Ballycotton to Kinsale
Awoke to a brighter day. After Ben’s morning sleep we went ashore in the dinghy and had a walk along the cliff tops and into the village. Not much there apart from lots of pubs and a small shop. Only the shop was open so we purchased a few items for our lunch and made our way back to the boat. Ben seems to like the dinghy. He stands at the front mesmerised by the bow wave. Climbing 10 foot down the quay wall ladder into the dinghy with Ben under one arm would have had the health visitor reeling. But then so far we have yet to follow much of their advice or we would be living in a padded cell and never have left the house in the first place.
Once back at the boat Ange gave Ben his lunch as I casted off and hoisted sail. With the wind now from the east we had an easy and relaxing sail along the coast back to Kinsale. Along the way we managed to catch three big mackeral but not before losing two lures. The first due, we think, to a badly tied knot, and the second to a large fish. Our speed had increased to more than mackeral catching velocity and the line was cut clean through, so we reckon something large had chewed the end off.
Ben did well on this sail. He has a sleep soon after his lunch so that gave us a chance to have ours and the gentle sailing gave him a good couple of hours. After his sleep we clipped a harness line to his lifejacket and tethered him in the cockpit and managed to keep him amused for a while. Nearing Kinsale and his attention beginning to wane we strapped him down below and put a Telly Tubbies DVD on. Back to traditional pilotage for yours truly, with the chart plotter laptop reduced to baby cinema. At least it kept Ben busy and safe while Ange and I could wrestle with rafting up.
Kinsale was heaving. Weekend traffic I guess. The 40 metre yacht, Parlay, still taking up half the visitor pontoon. So lots of rafts 4 deep covering the rest. We had to raft alongside a big power boat of most inconvenient proportions - the tops of our stanchions meeting her gunwale, even with fenders down. Some jiggling with doubled up fenders took place while a 73 year old Maurice Griffiths ketch, of some tonnage no doubt, came along side us, ther bow sprit inches from the boat in front. Several miles of rope and fender seemed to sort things out, at least until the swell kicks in …
Noticed Songlines, a Moody 42, which we had seen here last weekend, with a Springer Spaniel on board, here again but this time without a mast. Turns out the couple on board purchased her a couple of months ago from Southampton and are on the way back to their home in the Shetland Isles. Somewhere near Fastnet one of the shrouds broke. They narrowly avoided losing the mast and are now having the rigging replaced here in Kinsale. They said they had planned to take 3 months to get their ‘new’ boat home but have already spent 6 weeks stuck in Ireland. Luckily they are in no rush. And it could have been worse. They are certainly well to have new rigging for their home waters!
Ben away to bed and boats lashed together Ange cooked up the day’s catch and made Patatas Bravas to go with it. Perfect.