Bit of unwanted publicity

Well this was an interesting week, I was on a shark fishing charter for the day on Monday and meeting family and friends on Cape Clear on Monday night for a few days R&R. So after a long haul back in I headed off to Baltimore to get on board Teal and motor/sail to Cape.
It was a westerly force 3/4 and I was on my own so I planned to just put up the main to help her along and motor out the 7nm to North harbour.
About 4nm and out in the chop in Roaringwaterbay I notice she was getting quite smokey. At first I thought she might be working a little harder than she had been and was burning off some of the oil used in the plungers to start her in cold weather but as we proceeded it was becoming apparent that another head-gasket had failed.
She started to splutter soon after and seemed like it might cut out. I gave Ken, who was already on Cape to have a look around for anyone with a RIB or similar to maybe bring him out so we could sail or at least stand by me in case she died.
It was nearly 9pm with a headwind and the relatively strong tide soon to go against the wind so I didn't fancy my chances at sailing her single handed the rest of the way or making to any safe-haven downwind before dark.
When that failed I put in a call to the coastguard to maybe have the Schull ILB stand by me.
Straight any they tasked the Baltimore all weather lifeboat which was on exercise just around the corner. A little overkill but I was happy to have the company.
As it happened we plodded away under our own steam for the last 2 miles or so. The engine did indeed die out when I throttled it back out side the harbour and at first refused to restart. It eventually did and motored right in alongside the pontoon 'escorted by a massive lifeboat and its inflatable sidekick". Its one way to enter a quite little harbour late in the evening with the pub clientele looking on.
Now we are on facebook and the front page of this weeks paper. Slightly making a mountain out of a molehill but I know the more publicity the better for a great organisation who we are lucky to have and I was glad to see !


As for the rest of the trip, that was great, I opted to send my wife and kids back on the ferry and Ken and myself had a brilliant sail in beautiful weather with Teal at her best all the way back and on to the mooring. I was happy to leave very pleased with her, Great boat "stupid engine".

Gaskets are on the way to finish out the season and then the Petter will probably go over the side.....