Aleria's Adventures

Off the coast of Mayo lies a very special island, Inishturk. It has little tourism and is thus reflective of real life on the islands.  But the real allure of Inishturk is its spectacular walking trails.  There is a lovely loop walk through the middle with a side shoot to the end of the island.  Across commonage, past a lake, deep gorges and precipices, past a striking memorial to past residents and names of clans, a Napoleonic Martello tower, a kitchen midden, a GAA pitch, and just striking views in all directions. Benches along the way let visitors relax and contemplate the scenery or the marvel of life itself.  At only 5 km by 2.5 km, it is easily walkable in its entirety. It is a stunning island, but the best part is the welcoming inhabitants. There are three children in the school at the moment.  We decided that Aleria would stop there on our lay day after Clare Island. We had not been in several years. As it happened, all the other boats decided to join u...

Heading out to the Inishkeas, or so we thought. A typical cruiser's change of plans Fog in Clew Bay We were heading to the Inishkeas, a group of deserted islands off the Mullet peninsula in County Mayo, Ireland. The weather was supposed to be settled, with light northwesterly winds and patchy fog clearing by late morning. The anchorage is completely exposed to any easterly winds, so the forecast was perfect for a simple overnight stay. Our destination is only about 45 miles away and high tide was at 0820. Perfect. We could leave at 8 am and be there by late afternoon. Then we could return on the evening tide the next day. I was really looking forward to exploring the deserted Inishkea homes, the ancient monastic settlement with beehive huts, and the remains of a whaling station. We hadn't done enough of that kind of thing this summer. And I was sure we'd be the only ones there on a Monday. The best thing about working for yourself is that