Sailing Terrapin

After a little over a week in Spain, we headed north. We had been watching the winds between Ireland and the Bay of Biscay every day for ten days and it had been on the nose - like completely on the nose, not even 10 degrees off the nose.

So when we saw a little angle in the grib file (files that forecast direction and speed of wind), we were so excited! Spain is great, but we really wanted to get to Northern Europe before September. We can always come back to Spain when we sail south again.

Despite Ireland being almost due north of La Coruna, our course took us on a NW heading off the coast of A Coruna, sailing on a close reach in about 20 knots. After about 18 hours, as we crossed the Bay of Biscay, the winds were light as expected, and we motor sailed a bit. Off the coast of Brittany and south of Ireland, the winds picked up and went behind the beam and the ride was smooth and comfortable. That afternoon on Baxter's watch, three pilot whales stopped by Terrapin for a quick visit, making it an even better day! As we entered the Celtic Sea and a small front passed, the winds backed and we were on a close reach again - bumpy and loud and a bit uncomfortable, but we were in the Celtic Sea and excited to make landfall in Cork.

As the sun rose on the morning of the fourth day, we could see color in the rocks off the coast of Ireland. We sailed all the way to the mouth of the harbour and rode the high tide all they way to the dock at the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the oldest club in the entire world. What a fabulous start to a day!