Episode four Kilmore Quay to Arklow, Night of beautiful stars and yet....

 Episode four Kilmore Quay to Arklow, 

Underway 19:00, through St. Patrick's bridge and headed North.

The night was clear with the sky full of beautiful stars and yet....

The winds have been from the North and so may boats have crossed from Milford Heaven to Kilmore Quay in the pass few days. There is to be a gaff rigged boat festival in Dublin on the week end. 

The tide times meant an evening departure and we wanted to give the engine a good run. So we departed at 7 PM and got through St. Patrick's Bridge and turned the corner at Carnsore Point heading North.  We caught the tide look at that speed!

 Passed Wexford town and the infamous Blackwater Bank.

Cahore Point was on our beam and I had just come on deck from trying to snooze as we figured an ETA of about 2 ish in the morning. 

Noel was entering the log and had just checked the water fuel filter with his flash light and all looked good. then...guess what.

The engine stopped....

Have we told you where we were! Just north of the Blackwater bank off from Cahore Point. As a child we had spent our summers here when I was sailing around here in a Mirror Dingy when you got caught in the tide you beached the boat and waited till the tide changed then sailed home.....no longer an option with the keel of Kalinka 1

I got the sails up and set and continued up with the tide Noel struggled with our fuel issue and finally resorted to "Plan B". By pass the main tank and feed the fuel return into the jerry jug and get going. Our pal Aiden had suggested it, Brian the mechanic encouraged it and one of the days I was messing with our buddy John on his boat in New Ross, Noel figured out the hoses, bought the shut off valves for the return and had the rig set hoping to never use it....Under this rig we got in to Arklow about 2:45 having kept getting flushed north with the tide and retaining steerage with the sails.  

 Plan "B"

We were both so fed up; could we trust our boat? What next? UGH!

Well we tied up and got some sleep, that always helps. The Harbour Master asked how long for our stay we did not know how to answer...a week, a season, till she sells....we were adrift. 

So he offered to place a call to "Chris the mechanic that is good". We thought we had already had the best but sure nothing ventured nothing gained.....He could be to the boat within the hour...this is too good to be true! 

Polish Kristov appeared as we finished our cereal. Over a coffee he listened to our plight. He liked the by pass rig. Suggested putting an out board bracket on the transom. This was not in jest.... Well he spent the day trying to find air leak or blocked tank vent...then figured it was time for a test of the injectors. UGH....this sounds expensive, when do you cut your losses? Took the nozzle's away for testing.  Two of three were "wet", by the way that is NBG. So new Nozzle's were sourced,  next day 10 AM delivery. We did feel like we were funding an experiment...

While we waited, gaffed rigged boats came and went all heading North to the rendezvous in Poolbeg, Dublin port. 

Laundry and scrubbed the boat...a really good way to work out frustration, wrapping up with a beer in town as we need a bank machine badly. 

 Checking the stuffing box.

 Scrubbed inside and out!

Laundry everywhere, 

lost one sock overboard. good thing it was Sally's.

 Post banking beers.

We were fed up and frustrated, could we continue, can we trust our boat? The questions all un spoken but on both our minds. 

Next day at 10:15 AM Kristov showed up triumphant with the new nozzles in hand. He had them installed in a flash and the engine humming along in no time. We ran it at the pontoon as directed for a few hours and then with the tide we cast off heading for the north side of Dublin, to Howth. Noel was so doubtful that he offered to purchase dinner out if we get there...We we did and what a feast we had. 

Howth committee boat in the back ground

Cousin Caroline and Uncle Mike could not join us as they were to the "Opera" but we made plans to meet the next day. We had to celebrate the engine not letting us down. That evening we had two inquiries about the boat one on the pontoon, Vincent and one by email from our adds. Neither seemed interested enough to make the leap so we decided to not let them delay us. Sunday was delightful. We got the "Dart" (the commuter train from Howth) to down town Dublin and walked to Poolbeg YC to see the gaff rigged sail boats. Well we had seen most of them between delays in Kilmore Quay and then again in Arklow. We had a lovely explore around "Ringsend" which is now very up market. Walked through lovely parks and found the sailing club. We enjoyed a beer and watched the boats head up river for a "parade". The city of Dublin had to open a bridge for this to happen and were still struggling to get to close a few days later. The traffic mess must have been massive. We went to visit Caroline and family and got to see my Uncle Mike which was wonderful. The most delightful Sunday afternoon in the sun chatting and then sharing a meal. My idea of heaven.

 Early PM departure 

The tide times called for early PM departure and then an early AM arrival into Bangor N.I. We flew up with the tide and got tied up close to Sean and Alice's power boat...they were not home! John and Carol had been following us by our AIS signal so we were able to meet up with Ruth for tea on the boat and had a wonderful visit. Sean and Alice appeared and we had a lovely short visit before they headed off to their new residence, we were leaving with the morning tide and were still debating where too next. The options: Campbelltown (Singleton whisky) then sail up the Clyde to the Crinan Canal

Giha with the lovely boat house of fine dinning

Isla, Port Ellen - land of Whisky

or somewhere new.... 

We were in a good space, engine was happy, all is good and we are + 20 days earlier then this time last year.