Back on board last night after a delayed (but extremely cheap) RyanAir flight!
Both Nigel and I have been back in UK for a few days, catching up with family and friends and working through lists of jobs – more in Nigel’s case than mine I think! Some new stables are being built at The Old Black Horse (Nigel & Clare’s house) which has required the rehousing of some hens, Patrick the Pig and the services of a digger!
We were lucky enough to be invited to dinner with the Castaways Club at Drapers Hall in London; it was a special evening and we are very much looking forward to my host, Tim, joining us on board Little Scarlet sometime later in our voyage.
Today has been a good day back in Monkstown. James the marina owner has very kindly driven me to the shops so that I could buy some essential ‘victuals’; a service that I don’t think we’d get in the Solent (!) and I’ve had really interesting afternoon exploring Cobh. And big thanks to Deborah for making us some covers for the winches, tiller and outboard engine. Fitted them today and we are looking very smart, and very scarlet!
I had not appreciated the historical importance of Cobh (previously Queenstown) both as a naval port but also as a focus for emigration from Ireland. Cobh was Titanic’s last port of call and the Lusitania was torpedoed by the German Navy in 1915 just south of here so many of the survivors and dead were recovered into Cobh. The sinking of the Lusitania, a civilian liner, was considered very controversial and encouraged the entry of the USA into WW1.
I found Cobh a little sad but very interesting. It is now a quiet little town with several colourful streets and a very imposing cathedral looming over the waterfront but it is very atmospheric and it is not hard to imagine how it must have been with thousands gathering to embark in ships for a new life, probably never to return to Ireland and their families.
I’m off up to Cork city tomorrow. We’ll take the opportunity to restock our food stores and then probably head off to Kinsale. After that we’ll just keep heading south and west and hoping that the weather stays fair.
