. It’s still blowing 1 ½ Hoolies. We manage to get back to the club. Exausted we manage the stairs up to the bar. A hot whiskey and a guiness later we’re able to get back on board and two hot whiskey’s later we have dinner. Read a little and try and download some episodes then slummberland.

In the water so now what?

 

Monday June 18 2017.

We have recovered from that strenuous river trip and Carols scrumptious meals. Back at the Boat yard, made arrangements to launch tomorrow. No Red car!!! It was need elsewhere go figure I thought we were the important ones! Little did I know. So an easy day getting things ready for the morrow.

Tuesday June 19 2017

Needed to get some last minute shopping done so borrowed the Bosses Jeep. We’re still important! Do some running around go visit Sally’s Mom and Ed,Helen and Willy( The newest Haythornthwaite) Early dinner and that’s that.

Wednesday June 20 2017.

The big day has arrived we borrow the car again and go and pick up our life raft(never to be used) and our dinghy. (The rubber boat not what some of you were thinking!) Back at the yard we lashed the LRaft down and put the dinghy down on the pontoon. We were having something to eat when we heard the travel lift start up and begin to move. Highish water we get picked up while I’m still on board removing straps and reinstalling life lines. Michael is kind enough to stop Sally brought over a ladder so I was able to get off without going for the ride.

We got to the launch bay (the one for boats not the one camouflaged as a tree that the Alien’s use ) and easy Peasy I’m on board and gently lowered ever so softly  into the Barrow River to begin the 2017 sailing season.( At least for us. Some of you are all ready in the water.) Just the usual leaks and they stop soon enough. So off we go for a little tour over to the city side and the we head back to the pontoon. We spend the night in our own bed,in our own boat on the water. Slept like two bricks.

Thursday June 21 2017. Up early great night. Inflate the dinghy and put it on deck with the life raft did the last minute shop Sally off to see her Mom. I did a couple of last minute jobs and then we had a Boat Yard BBQ with Michael, Stephen(He cooked) and Carol and John and Sady the boatyard dog. Who managed to sneek 3 steaks and a piece of Belly pork off the table. Yes she is still a live though it was touch and go for a short while. An earleish night as we planned on getting away in the morning.

Friday June 23 2017.

We did. 0600 motored down the Barrow through the bridge made a right turn onto the Surre and made our way to Waterford where we had to raft onto the Joanne Mary. Went walk about and I bought a new pair of Clark boating shoes My first pair of blue ones.

Saturday June 24 2017 we again left early in the morning and made our way to Kilmore Quay where we waited out the tide and then set motor for Arklow where we arrived at 1050 and got a spot on the pontoon. Fell into Bed.

Sunday June 25 2017

 Did a walk about with a couple of Geo Caches thrown in. had a visit with a Dutch pair.

Monday June 26 2017.

0600 Up, tea.Then underway for Dublin fair city where the girls are so pretty etc etc etc. 1200 We’re tied up in Dun Laoghaire Marina. Go walk about and then up to the Nook to visit Caroline and all her clan along with Uncle D. Managed to stay for dinner and drinks and staggered home around midnight so we didn’t leave the next morning as planned.

Tuesday June 27 2017

 Up early walk about a couple more Geo Caches and then Michael and Peter for dinner on the boat. Another late night.

Wenesday June 28, 2017

0515 Woken up by the radio weather report. Go back to sleep get up made the boat ready Sally off to dump the trash and check out 0600 we’re off dead flat calm should be a nice trip up to Belfast. Or so we thought.

Last night after everyone had left both Sally and I worked out the tides for our morning departure. We agreed on the time to leave would be around 0600. So that’s the time we left. We motored North with the main up and at about 0830 I asked Sally to put a reef in she was in the process when the wind picked up sharply and we put in a second reef. Sally went below to lie down The wind she did howl and the waves they be big and Noel he get thrown off the throne and he decide not so good and turn around we did go and bumpy ride to Howth we had until 1200 when we tied up.

