We'd had a busy summer's B&B season, and I was really looking forward to a week's sailing, starting with a club rally to Solva. But the forecast was bad, SW 5-6, and nobody fancied a 15 mile beat in that. So instead I went north-east from Fishguard to Aberdovey, rough but quick. Approaching the Aberdovey bar was a bit disconcerting as there was a lot of surf, but the calmer channel soon became obvious and I sailed straight in. I had a bit of trouble picking up a mooring in the strong flood tide, but managed it on the 4th attempt. Why is there always an audience at times like that?
The Sunday was much nicer, a light S/SE and sunshine, so I had a nice easy sail up the coast to Pwllheli, arriving at low water. There wasn't much water in the channel up to the marina, but that's what a lift-keel's for.
Monday was wet and windy again - the forecast was NE 5 backing NW. After lunch I set out, bound for Arklow. I passed S of Bardsey Island at about 6pm, the sun came out and the wind dropped, so I shook out the reefs.
But I should have taken more notice of that big black cloud heading my way - half and hour later I was down to 2 reefs and a partly furled genoa. And the Irish Sea forcast was now F6-7! I then had rather a hard night sail, on a close reach in the rain and wind-against-tide sea. The tide was flowing north till 2am, but when it turned south I realised I'd have to be hard on the wind to get inside the Arklow bank. It was an awful lot easier to bear off and run down the extra 30 miles to Wexford, so that's what I did, arriving there at 10am and spending the rest of Tuesday catching up on my sleep.
On Wednesday, I sailed out round Carnsore point and along the south coast to Dunmore East, at the entrance to Waterford. A lovely day's sail, with flat water, a favourable tide and cruising chute most of the way.
I left early on Thursday morning to make the most of the flood tide. After a couple of hours motoring, the wind filled in and I had a good sail most of the way, until the wind dropped about 10 miles from Strumble Head. So I motored the rest of the way home, getting back to my mooring in Fishguard at 11pm.
