2023 June 13th, Day 61 Sorrento Bay to Aberdaron Bay, Wales.

Facebook Post 13th June:

A pleasant sail over, once clear of the thunderstorm and some wind arrived, but long at 17 hours. Heading for Fishguard Wednesday to resupply and probably to wait for some wind.

The anchor came up at 03:35 and I was underway under engine with less than 3 knots of wind, more worrying was a Thunderstorm heading my way and for half an hour I was keeping radar and AIS watch from below with the odd peak out, especially as I passed close to an anchored merchant ship.

At 04:40 the engine went off and the Cruising Chute went up. The rest of the day I was alternating between sailing in 6 - 9 knot winds and motoring to make the tidal gate at Bardsey Sound, at the end of the day it was 50:50 sailing and motoring but that was not too bad as it was sensible to motor though Bardsey Sound and into the anchorage.

As in 2022 I went out through the off lying banks south of Codling Bank before being taken way south by the tide.

Drilling rig SE of Codling Bank.

This Mayday call could have had a very nasty end, fire on a small boat is incredibly dangerous to the crew and boat, the Irish coast guard put out an all ships with more than one boat close at hand responding, but iirc the RNLI got there first to find the crew had put the fire out.

17:00 and Bardsey Island is visible on the horizon, the north
going tide now requiring me (or rather the autopilot) to steer
107 degrees to make 85 degrees.

Two hours later and about to enter Bardsey Sound motor sailing.

Aberdaron Bay anchorage at 21:22

Unusually again with a tripping line, left on because I anticipated
at least one more anchorage potentially foul, and it is useful to be
able to see where the anchor is, especially when setting the
anchor alarm - providing you get the length of the line right so
it reasonably close to the anchor without being sunk.

Sorento Bay Dublin to Aberdaron Bay.

66 miles in 17 hours

Click here for Fishguard