Crosshaven to Castletownsend.

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We left Drakes Pool in Crosshaven at 0740 and arrived in Castletownsend about 1650. The tide was just started to ebb as we motored past the moored boats in Crosshaven. I was with my son Daniel and my nephew Ben. It was a mild, damp and drizzly morning. We had a a good tide with us and made fast progress past the Old Head and Three Castle Head and on to Galley Head. We had no wind but at least the rain had cleared. Now however the tide turned and right on cue the wind appeared, a F3 from the west. We had only about 15 miles to Sherkin which was the plan. We hoped to catch a few fish under the Baltimore Beacon and pull in to Sherkin for a late lunch, a walk and a few pints before carrying on to the mooring in Baltimore the following morning. We could now turn right in to Union Hall or Castletownsend and get the breeze on our port or we could try tacking forward. We tacked. An hour and a half later we had made two miles. Castletownsend it was. We raced in the five miles at 5 - 6 knots before pulling over off the entrance to try our luck at fishing. The wind was still lively so we dropped the main in order to slow down enough to fish. But no luck and we carried on in to the anchorage off the village. Anchored in 5 metres in mud before Danny prepared some lovely crab claws that he had brought along. Then we put the litle outboard on to the dinghy for the first time since..........Aranmore, Co. Donegal and went ashore. For the past few weeks along the North and East coast it had been all Pontoons or lying alonside in Tory. In to Mary Annes for a feed which was good value and the service was excelleent. The place was packed which I suppose was no surprise because it was the bank holiday Monday. A few pints and back aboard where Ben and Danny played some tunes on the guitar that had only seen the light of day once before on this cruise. They are both seriously good and a joy to listen to. We sat on deck until it became to cold before continuing below.

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