We got out of our wet gear Sally miraculously recovered enough to make lunch (a bowl of soup). After lunch we got the sewing machine out and I repaired Sally’s pants and my multi tool sheath. Turned the heat on to dry things out and then having time I wrote this. So now you are all as up to date as we are. Stayed tuned it can only get better or at least entertaining

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Doing the Shannon.

 

 

Sunday June 11/17. 0600

Today is the day. We or I should say I get up early full of excitement! I walk out to the kitchen feed the cat (Jasper) put the kettle on wait for the boil put the cat out and gently wake Sally up. We have a cup of tea Sally is packing and the cab arrives early. Oh my what to do? Well, I speak to the nice lady cabby who is on her cell phone and just kind of nods. So I figure what the!and go back inside. Sally gets ready and we both load up the trunk for the long ride to the train station.

10 minutes later we unload the cab at the station and no tip later the cab drives away. Sally goes to buy our tickets that we tried to get on line without any success to be told a ridiculous price by the station attendant . Who, then suggest’s we go and buy them on line as half the price! Run over to the coffee shop or actually hobbled (stiff knees ankles and feet)  Coffee and sticky bun and no cigar. So back to the station explain the problem but had to pay the full fare.

By now I’m sure your wondering what the heck is he going on about? So I’m about to tell you just wait patiently and I’ll get there.

The train arrives we rush frantically to the door on the las car to make sure or at least try to get two seats together on the Starboard side as that is the side with the view of the sea as we’re heading North. We’re fortunate we even get a table! So we throw some backs on the opposite seat’s the train whistle goes and we’re off. A nice trip with stunning scenery and a short while later we stop and more people get on. This happens quite often but eventually we arrive safely in Connolly Station where we disembark and rush to find the platform for the next segment. Easy Peasy, A short stroll up a ramp and bob’s ypour uncle there is our train waiting patiently for us. We climb aboard find two seats make our selves comfortable Sally goes off to get some coffee whilst I guard our stuff.

We eventually start up and head out of Dublin alongside the weedy Royal Canal we follow this for quite a while and then head off overland to Dromond. Where John met us with the car. We loaded it up and away we went for a very long drive to the Marina. 10 minutes later we were unloaded and loaded on the Ron Ruadh (Red Seal) as the boat is actually a Seal 26 with a lifting keel, Betta 20 engine, Esparpacher furnace, gas cooker, v berth and a real head. This by the way is a sailboat san’s mast for this trip. With four people onboard everything is done by the numbers. I of course was number 1 behind the captain John, First mate and chef extraordinary  Carol and of course Crew Sally. My cup for the voyage was cabin boy. Our cruise was  about to begin.

Monday June 12 2017 We all got up in turn had a leisurely breakfast and got underway about 10ish we motored about 2 miles to the first lock and had to wait for two hours for the hydro to re connected as a Swan had taken out the wires! So we had coffee and visited with other stuck travelers. Eventually everything started to work and we locked dooown to a lower level and then travelled another hour  and stopped for lunch. We arrived at our destination  Lanesborough. The next 6 days were a repeat of the above. With overnighters at, Glasson, Shannon bridge, Ballinasloe, Meelick and finally Banagher. Clonmacnoise was the highlight of the trip with Birr Castle telescope a close second.

Departure and Arrival or Leaving there and getting here!

Week #1

 

Hey it’s another year and for your summers entertainment  here is the first chapter of this year’s blog!

 

I think I’ll start at the beginning. So a week ago I was messing around on the computer and checking out the Air Canada site to see if we could bring the two gummby suits to Ireland with us. For you who are not in the know. We were given two survival suits. These are the full blown neoprene 1 piece dry suit good for surviving even in the arctic sea.  Bright orange in colour and full floatation and inflatable life jackets to keep you face up in the water. To see how to use one go to my face book page.

Where was I? Chin scratch,,,,,,,, AC site. Welst looking for the checked baggage restrictions I stumbled onto checked allowances. Lo and behold (biblical for Holy Crapola) If you’re a serving member or former member or a vet of the Armed Forces you are allowed up to 3 bags each up to 70 pounds each!!!  Now Sally being a commissioned Officer in the Navy and I being a former member of the Army that at added up to a wopping 420 pounds!! Annnd no restriction on how much alcohol you could pack. This worked out to two gumby suits and did we get some looks checking them in. Can’t tell you how much booze as some things need to be kept secret.

