Part 3 - Lawrence Cove to Sherkin Island (Baltimore) – 35nm in 2hr50m (13:35-16:25)

Wednesday morning our dream of reaching Waterford in time for the Tall Ships race looked very much alive. We had left Killaloe on Lough Derg the previous Sunday. The next passage would be short at only 35 miles, so we decided to spend the morning exploring Bere island some more. We set off for Baltimore after having lunch in the cockpit watching the naval activity from a distance. The forecast was good and the two days chilling out seemed to have paid off as the sea state had dramatically improved. Once we rounded Mizen head we would be on the south coast with its shelter from the Atlantic swell and prevailing westerlies.

Once in Baltimore Waterford should only be a day’s cruise away. As usual I got up around 06:00, hopped on the folding bike and cycled around the cove to “our rock” which was the only spot we could get a mobile phone signal for the iPad. I checked the sea area forecast, downloaded the latest weather data using Weather4D iPad app. Then back to the boat to adjust the passage plan on laptop and download the routes into both GPS plotters (ie primary and backup).


As I sat on “our rock” downloading weather data, I observed the ribs ferrying personnel to the naval vessel in the sound. We were reluctant to leave this oasis of wonderful isolation, but the Tall Ships would not wait for us.


Another fruit and porridge breakie in the cockpit as we observed the naval ribs come and go past the marina. These guys were just fetching some fresh honey for us – har har!


Exiting Berehaven heading back out into Bantry Bay. It had become a little grey as we pottered out at displacement speed.


Kenmare and Bantry bays are two of the three great rias on the SW coast of Ireland. Whiddy island was the scene of a tragic disaster back in 1979 when the oil tanker Betelgeuse exploded killing 50 people. See [en.wikipedia.org]


Mizen Head - This CG station is now controlled remotely from Dublin. There is a very interesting visitor exhibition about the history of Irish light houses.


The Fastnet rock light house looked menacing despite the benign sea state. Unmanned for years now due automation and remote control, one wonders in the era of AIS and GPS how much longer such lights may continue to operate. Mind you on a night passage it is strangely reassuring as it flashes brightly and can be seen for many miles. It must of been a scary place to be in a typical F10-11 winter storm with waves breaking over the rock. [en.wikipedia.org] Every time I pass this remote desolate rock I cannot help but remember the 1979 disaster. (see [en.wikipedia.org] )


Cape Clear Island with its disused old light house, replaced in 1854 by the Fastnet.


Sherkin Island ahead taking up much of the left of picture. You can just about see the white beacon “Lot's Wife” in the distance marking the entrance to Baltimore harbour. [en.wikipedia.org]


A happy girl enjoying the pleasant seas unlike previous Tuesday! We had slowed to displacement speeds as it was such a nice day, stuck on the auto pilot and pottered about the boat. There was no rush and the scenery too nice to rush past. I love displacement cruising, it is just so quiet and relaxing, moving about the boat with ease, having meals, having time to absorb the surroundings, talk, wonder, day dream, being alive inside ones very soul.


Entrance to Baltimore - Sherkin Island to the left


Baltimore is one of the south coasts real treasures. The local sailing club fleet out in force with youngsters enjoying the summer sailing camps.


Froggies wife spots Lot's wife up on the cliff top


The “Islander's Rest” hotel with its pub and restaurant on Sherkin Island. Boats staying in the anchorage use the pontoon to access the island and this excellent pub.


Baltimore in high summer is a hive of sailing activity and a lovely holiday village. Initially when we arrived we considered rafting up on the small floating jetty at the edge of the harbour, but it was such a nice evening and the forecast was so good, instead we decided to anchor off Sherkin Island. It was also more restful than the attractive but bustling village which was packed with holiday makers.


View from Baltimore across the harbour to Sherkin Island. See [www.sherkinisland.ie]


Ferry boats bring holiday makers and day trippers to Cape Clear and Sherkin Islands


We dropped the anchor off Sherkin Island and took to the tender. Time to explore and get some much needed provisions. Despite the sun it was a little chilly that evening. First we went ashore on the Island to check out the “Islander's Rest”, then back across the bay to wander the streets of Baltimore and get some shopping done. The atmosphere in the small town was positively cosmopolitan, it felt like we were abroad and very much in a happy holiday town. There were many visiting foreign yachts in the various anchorages.


