Day 35
6th June
Woke at 8. After breakfast walked to post office with cards and took a few pics, then back to boat. The weather is good for the trip to Arklow, some 50nm. By leaving late morning there would be help from the tide all the way, although it is only neaps. I left at 10.00. There was plenty of water at St. Patrick's Bridge, a shallow channel to the north of Little Saltee Island, and the wind was initially helpful. However, it gradually weakened until by Wexford I had rolled in the jib. Just after one o'clock the main flapped across as a sea breeze set in, giving good progress. A seal popped up behind us, then, curiosity satisfied, it disappeared again. Motor-sailing at 6kts we continued up the coast until at about 16.00 a light rain began, and the breeze died. The lull only lasted about half an hour, and the sea breeze came back, but weaker. By now the tide was adding well over a knot to our groundspeed as we sailed through the Rusk Channel and along past Courtown and Tara Hill. A German flagged gaff schooner passed, motorsailing the other way. After another little shower Arklow came into view, and we tied up in sunny, calm conditions at 18.15. I did as my friend in Wexford suggested and tied up at the RNLI pontoon. The number he gave me only produced an answer phone. Must make my peace with them tomorrow. Now for the rest of the chicken stir-fry!
Lovely stuff. The washing up was done, and I had settled down to write this up when a call from the pontoon brought me on deck. It was Brendan Dillon, the lifeboat 2nd coxswain. I began to make my apologies for tying up to his pontoon, but he was all smiles and made me most welcome. Living locally, he had seen Pepsand and came over to make sure all was in order. He then offered to show me round. I took a photo of him and his daughter Emer on the lifeboat. He ruefully showed me the damage that some intruders had recently inflicted on the boat with an axe in a vain attempt to obtain something of value. The rear door window panels, made of what looked like 8mm thick glass had been shattered, rendering the boat unfit for service, since it would not necessarily be able to self-right with water pouring through the door. By great good fortune, a similar boat is being refurbished at a boatyard not far away, and they were able to borrow a serviceable door from that boat for the time being, so the boat is fully serviceable again. Tomorrow is a bank holiday here, but I do not intend to move for a day or two. Brendan told me there is a maritime museum over by the marina, and that should be interesting. It is in, or beside a supermarket which I could easily access by dinghy. Since the lifeboat station is locked, I cannot get direct access to the town from the pontoon.
Well, I had just got my head down when there was a clatter of boots on the gangway down from the station, and it became clear that the crew
were on a shout. A small boat broken down needed to be towed in. In very short order the seven crew were on the boat, engines started, mooring cast off, and away. Very slick. The lifeboat throbbed slowly out of the dock, but once in the river the acceleration was impressive. The twin MAN diesels could be heard for a very long time.
Lovely stuff. The washing up was done, and I had settled down to write this up when a call from the pontoon brought me on deck. It was Brendan Dillon, the lifeboat 2nd coxswain. I began to make my apologies for tying up to his pontoon, but he was all smiles and made me most welcome. Living locally, he had seen Pepsand and came over to make sure all was in order. He then offered to show me round. I took a photo of him and his daughter Emer on the lifeboat. He ruefully showed me the damage that some intruders had recently inflicted on the boat with an axe in a vain attempt to obtain something of value. The rear door window panels, made of what looked like 8mm thick glass had been shattered, rendering the boat unfit for service, since it would not necessarily be able to self-right with water pouring through the door. By great good fortune, a similar boat is being refurbished at a boatyard not far away, and they were able to borrow a serviceable door from that boat for the time being, so the boat is fully serviceable again. Tomorrow is a bank holiday here, but I do not intend to move for a day or two. Brendan told me there is a maritime museum over by the marina, and that should be interesting. It is in, or beside a supermarket which I could easily access by dinghy. Since the lifeboat station is locked, I cannot get direct access to the town from the pontoon.
Well, I had just got my head down when there was a clatter of boots on the gangway down from the station, and it became clear that the crew
were on a shout. A small boat broken down needed to be towed in. In very short order the seven crew were on the boat, engines started, mooring cast off, and away. Very slick. The lifeboat throbbed slowly out of the dock, but once in the river the acceleration was impressive. The twin MAN diesels could be heard for a very long time.Day 36
7th June
Up not very early and cooking breakfast when Jimmy Tyrrell, the Hon. Secretary, came over to have a chat. An Irish Times photographer had come to take pictures of the vandalism. He told me the casualty last night was a small motor cruiser that had alternator problems. They were only five or six miles down the coast, and were brought in quickly. Last night's time elapsed from call out to leaving the pontoon had been five minutes. Not bad!
Later I walked into town. It is clear that Arklow has seen better days. Many empty business premises give the place a neglected and dispiriting air. Across the bridge is a new shopping centre and Aldi and also a modern housing development around the marina, but that accentuates the impression of poverty on the western side. The dock has many laid-up fishing vessels, adding to the gloom. However, there is a bandstand and two splendid town churches, one Catholic, one Anglica
n. 19th C Romanesque and Gothic respectively.
I wandered back to Pepsand and had lunch as it set in to rain for the afternoon. Of course, it is a bank holiday here! Then jobs. Lubricate the sea toilet pump; glue a wooden board that was threatening to come apart; enter some MMSI addresses on the VHF set. Then snooze; then tea. The weather outlook is not good for tomorrow, but there is a maritime museum and internet café to visit.
Wicklow, the next planned port of call, is only 15nm north of here, and with the strong tides here, it will not take long to get there, perhaps not much more than two hours.
7th June
Up not very early and cooking breakfast when Jimmy Tyrrell, the Hon. Secretary, came over to have a chat. An Irish Times photographer had come to take pictures of the vandalism. He told me the casualty last night was a small motor cruiser that had alternator problems. They were only five or six miles down the coast, and were brought in quickly. Last night's time elapsed from call out to leaving the pontoon had been five minutes. Not bad!
Later I walked into town. It is clear that Arklow has seen better days. Many empty business premises give the place a neglected and dispiriting air. Across the bridge is a new shopping centre and Aldi and also a modern housing development around the marina, but that accentuates the impression of poverty on the western side. The dock has many laid-up fishing vessels, adding to the gloom. However, there is a bandstand and two splendid town churches, one Catholic, one Anglica
n. 19th C Romanesque and Gothic respectively.I wandered back to Pepsand and had lunch as it set in to rain for the afternoon. Of course, it is a bank holiday here! Then jobs. Lubricate the sea toilet pump; glue a wooden board that was threatening to come apart; enter some MMSI addresses on the VHF set. Then snooze; then tea. The weather outlook is not good for tomorrow, but there is a maritime museum and internet café to visit.
Wicklow, the next planned port of call, is only 15nm north of here, and with the strong tides here, it will not take long to get there, perhaps not much more than two hours.
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