Green Spectacles
Green spectacles
Leaving and arriving, two of the most difficult ongoing events in life, one way or another. We had committed ourselves to this venture, and it had taken on a life of its own – and there was no stopping it now!
Maeve, our Twister, had been our fulltime home, since we sold our house in June 2001. We had had an entertaining year in Pendennis Marina, Falmouth, witnessing the transatlantic departures and arrivals, with accompanying hurried preparations and laborious recoveries! It was now our turn – I was heading home.
Ireland born and bred, with the inevitable adult years in the UK, I was keen that the crew (Ben, my tried and tested partner) saw Ireland before it had changed completely beyond my green-tinted spectacled vision. We had decided to sail around Ireland, and cross some of the paths traced by emigrant ancestors, as had some saints and scholars. We were ready, or as ready as you can be, when making a first big trip. It was June 2002, and we were being bemused by the well-wishers, who since that February had been asking “Are you not gone yet?” Yes, there were some hurdles in leaving, not least a leaking diesel tank, and a sprained knee.
The plan was to leave Falmouth, stopping at the Isles of Scilly, landing at Cork then to weave our way around Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, ending with a stretch to Carlingford, on the Irish East coast for winter 2002/3. Leaving Falmouth was a huge, but quiet leap, with a restorative overnight on the beautiful Helford river. The Penzance trip was exhilarating, but a dodgy head gasket soon dampened the celebrations, resulting in a much appreciated tow from the patient harbour master. There followed a couple of days climbing the steep learning curve, with the other inmates, also incarcerated because of engine difficulties!
The Isles beckoned, and like the sirens of Greek mythology, we learned to take care with the beauty they offered. Those deep blue waters and stardust sands were our stepping stones to Kinsale, Cork. This time it was the home turf calling, and soon the taste of the grass, heather and salt was heralding our first Irish landfall. Our Irish Sea crossing had been pretty good, in spite of force 9 winds for the last six hours of it! This was the beginning of four months of stunning landscape, challenging seas and rewards in many forms.
So what are the key memories? There are many that come floating in the window of the office, in which I am now landlocked, earning cruising kitty funds. Sailing through dozens of bobbing puffins, catching a sea trout, overnight sailing with dolphins, and discovering the island of Inistrahaull. All will never be forgotten.
Also, always remembered will be the security provided by Maeve, in Donegal. Four days anchored in a screeching, maddening gale took Maeve, myself and Ben to our limits and beyond! We have a theory that our anchor ball, which went missing during those days, is probably still in orbit from the velocity of that crazy wind! We were a bit ruffled, but Maeve handled this, and everything else in her stride. However, it was only when we were leaving Rathlin Island that we discovered a Twister design fault which had not been noted before. When having poached grouse, it is necessary to sail non-stop to Carlingford, in order to ventilate the gamey smell within the cockpit lockers...!
Arriving in Carlingford beneath the Mourne mountains, took me straight back to childhood ramblings south of the border, which supposedly goes through this Lough.
That was October 2002, and since then we have worked and played hard! This winter we are in Malahide, Dublin, having launched every office bound sailors dream – an online yacht chandlery.
By April 2004 we hope to cross Biscay, a first for us, but not for Maeve. This Twister has done it four times already – so we are in good hands!