Clifden

We woke early and got the dinghy and outboard aboard before lifting the anchor.
The anchor had dug in too well and we thought at first it might have got caught in a mooring chain but it finally came up with plenty of sticky mud.
It was still a bit damp this morning but visibility was much better.

On the way out we checked for the visitors mooring and found them on the other side of the bay. We wouldn’t have gone ashore if we had moored to them last night as they are too far away from the harbour except in fine settled weather and an outboard would definitely be necessary.

We hoisted the main with a reef and soon after unfurled about 80% of the genny and set off on a course to take us 2 miles south of Slyne Head as we didn’t have the bottle to chance the Joyce’s Pass.
It was strange experience to be passing places that normally you only hear of in the weather forecasts.

The forecast had been for a Force 4-5 but it felt more like 5-6. Being slightly off the wind ‘Eureka’ took it in her stride.
Due to the conditions we went well past the headland before turning north towards High Island, now on a reach but the wind was slowly increasing.

The new forecast at midday gave us a westerly Force 6 later today and Force 7 or 8 tomorrow so I was having second thoughts about continuing onto Inishbofin.
Brian had the wheel while I studied the charts and sailing directions for options.
I told Brian that it was basically Clifden, which was off our starboard bow or continuing on to Inishbofin, where holding was described as ‘indifferent’.
We quickly agreed, put another reef in, changed course and had a nice broad reach surfing the waves into Clifden Bay.

Clifden offered more shelter from the forecasted westerly winds and had visitor moorings. Once inside the wind dropped and so did the sails as we headed up the bay and picked up a mooring.

Shortly after we arrived we went ashore to the small landing pontoon near the lovely clubhouse of Clifden Bay Boat Club. Unfortunally due to covid its restaurant wasn’t opened so we had a nice scenic walk into Clifden town, just 1.6 km away.
We spent the evening strolling around the lovely town before stopping to quench our thirst.

The owner of the pub on seeing our oilskins began chatting with us and it turned out that he had seen us come in when he was down checking his own yacht.
We were offered a lift back with our provisions to the mooring which we gladly accepted as the rain had returned, quite heavily this time.
The heating was turned on as Brian cooked the dinner and the skipper wrote up the log.
Someone should have told the weather that it was the middle of June!

We knew from the forecasts that we’d be spending at least another night and maybe two in Clifden so we settled down to make the best of it.Read more