Making for Valentia

- July 22, 2019

Leaving Bere Island in cool misty but windy conditions

We spent a reasonably calm evening at Bere Island but decided to press on to Valentia in the morning despite a continued small craft warning (SCW). The SCW was for SE winds of F5-6. Aleria loves those conditions. The day before it was for SW winds F5-6, increasing to 7 for a time and we did okay. Right from the beginning, this trip took a turn from a being a cruise to being a delivery. I don't think we've really done that before. Perhaps only the first trip up from the Chesapeake to Long Island Sound when we first bought Aleria. Interesting - I wonder what has changed.

We raised the sails inside Bere Island then sailed through the cut at Ardnakinna Point, which was not easy as the seas were pretty big outside and nasty in the cut, but it saved us 2.5 miles in and 2.5 back out around the back of Bere Island.

It was about 15 miles out past the end of the Beara Peninsula and we motor sailed that part while refrigerating, making hot water, and charging batteries. We decided to go outside the Skelligs which actually paid off as we were able to broad reach all the way to Valentia at high speed with following seas. It was not totally comfortable but it wasn't as bad as the first couple of days. One more SCW to sail through.

Just as we reached the entrance to Valentia, the winds picked up to over 25 knots, maybe 30, making dropping the sails a bit of a challenge. But we survived yet another day, motored in behind a yacht being single-handed, thankfully followed the leading lights in, and tied up at the massive pontoon. The inside was full but there was not one yacht on the outside. We had a very soft landing in 25-knot south-easterlies and help from two people on the dock. Thank you! The single-hander was from RCYC.

We tidied up a bit and I ran up to town to get some bread and eggs as we were running short. The weather was filthy, blowing and drizzly. I almost got blown off the pontoon. The little general store is well stocked and the centre of life in the town. It was open between 5 and 6 pm and busy.

Finding a skip for garbage proved more daunting. The three recycling skips on the landing were padlocked shut - of course, they might be used otherwise!!! There was no sign of a garbage skip. Oh well, it is Ireland. Certainly does not compare with the efficiency of garbage control in Spain and Portugal.

On my way back, a gannet dropped out of the sky right next to me inside the pontoon waters. I watched him lift up off the water closeup. He flew away, circled and did it again. I got out my camera and waited for a repeat, but he kept circling without dropping in. Must have spooked him.

We had drinks on board and stepped ashore for dinner at the hotel in Knightstown. I had the special mussels in cream sauce - delicious. Alex had steak done medium-rare. The Malbec was superb and a traditional music group took the stage. The place was packed as always, and we enjoyed the brief interlude.

The weather forecast continued to be bad for Thursday as gale-force winds were to blanket the west coast. We decided to make a run for Inishmore in the Aran Islands on Wednesday, which should be okay in a southeasterly into Thursday. Alex reckoned it was about 75 NM. We'd have fairly light southeasterly winds and a beam reach much of the way. We could make that in about 10 hours. So early to bed, and early to rise.