Gwylan
Well-Known Member
We are wandering along the east and southern coast of Ireland.
All in all very pleasant, have put a load of hours on the engine and the sails have hardly been out.
We started really in Poolbeg, quite excellent Guinness and bar. Smelly toilet and shower. The Liffey can long a bit at times. But all in all adequate.
Then Dun Laoaghaire, a bit different. Not a huge amount more expensive than Poolbeg and better served. Just a bit odd using a fingerprint reader to get into the Marina.
Full of enthusiasm we head south for Wexford. The wind picks up a bit and I decide not to try entering Wexford with a ≥F4 blowing and visibility going off. Go down to Rosslare and skulk against the wall. Have a meal, the wind goes away visibility improves and decide to give Wexford a chance.
Downloaded the Harbour Master's map and we were sorted. Going up the channel we see a boat not moving too much. The depth goes to 2,3, we need 1,2 but a twinge of panic. Hail the obviously grounded yacht who was just out of the channel. Gather he needed 5 feet of water, what's that in metric?
Then the lifeboat is on the radio to him and about to launch when the tide has risen enough and they get off.
Arrive to find the life boat crew waiting to take lines. Explain we were not stuck, but still they help. We are alongside. There are 3 visitor moorings and they are free.
No electricity, water, loos etc, but everyone was welcoming. Stayed a couple of nights and will go back. The navigation is clear if you do what you are told.
Then move on, tried to make a lunch stop on one of the 3 visitor moorings off Rosslare Strand. New too! The Wexford HM is quite a busy chap. No pick up lines or anything. Too bouncy to get attached, so pushed on to Arklow.
There must have been quite a salesman pushing the idea that the pond at the old Kynoch works would ever be a marina. But hats off for a great selling job. Having missed the entrance to the marina we chose a space on the long pontoon outside.
There are rumoured to be pontoons in the fish dock. We did not investigate.
There are showers, but a bit of a walk from the pontoon. Not tested by your reporter.
Aldi just up the road and tested by your reporter. A multi screen cinema and retail therapy is available too.
On the move again now to the much mentioned Kilmore Quay. Jolly little place with a pleasant welcome. But really only a stopping off point on the way to somewhere else. Amazing chandler for nuts, bolts and washers.
On a roll now and we are off to Waterford. Decide to do two steps. First to Dunmore West, then up to Wexford..
A night in Dunmore West no sign of anyone in authority. Moor up to the pontoon and leave in the morning to take the tide up to Waterford. A walk in the park compared to Wexford. Though in the small hours a yacht arrives and rafts up against us. Transpires that they had missed the channel and spent a lot of time on their side waiting for the returning tide.
Again a pleasant place, adequate facilities. A typically Irish system using your mobile phone to open the facilities and the gate onto the pontoon.
A night in Waterford and then back to Dunmore. This time we met the HM gopher who registered us in the system. This time you need a fob to get in and out of the facilities and the pontoon is open to all.
And now Youghal. Sort of Salcombe before it got improved. The website tells us that a Harbour Master is about to be appointed. Not before time some might say.
He can get the 8 visitor moorings available to visitors and ensure they have pick up lines. Then he might remind the locals that there is a speed limit in the fairway and the chaos that their wake leaves behind them.
He can also resolve access arrangements for the so new it still smell of fresh paint pontoon. Keys cannot be obtained outside office hours.
As for all the free for all moorings well who knows how long that will take him to sort out.
Sadly I have not packed a suitable blazer so our visit to Cork might be a bit restricted.
All in all very pleasant, have put a load of hours on the engine and the sails have hardly been out.
We started really in Poolbeg, quite excellent Guinness and bar. Smelly toilet and shower. The Liffey can long a bit at times. But all in all adequate.
Then Dun Laoaghaire, a bit different. Not a huge amount more expensive than Poolbeg and better served. Just a bit odd using a fingerprint reader to get into the Marina.
Full of enthusiasm we head south for Wexford. The wind picks up a bit and I decide not to try entering Wexford with a ≥F4 blowing and visibility going off. Go down to Rosslare and skulk against the wall. Have a meal, the wind goes away visibility improves and decide to give Wexford a chance.
Downloaded the Harbour Master's map and we were sorted. Going up the channel we see a boat not moving too much. The depth goes to 2,3, we need 1,2 but a twinge of panic. Hail the obviously grounded yacht who was just out of the channel. Gather he needed 5 feet of water, what's that in metric?
Then the lifeboat is on the radio to him and about to launch when the tide has risen enough and they get off.
Arrive to find the life boat crew waiting to take lines. Explain we were not stuck, but still they help. We are alongside. There are 3 visitor moorings and they are free.
No electricity, water, loos etc, but everyone was welcoming. Stayed a couple of nights and will go back. The navigation is clear if you do what you are told.
Then move on, tried to make a lunch stop on one of the 3 visitor moorings off Rosslare Strand. New too! The Wexford HM is quite a busy chap. No pick up lines or anything. Too bouncy to get attached, so pushed on to Arklow.
There must have been quite a salesman pushing the idea that the pond at the old Kynoch works would ever be a marina. But hats off for a great selling job. Having missed the entrance to the marina we chose a space on the long pontoon outside.
There are rumoured to be pontoons in the fish dock. We did not investigate.
There are showers, but a bit of a walk from the pontoon. Not tested by your reporter.
Aldi just up the road and tested by your reporter. A multi screen cinema and retail therapy is available too.
On the move again now to the much mentioned Kilmore Quay. Jolly little place with a pleasant welcome. But really only a stopping off point on the way to somewhere else. Amazing chandler for nuts, bolts and washers.
On a roll now and we are off to Waterford. Decide to do two steps. First to Dunmore West, then up to Wexford..
A night in Dunmore West no sign of anyone in authority. Moor up to the pontoon and leave in the morning to take the tide up to Waterford. A walk in the park compared to Wexford. Though in the small hours a yacht arrives and rafts up against us. Transpires that they had missed the channel and spent a lot of time on their side waiting for the returning tide.
Again a pleasant place, adequate facilities. A typically Irish system using your mobile phone to open the facilities and the gate onto the pontoon.
A night in Waterford and then back to Dunmore. This time we met the HM gopher who registered us in the system. This time you need a fob to get in and out of the facilities and the pontoon is open to all.
And now Youghal. Sort of Salcombe before it got improved. The website tells us that a Harbour Master is about to be appointed. Not before time some might say.
He can get the 8 visitor moorings available to visitors and ensure they have pick up lines. Then he might remind the locals that there is a speed limit in the fairway and the chaos that their wake leaves behind them.
He can also resolve access arrangements for the so new it still smell of fresh paint pontoon. Keys cannot be obtained outside office hours.
As for all the free for all moorings well who knows how long that will take him to sort out.
Sadly I have not packed a suitable blazer so our visit to Cork might be a bit restricted.
