At anchor, outside Wicklow harbor, we are recovering from our 48 hours of sailing from Scilly. The weather is mild and changeable, as often in Ireland, but offers us some nice sunny spells.
An unexpected swimming area
We took the opportunity to go ashore to stretch our legs. What a surprise when we realize that a large part of the outer harbor is reserved for swimming and that a lifeguard asks us to moor our dinghy a little further away so as not to disturb the swimmers
The Irish are truly a people of the sea! People of all ages swim without wetsuits in the cool water (14°). At the end of the day, everyone is on or in the water: some in kayaks, others in paddleboats, on small sailboats, on dinghies, on traditional boats. The children are in optimist, the teenagers play on the beach or dive from the quay.
We stroll in the small streets around the harbor, buy some fresh products at the local mini-market, then back to the boat, we look for our next anchorage on the map.
Howth Anchorage
We chose Howth which has the merit of being not too far away, of being accessible with the wind of the moment and of offering a well protected shelter outside the port.
The DART, a small suburban train, passes right by the beach and reaches the center of Dublin in 15 minutes for a very low price. This allows the crew to easily visit the capital of Ireland, or at least, to have a small overview.
The town of Howth itself has many bars and restaurants near the fishing and yachting harbor. You can also visit the traditional local castle and a transport museum which is a real treat for children, especially when it comes to climbing into the old vehicles and pretending to drive!
Between visits, school on the boat continues, as well as odd jobs. The days are generally dedicated half to work and half to walks, excursions and daily life on a sailing boat. It is not yet the big vacations!
Departure for Bangor marina
The stopover in Dublin ends when our sailboat heads to Bangor marina, in Northern Ireland, to fill up with water. It has been almost a month since our last stop in Brest, our tanks are on their last legs.
Then it's off for another 24 hours of sailing! The weather was not very nice and the road was a bit crowded with cargo and fishing boats. A careful watch is necessary. Moreover, the currents in this area are not negligible, it is necessary to pass at the right moment.
Once we arrived at the marina, we decided to take the short stay we have a small and very welcoming bay next to the harbor, which is perfect for spending the night. We are definitely specializing in anchorages outside the harbors.
So we have 5 hours ahead of us, moored at the pontoon for a third of the price of a night. Enough time to enjoy the marina's bathroom with bathtub. Tristan, our youngest of two and a half years, is asking for more!
An unorthodox maneuver
At the moment of leaving, the wind has increased and we have to make a half turn. A bit burned by our misadventure in Brest, we think about how to proceed. Finally, we decide to turn the boat on its pontoon by hand with hawsers. The method may not be very orthodox, but it is very efficient! In two times three movements, we are ready to go forward, straight to the exit.
After a night at anchor next to the port, Arthur finally headed for Glenariff, his last stop in Ireland before crossing the North Channel to reach Scotland.
