Aleria's Adventures

  After meandering around the Atlantic for ages, Don has finally become the first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic. And, it is projected by Carlow Weather to head towards Ireland. Although it is expected to weaken on its approach, it may still dump a good deal of rain on us this week. And, if my hunch is right, because of the extremely warm waters off the west coast this year, it might actually strengthen as it approaches -- they've never seen these conditions before and likely no models would take them into account.  It will be the third hurricane to come to Ireland, Hurricane Ophelia (cat 3) in 2017, Hurricane Lorenzo (cat 5 at one stage but not when it made landfall) in 2019, and now Don, briefly a hurricane but now back to TS. Watch and wait.  Meanwhile, there was carnage in the 50th Fastnet Race with many yachts retiring out of a fleet of 450. Several yachts were dismasted including Tapio Lehtinen's Swan which is scheduled to compete soon in the Global Ocean Challe

  After a month's delay due to Alex's experience of anaphylaxis due to bee stings, we finally got back down to Kilrush to hank on the sails and retrieve the stuck halyards. Alex climbed the mast using the climbing gear and it took a long time, not having done it in so long. But we were successful in retrieving and freeing two halyards that had crossed at the top. Phew! Then we managed to get the yankee up but Alex had forgotten to tie on both sheets, so back down it came only to go back up again. That was a lot of cranking.  Next, we did the easy sail -- the mizzen -- in case we didn't get to the main. So at least we'd be able to sail her home jib and jigger.  But we prevailed and stuck it out to hoist the main. What a beast! Getting it up was okay, getting it flaked and put away was another story in passing squalls.  We shared the drive home, both of us utterly exhausted, and Alex summarily shattered. We are most certainly feeling our age.  The next day, I had to drive