Slow progress but happy days!

After the delayed start the winds continued to hinder progress being mostly westerly i.e. where I was heading and sometimes strong. So I spent some time in Cork, Kinsale, Courtmacsherry and Glandore. I’m not regretting those stops. I’ve enjoyed exploring and had some fast sailing in short hops including the last hop when the wind had veered almost to the north and I was sailing at over 7knots over the ground with a reef in the mainsail and in full sun.

The delays have however caused me to firm up my plans and sailing all round Ireland is not my best option. There is so much delightful cruising to be had in this south west corner of Ireland that setting a nearer destination as a target and turning around allows me to visit more anchorages and harbours on my way back before heading east back towards Wales and England.

So my target now is Dingle or even Valentia which are just part way up the west coast. There seems to be so much to explore along this beautiful and dramatic coastline.

Having drafted this earlier I’ve passed the the Stags and I’m anchored in Baltimore harbour- it’s big, well protected and has a very active fishing fleet.

Later this week a depression comes in from the Atlantic with some strong winds – I’ll press on for a couple of days and then it’ll be time to be tucked in somewhere secure and be distracted by reading!