Into the Shannon

We dragged ourselves out of bed after a cup of tea, and did the least possible getting Robinetta and Worm ready before casting off. This was easy. It was high tide so Julian could just step ashore from Robinetta's cabin top and undo the stern and bow lines, then step back on boards. The first time we mooring against harbour walls on long lines, back in Fraserburgh, it felt like cheating compared to setting bow, stern, and spring lines on a pontoon, but it works really well, so long as you have enough fenders!

Once we were under way at 0620 Julian got the fenders put away and the bowsprit out, while I helmed, and stowed the lines. We had a flat calm across the bay, so it was easy to keep us on course while using both hands to hank the ropes.

With leaving at high water we could go the drying side of Straw Island and save a mile. A fishing boat left harbour not long after us, and did the same thing so we just followed their line and never had less than 5m under the keel. This felt strange as there was a 5m rise of tide, we draw 1.4m, and the spit is supposed to dry 2m....

Once clear of the spit and in the Gregory Channel between Innis Mor and the next island inshore we got some swell and cross swell, but as soon as we were clear of the channel it soon eased into a regular long roll that was easy to cope with. We put “George” our tiller pilot to work, and relaxed for a 35 mile passage under motor as the wind was too light be be useful (which was just as well since it was on the bow, and tacking against it would have been very slow!).

As the Aran Islands faded behind us we may as well have been in the middle of the Atlantic rather than the edge! We could see nothing of the Cliffs of Mohar, as taking the most direct route to Loop Head meant keeping ten miles offshore, and the mainland was lost in the haze.
 
The trip would have been very dull except for the dolphins, which visited Robinetta and Worm three times through the morning. I got movie footage, and stills, helped by the wonderfully clear water. There were plenty of birds too, gannets, and guillemots mostly, but some terns close to Aran.
We had planned to go straight to Fenit, but when I checked my diesel calculations this seemed a little tight for our available fuel... We would have had plenty, but spent more time under engine than planned going to Galway and back. Rather then risk running out Julian found an alternative source of diesel at Kilbaha Bay, 3 miles inside Loop Head. The pilot said it had fuel, a pier, a shop and pubs, but it lacked shelter, and had poor holding. With the low swell and no wind conditions today the weather would not be a problem, and our fisherman's anchor works ridiculously well. We decided to go for it.

Loop Head

We dropped the anchor in Kilbaha Bay at 16:30, after motoring all the way from Aran. We could see two pubs, but no petrol station and were still waiting to check the anchor was holding when a local fisherman came past in his boat. We asked about diesel, and he said that it came from the farmer's co-op, which had already closed for the day. He offered to take us to a petrol station if we needed it, but I checked the fuel in the tanks and we had enough to go on the Kilrush Marina, as we thanked him, then upped the anchor and headed up the Shannon.

I phoned Kilrush Marina, to check that their lock would be operating. It is supposed to open every hour at half past the hour from 0930 to 2130 in June to August, but we were only just in June and I wanted to be sure we would not be “locked out” of the marina. The operator assured me would be able to get in, so Kilrush it would be.

The wind had finally risen to usable levels as we approached Kilbaha, so on leaving we tried to get the main up. We have been flying an Irish courtesy flag on the flag halyard, and it got caught on the peak halyard block when we tried to raise sail. It took Julian ten minutes to free it, but it was worth the trouble as we had a lovely sail past Kilcredoun Head, with the tide under us, touching 7 knots.

When the speed fell below 5 knots we put the engine back on so we would make the 1930 lock. Our timing was perfect, the lock operator had been warned we were on our way, and we went through without delay.

We were told to pick any berth that did not have a name plate, and there was one nice and handy to the entrance, so we went in towards it, to be met by the marina attendant who took our lines and helped us moor up at 1940, after a long day on the water.

After that it was straight to the showers, blissful after 11 days. It is possible to have a wash on Robinetta, but nothing beats a hot shower!