Howth

I woke at 06.30 but went back to sleep and when the alarm went off at 08.00, I found it difficult to get up.
Eventually did and had my breakfast before going ashore to pay the marina fee.
When I got back I found Jim & Angela were ready to go.
A Dublin couple assisted us off the marina at 09.30 and this time we had a decent bit of water under us. We kept to the edge of the channel to allow an outbound Seatruck freight ferry from Warrenpoint to pass us.

I hoisted the main as I was leaving the lough and unfurled the genny as soon as I began to head south. An easterly sea breeze meant that we were soon sailing along at 4.5 – 5.5 knts.
I pulled away from ‘Second Chance’ but when the wind eased a bit they caught up and eventually passed me. Don’t ever tell me that when they are two yachts together that it’s not a race!
At first I thought it was because I was the heavier boat but later I found that they had some mechanical assistance!!

East of Lambay Island the wind died and a heat haze reduced visibility. I dropped the sails and having caught up with ‘Second Chance’, I followed them into our allotted berths on Howth Marina.
One of Jim’s and Angela’s daughters and grandchildren were joining them for the two nights we planned to stay in Howth.
As we were having dinner Brian and Brenda arrived and joined in.
Plenty of room in ‘Second Chance’s’ cockpit!

Unfortunally some young people disrupted my first night sleep with a party on a nearby yacht which I hadn’t been invited to.
It seemed the club had the place locked down for Covid but it was open house on parties.Read more