Aleria's Adventures

Sailing past the Blasket Islands - eerie! The Small Craft Warnings (SCW) were indicating the potential for gale force winds on Thursday,  beginning later Wednesday night. The winds and seas would be higher farther south and the temperatures warmer and the weather fairer farther north. Our choices were to head out from Valentia and get as far as the Shannon River and pull into Kilrush, a locked marina, which was about 60 NM or head to Inishmore which was about 75 NM distant. Inishmore in the Aran Islands off Galway Bay could be exposed to the east but should be good in southeasterly wind and swell. If Inishmore was too exposed, we could sail across to Cashla Bay and tie up at the small craft harbour in Rossaveal. We could reach the first decision as we approached Loop Head whether to turn up the Shannon. But Kilrush is 20 NM up the river, and 20 NM back down, adding 40 NM to our total trip. Inishmore was a straight shot. We could choose to continue to Cashla if Inishmore...

Another beautiful day of sailing - leaving the Costa del Cork! The Bull, the Cow, the Calf, and the Heifer off Dursey Head Yet another gale was forecast to pass through the following day so we left the Costa del Cork behind and made way to Valentia in the Kingdom of Kerry. We left Bere Island at 09:30 in fairly strong winds. We raised our sails at Castletownbere and sailed out of Bantry Bay. There was a schooner anchored just inside the Bay in the first cove we passed by the night that our self-steering failed.