Round In Circles

Roger writes: Rachel flies to South Africa, and Alan goes with her to the airport. For today’s sailing, Mike Sullivan, my old skipper from Harbinger, joins us.

The big event today has been the Parade Of Sail. Three bridges on the Liffey are being opened to allow us to process up and down through the centre of Dublin, showing off, flags flying “Fully Dressed”, sails furled and ropes neatly coiled.  We were controlled by the Commodore on Radio Channel 11.

The fleet jostled at close quarters. The first bridge opened, we charged through but not in the correct order (gaffers first), possibly because some of the non-gaffers were not listening to the radio.  Problem - opening of the second bridge has been delayed. The first bridge, meanwhile, has been shut. The fleet circles anti-clockwise for a while until the bridge staff reluctantly admit that they are unable to open bridge No. 2.  More circling, ably helmed by Chris and Mike, until an hour after we first passed upstream, we had back towards Poolbeg Yacht Club. 

There was some confusion in the mooring process, with so many boats trying to do the same thing simultaneously, but we didn’t hit anything. Then, sea shanties at the Yacht Club, and cheese and spinach pasta with chef’s special tomato sauce, followed by chef’s special rum baba (thanks brother Steve for the honey flavoured rum).  Then, last of all, passage planning for the next week.  With four people wanting an input, this could last until breakfast time.

Parade of Sail        2.6 nms

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