Day 38, Tuesday 3rd July, 2018…. sailing day…. Kilmore Quay to Arklow…. another 54 n.miles in breezy conditions.

As agreed with Eric and Margaret on their boat, we actually departed Kilmore Quay harbour at 6.40am…. they were both up and ready! We waved goodbye as we exited the harbour entrance, hoping to see them later in the week in Dublin.

It was a fine morning, sunny with cloudless blue skies…. but there was a “breeze”. For days now the wind has come from the north east… and today was no exception. Yesterday there had been strong winds…. but today Tuesday, it seemed  to have moderated somewhat.

An uneventful passage… after departing Kilmore quay and the two Saltee islands and then having rounded Black Rock and the Barrells east cardinal we headed north. This meant that we were going to be virtually head to wind for most of the voyage. There were not too many options either way…. as to go north we had to carefully navigate in channels between long thin shoals of rocks and some rather large outcrops such as the Tuskar Rock and the Bailies.

Passing Rosslare Harbour on our port side, we had to slow down and change course to avoid a number of big ferries crossing over to the UK…. to Fishguard and Pembroke in Milford Haven. We were travelling at about 8 knots, but the ferries were doing double our speed…. 18 knots minimum. No contest. Not to be messed with!

So even though we had the main sail up, it was virtually motoring all the way. We had planned our departure time with the tidal stream in mind…. and once again we were propelled along by a very strong following tide… for much of the time running at 2 knots. So our best speed was over 8 knots…. and we reached our destination at 1.45pm… just after high tide in Arklow.

Poli Poli moored on the 100m long straight river pontoon, Arklow, County Wicklow…. the Avoca River.

Arklow is a busy, small town on the banks of the Avoca River, in County Wicklow. We are currently moored on a long 100m river pontoon side on in the Avoca River. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion.

Mike striding forth…. to the pub! The nineteen arch bridge up river. Very warm!

The town’s close proximity to Dublin to the north, has led it to becoming a commuter town with a population of about 14,000. We walked across the Nineteen Arches Bridge, looking for a place to have a late lunch. We read the that the town was once famous for boat building …. one of Sir Francis Chichester’s Gypsy Moths was built here.

Looking downstream from the Nineteen Arch Bridge towards the sea… the Avoca river. Poli Poli is on the left hand side, find the tallest mast!

So we are safely and securely on a river pontoon for the night… the breeze has dropped and apart from a French boat… berthing very close to our rear end… all is peaceful. This evening we have seen many rowers speeding up and down in sculls, sixes, pairs and eights.

Total distance for the day… 53.9 n.miles. Duration 7 hours.

876.7 n.miles from Eastbourne.

Tomorrow Wednesday we head for our second capital city …. Dublin. We will depart at 9.30am … this time will give us good tide until about 1300 hrs. The sail to Dublin is a comparatively a short one 36.2 n.miles northwards along the Irish coast.