So we set off from Kinsale toward Glandore this morning with some trepidation...there has been a strong SW'ly breeze for a few days and although the wind is forecast to drop we are expecting, and the locals confirm, that there will be a very lumpy sea .. the effect of the wind across the Atlantic all builds up into the swell that hits the SW Irish coast. So last night was fairly abstemious – we ate onboard, took a couple of Stugerons and had a relatively early night (11 ish!).
This morning ‘call the hands’ at 0700, cup of tea, instant porridge (porridge version of pot noodle), disconnect shore power cables, check the engine, remove sail covers and ready to go before eight. The Kinsale YC team, particularly Kieron, have been extremely helpful and Kieron was on the pontoon this morning to see us off .. and to tell us the story of a ship that foundered down the coast (MV Kowloon Bridge) not particularly reassuring as we head off!
For the first few hours we motored south into the wind and swell. We had the main sail up (with one reef) which provided us with some stability but it was the engine that drove us through the seas. I was relieved to find that I felt Ok although the motion was pretty tiring and poor old Little Scarlet was taking quite a pounding. Once well clear of The Head of Kinsale (a dramatic cliff headland which is now the home to a very very exclusive golf course) we were able to turn to put the wind and sea on our port bow, turn off the engine and make really good progress under sails alone, albeit with several reefs to stop Little Scarlet heeling too much in the gusts. We were heading to the next safe harbour along the coast, Glandore.