Dave of Dave and Dianne also known as dumb as dirt drove us to the airport for 1900 on Monday the 29^th of May and we cleared in with absolutely no problems so we sat around in the airport people watching for 3 ½ hours then boarded AC flight 1908 which left a little late and had an easy peasy flight across the Atlantic landing in Dublin at 1030 ish on the 30^th of May. Cleared Immigration and got picked up by Sally’s brother Adrian who drove us to his place in Wexford. We stopped by Black Rock clinic to see Uncle David But he was getting showered and didn’t want to see us so we left. Spent the rest of the day playing catch up then toddled off to bed and had a very good night’s sleep. Good thing to!

Wed. June 1/17.

0730 wide eyed and bushy tailed and I got the look! So I quietly mozzied out to the kitchen and put the kettle on for tea. Shortly thereafter the rest of the house woke up. Have you ever really heard a house wake up? Me neither. I always thought they were just kind of, you know a house. 4 or more walls 1 or more stories with a roof of some sort and rooms inside maybe a basement, or maybe not. By now everyone in the house was up including Jasper the cat.

We had breakfast and Sandra was kind enough to drive us to the boatyard in New Ross so we could check things out. Boy O Boy big changes. 

Chapter two of week 1

We arrived at the boat yard to find a fence around the whole thing and the new office up and running with Denise keeping a watchfull eye on the coming and goings a yard full of boats and most important of all we had not been moved into the never going back in the water section!! Michael was his usual cheer full self and Sadie remembered us. We asked for and got the use of the little red car again so we could let Sandra get away and do what Sandra does.

Sally and I opened up the boat Well actually it was already opened and since it was a nice day we took the cover off rolled it up and put it in the car to take it back to the house to scrub clean and repair some spots. Put the sewing machine in the car to. We had a nice visit with Michael caught up with all the going ons had a walk about checking things out and then we drove home stopping off to see Sally’s mom. Had a nice dinner and 1 too many whiskey’s then at  1000 or 2200 we did the jet lag flopp!

Thurs June 1/17

Up! Earliish 0730 made tea out the door by 1000 drove to the yard another nice day so we installed the furling and bent on our 130% head sail and our Main  We look like a boat again! Put a new zinc on the prop shaft. ( A sacrificial thingy that stops corrosion when dis similar metals are in contact in salt water) The even work on land as I have never seen any corrosion on my shaft. We then drove to Longrade (not the correct spelling but I’m tired so live with it). Cleared out some of our stuff had a short visit with Collin, Michael, ( Collins friend) Holly (Collins daughter) and finally Lizzie ( Collin’s wife and not the Ax lady). Then another short visit with Sally’s mom then home for drinks dinner more drinks and crash at 2200. I could give lesson’s to a brick.

Fri June 2.

Much the same as Thurs June 1 got a later start and didn’t have a visit with Patricia as tooo tired.

Sat June 3.

Early morning Sally a slug a bed Got way around 1130 stopped at Aldi did a shop arrived at the yard and the Big gate! Was closed!! So we had to walk and carry our stuff. Magin that walk and carry at the same time.  Spent the day messing with the Duo Gen generator then it rained!! I got wet, Phooy  Quit while we were ahead and drove home in the rain short visit the Dunn’s for dinner and now finished this.

Sun. June 4.

We have the house to ourselves. Whoopee!! 0730 Up. Tea. Breakfast Eggs, rashers tomato’s and mushrooms.  The new went to work washing the boat cover. Finished that and left them out to dry while I drove Sally to Church and I went to a coffee shop and sat outside watching the scenery. Sally found me after church and we returned to Shearwater got the sewing machine set up and spent the rest of the day sewing patches and seams in the sun and listening to the wind pick up. Got every done and sally went off to visit her mom. So all in all a productive day.