The pontoon on Sherkin Island looking south out to sea. There is space for a few yachts or cruisers but the adjacent anchorage looked far too enticing. This pontoon is mainly used by tenders and small ferry craft.


One of the most idyllic places we have ever anchored overnight. Photo was taken from the hotel garden on Sherkin. You can almost imagine John Wayne and Maureen O Hara walking up the path through this gate.


Islander's Rest hotel on Sherkin Island. As we enjoyed a pleasant meal, it seemed we were the only Irish folk in the restaurant. Fabulous view from the restaurant over the anchorage and across the bay to Baltimore village.


Baltimore Harbour entrance. One can just imagine Charles Lindbergh’s “Sprit of St Louis” flying low over a scene such as this as she made landfall after the first transatlantic flight.


View from Sherkin to left, Ringarogy Island in centre to the north. This area has many scenic small island quilted together or separated by small sounds many of which are navigable at all states of tide with care.


Anchorage off Sherkin proved very restful for a quite night swinging on the hook. By the time we returned from the meal French, German, English and Welsh yachts were swinging on their hooks.


The inner harbour in Baltimore village. There is a small floating jetty to the right of picture that could accommodate four cruisers or yachts alongside, but in high summer expect rafting. It all looked a little busy for our taste so the anchor was preferred for our overnight stay.


Baltimore inner harbour. Note the tenders from boats in the anchorages.


Froggette, alias Mrs OF really enjoyed this “cute” village with all its attractive cafes, shops, and restaurants. It was a shame we would have to push on to Waterford next morning, as this place warranted at least 2 or 3 days to explore and enjoy all it had to offer. [www.baltimore.ie] We thought we would spend a weekend here in August on our return from the Tall Ships. That did not come to pass for reasons I'll explain later in the audio clip


Froggette as we went for our dinner at the hotel on Sherkin Island. It was such fun pottering around in the dingy exploring our options for a night out.


DUSK - We lit some candles and sat up in the cockpit watching the evening melt into dusk and night as time stopped despite the hours ebbing away


NIGHT - Anchoring overnight in such conditions of one of the great joys of boating. I set the anchor drag alarm and we finally retired for the night. It is so quite on the hook, no squeaking fenders or rope noses, no halyards flapping like anxious drummers, no street lights, no wavelets on hull noise as we sleep in an aft cabin, both hatches wide open with the blue moonlight pouring in, and fresh sea air gently wafting in, the soft lapping of water so soothing, it was all so still, there we are floating in one tiny remote spec of this glorious blue planet, as the cosmic stars and billions of distant galaxies ever slowly blanketed the skies from horizon to horizon.


We were in a very happy place that night. You never know what is around the next corner in life, what unforeseen events can take you totally by surprise. Little did we know then, that one month later to the day we would both be in hospital as near disaster struck

AUDIO CLIP: [www.rte.ie] We lived to tell the tale and that is all that matters, otherwise this may never have been typed.

DAWN - 05:45 we woke to this - what glorious bliss, you just couldn't dare sleep through such beauty.


Weather forecast couldn't be better and all is well, no hurray we have time to rest and have breakie at leisure.


Baltimore by dawns early light - A new day - I revise the passage plan to Waterford. We are a “GO”. We will be underway within the hour - Waterford here we come - all going well.


. . . the adventure continues

OceanFroggie



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 23/09/2011 18:44 by OceanFroggie.

Noel,

Absolutely enthralled with your blog re your trip to the Tall Ships in Waterford. The combination of photos and accompanying text is an unbeatable way to tell a story. And you bring such depth of colour to your tale...wonderful detail and super photos. I particularly enjoy the one that you took at 05.45 in Baltimore....gorgeous combination of early morning colours as dawn breaks...a super shot....

Looking forward to parts 4 - 7.

Paul,
"Arthur"

Noel

Magnificient!! Thanks for all your efforts. The combination of photos and text let inland boaters like me (to date anyway) see what we are missing on the salty. Looking forward to the rest of the adventure.

