This is a rather uninteresting picture to most but this is the Belly rock which is in the middle of the sound between Rabbit Island and High Island South of Glandore and has no marker or cardinal, I know exactly where it is but I have never set eyes on it before as it is always submerged. It has removed props, P-brackets, rudders, Keels and even ripped a gearbox off an engine (on a 57ft Sunseeker at that ). It only breaks in a Southerly or South-easterly and as Spring low tides in this area always fall in the afternoon we are usually further out to sea, so when this particular group wanted to go in Mackerel fishing I caught a glimpse. Make sure you know where it is if you are ever sailing here. Dad has seen a yacht go straight over it on a surge in the past, little do they know how lucky they were.

This on the other hand is Derrynane beach, Co Kerry, I wanted to go to Derrynane as a place to sail from when we finally get the chance to head for the Skelligs, It has to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the country.

Don't know where this came from but it was sheltering from the weather earlier in the Summer

Change of base

The blog is pretty much showing the extent of the sailing we have been doing this Summer.
I have been out once or twice with the kids but thats about it. June wasn't a very good month weather wise and July and early August have been busy with charters. We planned on heading for Ballydehob this weekend for the 'Gathering of the boats' but gales put pay to that and it was cancelled for this year.
This has finally led to me going ahead and getting a permanent Baltimore mooring for her to stay on.
Baltimore is a very busy place in peek season but this is a time when I am generally busy working anyway, and I'm finding that when I've been out chartering then I'm not really too inclined to go back to the same place to go sailing on my days off. To ad to that, once you pass Adam island it is open ocean and your options are a bit limited especially if sailing with the kids, were as Baltimore harbour can lead you in sheltered waters out in to Roaring water bay and numerous Islands, harbours and inlets or up river which means its great for exploring in not so perfect weather.
It also means that come the start and end of each season we simply have to go up or down the river to the yard and as East coast sailing is of no interest to us we are a step closer to the West when we finally get a chance to go further afield. She will no doubt spend a few weeks each Summer in Union Hall but at least it will be by choice rather than necessity.

The cat that got the cream

The one that didn't

I do love pictures of her anchored off

Fishing for the sake of it

We spent an hour or so in the dinghy in the morning exploring the shore of Rabbit island and couldn't resist summiting the "Stack of beans" on the eastern end. Seemed very unusual.

Wait for  the surge to float me off

A regular view of the stack

Crosshaven or not

We mooring hopped around Baltimore for as long as we could after the festival and having left her at anchor for a night we got a very favorable 18kt Northerly to take us back to Union hall. 

We had a great sail back with a few fluky variable 25kt gusts to keep us on our toes and finally beating up the harbour in a heavy squally shower. 

Our plan was to head to the trad sail in Crosshaven this weekend and leave Teal there after to wait for favorable weather to sail home. 

We later decided it seemed more hassle than it was worth this year and opted to do something else as I had the weekend booked off and we were expected to be away anyhow.

Even then we didn't feel like doing much so at about 8.30 yesterday evening after a lot of humming and hawing, we finally went out to the boat and with just a staysail and mizzen sailed off the mooring and out of the harbour.

We didn't go far, dropping anchor inside Rabbit Island about 11pm. We went doing a little exploring in the dark and stayed on board for the night.

In the morning we took the Apple Pie dinghy to explore the Islands shoreline before a very leisurely sail back for breakfast.

A very little adventure but far more relaxing than a long sail to Cork, car transfers up and down and sailing in crap weather tomorrow.

It was nice to do a little exploring near home. Pictures by Ken

Lazy sailing but there was no rush

Low tide on the South side of Rabbit ( me exploring )

Great start to 2016

I have been very lazy about posting anything recently.
Teal however was launched around the 20th, we didn't want to leave her alongside to get scratched up so a quick check over and we motored off down river.
Baltimore wooden boat festival was on last weekend and for a change the weather was absolutely beautiful. And a great weekend was had.
We finally rigged Teal for her topsail which despite being an ill fitted sail we were able to put to use.
She showed her stuff on Saturday taking 2nd place in the Class B boats which is basically anyone who pits themselves against the Lobster boats and a very respectful 6th over the line overall.
The racing is taken lightly in Baltimore but its always nice to try our best.
We made a poor course choice on the Sunday which cost us time but nevertheless we got one of this years plaques for the collection.
Ken made a sail cover too which has worked out well and our new main is finally safe and sound.

Gaff ketch Sile a do & Cornish lugger Peel Castle

Lobster boats and a Mackerel boat

Mackerel boat An Run

Finally put a vent in one of the washboards and made up some new shrouds for the mizzen. I was going to make a a timber vent cover but then  remembered I had some copper lying around and that it might be a bit more interesting to hammer one out.
Few little things to do now and Teal will be in the water.