Crookhaven to Paradise

Crookhaven was nice but the weather was cr*p.

Next stop, back East to Baltimore. 

Baltimore has a floating pontoon for yachts during the summer months, with water available by hose and Murphys by tap. Summer normally starts in May, but as it has been raining and cold, summer has been cancelled in Baltimore and there is no pontoon yet.

We anchored and flubbered ashore.

We visited the “Craft Shop and Information Centre”.

The nice lady in the shop had an English accent and was unable to answer the obscure and challenging questions put to her by Professor Dr. A.J. Edwards.

He opened with a tricky one: “Do you have a bus timetable, please?”

“Err… No.  You could ask at the Pub.”

Next: “How do I book a taxi, please?”

“Err … You could ask at the Pub.”

We went to the Pub.  The nice bar lady poured us a pint and two halves of Murphys, gave us a bus timetable and booked Al a taxi.

Next off .. getting rid of rubbish.

You go to the shop and buy a coupon for a plastic bag and code number for 6 Euros.

You then put your rubbish in the bag and type in the code and push the bag into the special steel rubbish silo.

Alternatively, you leave your rubbish next to the silo, get back in the flubber and go back to the boat.

We chugged away from the metropolis of Baltimore to “Sherkin Island Marina”.

This is about a mile away, on Sherkin Island.

This marina is open because summer lasts all year on Sherkin Island.

The electricity is bust after the “terrible storms last week” (must have been something of a local weather aberration), but the water was working and with three lengths of hose, some insulting tape and a few cable ties (to hold the valve open), we filled Albatross’s capacious water tanks.

The sun came out, seabirds soared by and scantily dressed virgins frolicked on the sandy beaches.

It just happened to be Sherkin Island Art Week.

Basically, as I understand it, Dublin University Art Students can, during their course, live, eat, sleep, do art and smoke dope on Sherkin Island, receiving instruction and inspiration over the Internet.  When degree-time comes, these students display their art in various houses and ruins all over the island.  During the week in question, proud parents (of the students) can come over and wander around the island admiring the work of their gifted children.  Tourists (like us) were (this being Ireland) naturally, made extremely welcome.

We had a good wander and one art centre even opened 2 hours early in our honour.

On reflection, I suspect that the distribution and consumption of dope by various students may vary significantly, as did the tangibility (to me) of some of the art presented.

Or, put another way: some of the art may be easier to appreciate if you are stoned as well.

 

 Sherkin Island Motor Museum

Anyway, a lot of it was very interesting, beautiful even, and we had a nice wander around the island in the sun.

Sunday.  Al went home today. We will miss him.

There are no direct flights from Sherkin Island (unless you can find some very strong grass).   Al’s journey therefore went ..

walk to harbour,

ferry to Baltimore,

taxi from Pub to Skibbarean

bus to Cork

bus to Cork Airport

plane to Newcastle

etc.

While Al tested most of the transport network of the British Isles, we had a nice day off on Sherkin Island.  Walks etc.

Monday.

Up at dawn (0800  .. dawn is surprisingly late in Ireland in May) and off to Lawrence Cove on Bear Island in Bantry Bay.

 Apparently there is a heat wave in Ireland today.

 It was foggy at sea but very pleasant none-the-less.

We sailing within 2 miles of The Fastnet Rock, but barely saw it, thanks to the fog.

Arrived in Lawrence Cove 1400 hours.

This is place is lovely, sheltered, quiet. Electricity, water and diesel on the pontoon; the last of such supplies available going west for several hundred (possibly thousand) miles.

The diesel pump is broken (“since that terrible storm”)

Footnote:

Avid followers will be anxious to hear news of Bonzo (our family pet and guard dog).

Bonzo has unfortunately had to “leave therapy early”.  As his therapist explained, "what is the chance of an aggressive psychopath with the brain power of a turnip gaining any useful insight into his condition when this only motivation (other than attacking members of the public)  is essentially a complex algorithm of the oestrogen concentration of the dog pee left by the corgi on the lamppost across the road?"

Enough said.