Round the Stags
09 July 2010 | Baltimore
Charlie / Raining
Baltimore at last...
Friday July 9th finds us in Baltimore, the westernmost major port in Irteland and a common arrival point for transatlantic sailors in the past.
On Thursday we left Glandore harbour, we had stayed a couple of days here on a visitor's mooring whilst the weather forecast promised SW winds reaching Gale - or even Severe Gale on the W coast of Ireland, and being that we were in the SW corner of the country staying put on a mooring rated for a 15 tonne vessel seemd the best bet. The wind did indeed blow like mad, but Dark Star lay head on to it, and apart from some rolling induced by the swell coming up the harbour entrance we were comfortable enough. The severe wind did however discourage attempts to launch the dinghy and go ashore, we would undoubtedly have been soaked. Supplies were plentiful (Thanks Jo!) so this was not neccessary. A positive from this was that lots of wind meant that the wind generator, now called "Wavy-Gravy" had the chance to prove it's functioning by charging the batteries overnight - WooHoo!
The forecast on Thursday was for SW winds backing S and easing during the morning, and indeed by lunchtime th wind had dropped to 5-6kn and was coming from the S. Showers were also in the mix, so we kitted out in full oilskins before leaving, a wise precaution as rain commenced before we had finished getting under way. I had moored us to the buoy with a warp that had a round turn on the attachment point to minimise chafe, and left the "Handy-Duck" hooked on as a secondary moor. Jo succeeded in un-hooking this device using the special boat-hook, and then we slipped the other line, and motored off down the harbour entrance, keeping the green perches of "The Dangers" to port this time. There was not much wind, and as it was directly against us at this time the mainsail flapped gently as we passed to the E of Eve Is. and then W of Adam Is. through the sound off Sheela's Point. Once clear of the land we set a course SW, the wind was now 30ยบ off the bow so the jib ws unfurled and we were sailing.
The rain now got worse and visibility deteriorated, making a coastal passage a difficult option. Just to the W of Glandore there are several rocky outcrops, with such lyrical names as Rabbit Is., Stack of Beans and High Is. with Belly Rock lurking underwater between them. When making for Baltimore there is little to be gained by passing between them, but I am sure it is a pretty sight on a better day, so the outer passage beckoned. Further to the W are the impressive (and scary!) Stags (see pic) which rise suddenly from 45m deep water some 3 miles off-shore, these caused the wrecking of the bulk carrier "Kowloon Bridge" years ago. Passage inside these rocks via Stag Sound is possible in good weather, although it can be rough - says the ICC Sailing Directions - however this was far from good conditions, visibility being very poor at times and thus I chose the outside route. The Stags are marked by a S cardinal buoy, but the rocks themselves were apparent long before this as we steered SW. From the E or W sides they appear as jagged triangles rising from the sea, and b**** scary they are too! As we closed with them I was debating options with myself in the event of a problem, most of which simply involved running away from these horrible rocks, but none of these were needed! The sea could be seen breaking over the outermost of the rocks, and the combination of black rock, grey water and foam managed somehow to produce an almost turquoise blue as the waves struck. The appearance of the rocks also changed dramatically, the S aspect looking like some long-abandoned castle with great towers and fortifications. Soon enough we were passed them and able to turn almost due W towards Baltimore Harbour, this also allowed freeing of the sheets and and easier motion, it having been quite rough earlier.
Visibility remained poor, the land occasionally appearing through the mist/fog/rain, and the passage was complicated by the scattered presence of buoys marking crab or lobster pots neccessitating sudden course changes - usually whilst Jo was below brewing up. As we closed with coast we kept seeing bits of land and saying to each other "There, look that's Baltimore" until Jo worked out that the bit we had seen was Kedge Island, and Baltimore was further W, so we avoided that. The entrance to Baltimore Harbour is relatively narrow, and is marked on the E side by a white pillar daymark, known locally as "Lot's Wife", and on the W side by a small lighthouse. Both of these marks are situated some way above sea-level, and being painted white are diificult to see in fog - DOH! but were eventually located. By now the wind had dropped and the jib was furled, the mainsail adding a little. Several other yachts entered at the same time as us and I foresaw (wrongly thankfully) an unseemly scramble for the pontoon at Baltimore Pier.
Jo steered as the mainsail came down and fenders went out. She then took up the mobile phone and eventually received assurance that we should "Just go alongside anywhere" and as I planned to go alongside a Beneteau 36 "Panache" the harbourmaster (later to introduce himself as Jason) advised that this was OK. As we came alongside Brendan the skipper of Panache came on deck and added his useful assistance. As we made fast he told me he would not be leaving until late morning the next day, and that he was from Crookhaven, which he thoroughly recommended, advising me later of better visitor moorings in that place - of which hopefully more (moor) later - Oooooohhhhhhhhh...
Having made fast I rushed ashore to catch the shop (closing time 1930 weekdays), having ascertained the gate code form Jason, and was in time to get fresh milk and soda-bread, also to see that there were plenty of hosteltries on the village square - excellent...
Returning aboard I divested myself of oilskins, fired up the Eberspacher Heater and shared a glass with Jo in celebration of another successful passage. Jo readied some ratatouille and then we adjourned to "Bushe's Bar" to check the Murphy's, which I can gladly report was fine. Bushe's is a veritable cornucopia of nauticalia, the lanbdlord having been (and maybe still is) the local Lifeboat secretary, the walls are covered with old photographs, charts and bits of boat - fantastic! Then back aboard for supper, warmth and then a well-earned kip.
Friday announced itself by more rain on the deck-head and then the need arose to assist "Panache" departing, this being accomplished smoothly and without the waste of any bad language. Having made fast against the pontoon itself it was not long before another yacht rafted along side us, in this case a small Frenchman - the yacht I mean, although this also applied to the single-handed skipper, Pierre.
So that's the situation so far today, more rain and variable winds are forecast, so it looks like stay here for another night and maybe sample the Moules-Frites at the local restaurant.