John

John Geary
(Rose - E - Belle)

You quite obviously have influence in High Places, Froggie. Super lot of photos taken in ideal rare conditions. I've never seen Baltimore look so lovely.
That anchorage E. of Sherkin is a gem, for sure. Another nearby worth investigating is Barlogue Creek, which leads into the cataract S. of L. Hine., but that anchorage, though more sheltered, doesn't have the fine views from Sherkin.

Last time I was round the Mizen (in a rag & pole machine) was August 14th 2009 in near zero viz., force 7 and raining. Thank God for chart plotters and echo sounders. Passage from Knightstown via Great Skellig, Bull Rock & Mizen to Schull took eleven hours and my Midshipman (who doesn't wear glasses) was first to spot the foam bordered black bottoms of cliffs under the mist. Those of the Mizen were already at 9 O'Clock (abeam) before we positively ID'd them.
Afterwards the crew asked me what they should have seen. It was a pity for them to have missed seeing that most spectacular of coastlines.

Tom K.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 23/09/2011 15:31 by Thomas Kirby.

once again Brilliant OF

Magic post Noel.Faulty Ireland could do with a publicist like you. Looking forward to more.

Cheers,

pjN

Fantastic pics and blog Noel.
Just another glimpse of what is available to us on(and off) this great little Island despite the doom and gloom that we are subjected to every day.
Also particularily moving in the context of your audio clip. You have been blessed with good fortune in several regards.
Pls keep the updates coming, they are almost (I said "almost" Colin) as worth waiting for as the quarterly issues of the IWN
Rgds
R

Was it Les Dawson used to do those monologues about the stars etc?

But he could never do a radio interview with such feeling.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 23/09/2011 22:22 by Alun Goodall.

Told & illustrated brilliantly..hadn't realised you & Mrs OF were in an accident. As a literally "floating priest" I was very touched by your telling of that experience & courage in sharing it in Church. Well done & great to have you both around to grace our waterways for many happy years I pray.

Beannachtai

T.C.

Great story! Just one thing I noticed, Mizen Head CG station. Having done work experience in Dublin with the coast guard I found out much interesting information. One peice of info is just this, there are currently 3 active operation centres (radio rooms). They are Dublin, Valencia and Malin head. Each have an area of coverage ( a set international zone they are responsible for). Dublin covers from the north/south boarder to Youghal. Valencia then covers from youghal to the corner of mayo (I think). And finaly Malin Head covers to Lough Swilly. Therefore Mizen Head would fall under Valencia. However in the future the plan seems to be to control all of the coast guard radio stations from Dublin, making Dublin the single HQ.

Andy Jeffers
4B



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 24/09/2011 18:18 by Andy Jeffers.

Quote:

Thomas Kirby
You quite obviously have influence in High Places, Froggie. Super lot of photos taken in ideal rare conditions. I've never seen Baltimore look so lovely.
That anchorage E. of Sherkin is a gem, for sure. Another nearby worth investigating is Barlogue Creek, which leads into the cataract S. of L. Hine., but that anchorage, though more sheltered, doesn't have the fine views from Sherkin.

Last time I was round the Mizen (in a rag & pole machine) was August 14th 2009 in near zero viz., force 7 and raining. Thank God for chart plotters and echo sounders. Passage from Knightstown via Great Skellig, Bull Rock & Mizen to Schull took eleven hours and my Midshipman (who doesn't wear glasses) was first to spot the foam bordered black bottoms of cliffs under the mist. Those of the Mizen were already at 9 O'Clock (abeam) before we positively ID'd them.
Afterwards the crew asked me what they should have seen. It was a pity for them to have missed seeing that most spectacular of coastlines.

Yes a pity, similar happened to me few years ago cruising past the cliffs of Moher, thick fog, but just for that bit. Had planned to cruise right up close under the cliffs, but saw nothing till we got close to Loop Head which was pretty spectacular.

PS. Thanks to folks for their kind wishes.

OceanFroggie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 26/09/2011 16:16 by OceanFroggie.