Thursday 7 June (Dalkey) Took the DART south to Dalkey, a pretty little town with lots of history and literary connections (James Joyce taught here, wrote Ulysses in a Martello Tower a few miles away; Maeve Binchy wrote here, etc). We had a great tour of the 14th Century Goat Castle, past which we had sailed the previous day. Our guide as 'living history' was Owen, acting the part of the guard to Lord Cheevers, and he took us through the history and structure of...

Wednesday 6 June (Dublin) First contacted the local Raymarine dealer (arranged in advance) to try and fix my broken speed log, then caught the DART into the city for sightseeing and SHO****G! Passed an very abandoned-looking Lansdown Road, awaiting its rebirth, and headed for Grafton St via Trinity College. After a sandwich outside in the sun, we parted company, Cath to the SH**s and I back to the marina to meet Seamus the Raymarine man, who determined that the ...

Tue 5 June (Arklow to Dun Laoghaire) Left at 0900 to catch 5 hrs of good tide, and again motored all day. No sea creatures, but two tall ships passed by us before Dublin Bay.We couldn't get close enough to either to read a name, but both were under staysails and slowly making way downwind to the S. The last part of this passage is an interesting one, with the choice of going round Dalkey Island (very long), inside the Island with powerful tidal eddies, or betwee...

Monday 4 June (Kilmore Quay to Arklow) A long day's motor (again), leaving at 0600, to round the SE corner of Ireland. The real SE-most point is Tuskar Rock, but there are several well-tested inside passages which save a couple of hours travelling.The first Is almost immediately after leaving Kilmore Quay, and is St Patrick's Bridge, a channel about 300 metres wide inside the Saltee Islands, with only 2.4m under the keel at MLWS. It is well marked though, and ea...

Sunday 3 June (Kilmore Quay) Kate left as planned at 0500, and we got under way at 0640 on the ebb in the river, to catch some good east-going tide for the 33 miles to Kilmore Quay. The day was still and drizzly, and there was a gentle swell in the sea. Kilmore Quay has a tricky entrance, avoiding the aptly named Forlorn Rock, then following leading lights to a tight entrance into the small commercial fishing harbour with a little marina tucked into one corner.T...