Wrapping up.

   We hung out in Buncrana for a few days, waiting for fair winds. Plenty of eating out, and lots of green apples pinched off garden trees. Theft definitely adds flavour.

   The seemingly endless southerlies came to a stop. After the passing low with its gales, the northerlies swept in. We headed out at first light, F5 building up to F6 all day, under genoa & double reefed main, the wind on the beam as we went west, passing between Tory Island & Bloody Forehead, then the wind on the stern quarter as we turned SW towards Eagle Island, Mayo. Teddy was definitely overcanvassed for the beam reach and the run, but how we flew.

   By evening the cliffs of Mayo were a looming lee shore, 25 miles south. With night coming on, I hove Teddy to, under double reefed mainsail and backed staysail, the rudder free, and she settled in, shuffling along 2.5 knots true west. The winds picked up to F8, and Teddy took some bangs and breaking seas on deck; otherwise all was comfortable. At first light we were still 25 NM north of the Mayo coast. Its terminus, Eagle Island, now lay due south: west of Eagle was the open Atlantic. A good comfortable clearance of a lee shore. The winds dropping and the seas still rough from the night, we bore south, marvelling at the many distant mountains of Connacht, and reached the harbour of Inishbofin as darkness fell. 

   The night there, and in the morning, a quick run in to Clifden, and we anchored Teddy off the boat club where Catherine and Sophie greeted us.

   Michael spent a week, before and after the trip, helping me with jobs on Teddy: to him I give many thanks. He has now returned to his home of Austin, Texas, to be reunited with the twin delights of his heart, his two grand daughters. 

   Michael promises a last blog entry with pics. I now end this blog. 

   


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