A Day Sail to the Skelligs and back.

 I feel I ought to apologies for the number of photo's that are included on this day out.  But, it was so fabulous and we took so many !  In this pic we are off Valentia Island, Bray Head.
We decided to go to the Skellig Islands - it would take us all day but the weather was good and the sea calm.
We put the boat on the auto-pilot as soon as we were clear of the harbor entrance - and of we go !  Half way across the bay a motor launch roared very close. Simon Berrow!!!  What a surprise.  We had enough wind to sail all the way back to Dingle at five knots in a lovely ten knots of westerly breeze. Berthed at seven o'clock  in time to have supper and ramble out to hear Eoin Duignan and Tommy O'Sullivan in the Courthouse Inn.

 

Jill had made a chicken curry for lunch and we ate it when we were off Valentia Island - about half way to the Skellig's. It was delicious and had all the trimmings such as raita, naan bread, red  lentil dahl and hedgerow salad.  

   And we ate it outdoors since it was so nice to sit in the sunshine.

As we approached Skellig Beag there were five or six small passenger boats which had taken tourists out to the island from Portmagee.

Here they are waiting for their passengers to have a look around.  There are no guides on the island - too early - but "beggar's can't be choosers"

Here is the lighthouse on the Skelligs.  It's a bit of a small affair really - but the island is somewhat large when you are close to it.

This is  Skellig Beag which is covered by the Gannets at this time of year.  Most of them had not started nesting yet but they are an impressive and very large seabird. We saw lots of guillemots, razorbills and puffins!

The Gannets  use up every inch of the island.  Here is one of the two arches through the island.

Breda looking out at them.  But even though it was quite warm, it was cold by Caribbean standards !

When we were on the way out there Common Dolphin's came with us for miles.  Some would stay for about half an hour and then head off, to be immediately replaced by a dozen more.  We had them with virtually all afternoon.

Here is a rather poor photo of a Minke Whale.  We saw two of them on the way back but, as ever, they are the trickiest thing to photograph.

Holding Tank and Bilge Pump !

We've had to fit one or two things to the boat this week.
The first piece is the holding tank - and this unpleasant job was the first thing Breda and Jill tackled.  And it was a success !  Anyway, it was successful.
       Next came the speed seal cover on the impeller, which cools the engine. Took about an hour.
Then the real job.  They took out the Ebespacher diesel heater because it had a fault and would not heat the boat.  This is important because we use the boat as a sort of flat in town !  They eventually got it out and sent off to County Cork by courier.  A couple of days later it was back, fixed and serviced and the two women installed it.  Works perfectly.

 Making up a grab bag for taking into the life-raft when we abandon ship is not the happiest thing Jill has ever done - but it needs doing.

The Grab Bag is almost ready !

                                                  The Liferaft fixed to the back of the boat.

 Now there is only the wind transducer to be brought down from the very top of the mast to be repaired ! We await a calm day with some men around to do that.