Dun Laoghaire

I am living on a real dock (not tied to a mooring, between two poles or at anchor) for the first time in the history of Event Horizon being my home sweet home. I will call slip T55 at Dun Laoghaire Marina home through August and you can be sure I will enjoy every moment while I temporarily live the high life.

Dun Laoghaire Marina is nestled within two breakwaters built by the government specifically to accommodate the marina which opened in 2001. The marina was expanded earlier this year resulting in over 700 berths and top-notch dock facilities, including a new barge with four private cabins each with a shower, toilet, sink and seating. Thankfully this barge is located near the visitor berths (and my home) because it is a hike to the other end of the dock where the main facilities (including laundry) are located and you exit to shore.


The marina is a short stroll from the town centre with all amenities and things to do. The town of Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Leary) is located on the south shores of Dublin Bay and is a stop along the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit railway) route, which is convenient for getting around. Now if I can get caught up on communications and work, there is much to explore.

Dunmore East to Dun Laoghaire

After 4 days of fun in the west, the boat was calling me home. Actually my captain was calling me home, ready to resume our journey north. So on Tuesday, 24th of July, we departed for the Irish Sea. I’ve heard many rough stories about the Irish Sea but she was in a good mood on this sunny day giving us gentle seas and a steady 17kt breeze perfect for flying the spinnaker most of the 14hr (116nm) passage to Dun Laoghaire Harbour.


In route we passed four wind farms, which made us smile. The first three wind farms we passed were land based but the last one (shown) is Ireland's first offshore wind project, the Arklow Bank Wind Park which is built on the shallow Arklow Bank in the Irish Sea five miles off the coast of County Wicklow and 40 miles south of Dublin.

Galway Arts Festival

Due to no wind for a few days, my captain gave permission to jump ship so the crew (all two of us) train hopped cross country to Galway, located on the west coast. We had recently discovered the famed annual Galway Arts Festival was underway and a friend living near the city center invited us to join her, and watch her performance in the Macnas Parade. Galway is known for its great pubs and craic any day of the week but this was an exceptionally thrilling time to visit. Theater, dance, music, comedy, visual arts and streets performances were in abundance throughout the city and I experienced as much as I could during my 4 day visit.

Waterford

Showered and ready to explore, the crew jumped on a bus and headed into the city of Waterford for the day. Most known for its crystal, Waterford is Ireland’s oldest city starting as a Viking settlement in 914. We walked the streets admiring its old architecture, bustling shoppers and numerous options for food and drink.

Upon return to the boat we learned that the forecast says little or no wind in the coming days which puts our journey north on hold.

Dunmore East

Wednesday, 18th of July we had a fine 9 ½ hr (63nm) sail to Dunmore East, which is located at the base of the River Suir near Waterford. Dunmore East is a small village with shops, pubs and restaurants and a busy fishing harbour. The harbour is deep, sheltered and provided us a good anchorage near the cliffs. The Waterford Harbour Sailing Club clubhouse was welcoming and a good source for local information.

Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland

During the busy summer season, it is common for boats visiting Kinsale marinas to raft along side each other. So when one of the inside boats need to move all the other boats rafted outside it must move too. Each day was like a game of musical chairs played with boats.

Transatlantic Photos

Here is a sampling of photos taken on Event Horizon’s journey to and visit in Newfoundland, June 17 – July 1, 2007 and her transatlantic passage to Ireland July 2 – 14, 2007.
Upon review, we realized we didn’t take many photos, but then remembered there wasn’t much to take a photo of...the only exciting moments were sea life sightings but most attempts to capture these events usually resulted in images of water splashes void of any wildlife.
Many images were too gray to post due to the fog and overcast skies we experienced during most of the trip. And none of the images capture how cold it was despite it being late June and July!



Additional photos can be viewed at Flickr.com. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27146861@N00/sets/72157601121514508/)

Landfall in Kinsale, Ireland

After 3048nm, our transatlantic crossing is complete. (The passage from Newfoundland to Ireland was about 1800nm.) We are grateful for the kind weather and a wonderful boat that provided us a gentle passage.

We made landfall on the south coast in the charming town of Kinsale and were greeted on the dock with smiles, hugs and pints of Guinness. For the past 3 days we have enjoyed the kindness of our captain's family and the great atmosphere of Kinsale, a sister city to Newport, RI, known for its wonderful shops, restaurants, pubs and sailing scene. We plan to depart Kinsale early tomorrow to gradually work our way along the east coast heading north towards Dublin.

Around The Fastnet - Day 13

The new wind charts, which we receive in the early morning, now reflected what we had already been experiencing, 12-17kts. As the day progressed we were close hauled and eventually on a beat. A few gusts at night put us on the edge of needing a sail change but we managed to avoid it as the winds became lighter before we approached land. We made decent speed throughout the day but the last 100nm seemed to go sooo slooow...

Unfortunately it was dark as we rounded the Fastnet so we stayed well clear of it. (At least I've sailed around it before and got to see it up close.) The Fastnet Rock, a 28 meter high pinnacle with a lighthouse on it, is a famous racing mark and often the first sight of Ireland for any transatlantic sailor, as is was for us.

Fitting that we should reach Ireland before this day ends because it's my Irish captain's 40th birthday.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 12

Who'd have ever guessed we'd be using our light wind sails on approach to Ireland?!?! We ended up flying the spinnaker for 24hrs straight. We lucked out with 10kt wind (double what the wind charts forecasted) until sunset and then were pleasantly surprised to get a few more knots of breeze. Due to looming large dark fluffy clouds we changed to the 135% for the night.

It was a glorious day aboard event horizon. For starters we had sunshine all day and for several hours it was warm enough to wear short sleeves and let our feet breath the fresh ocean air. I guess you could say it actually felt like July! (We've spent most of the past 12 days bundled up in foul weather gear and sailing boots. Some nights we climbed into our bunks this way so we could quickly jump on deck and into action.) Much of the morning was spent watching a group of over 20 dolphins playing around us. We're not sure if they were enjoying the Irish music we had playing or if they were just showing off but they did all sorts of funny things none of us had witnessed before including jumping strait-up high into the air, back-flips, assorted body-twists and belly-flop-like slaps on the water with their heads. We took turns laying down on the bow where we were just inches from them as they jumped and swam in the bow wake. From all angles, they were amazing to watch. Plus the seas were finally calm enough to read books free from fear of sickness, accomplish boat tasks before the to-do list gets too long, and take showers (#2 of the passage) without risking injury. I think my favorite part of the day was putting on fresh clothes. Saddest part of the day was realizing my Caribbean glow (tan) is only a memory.

While the crew were busy enjoying themselves, the boat made good progress. We are only about one day away from the Fastnet Rock. Now if we encounter no or light wind we have enough fuel to engine into port. So, if all goes according to plan, we should arrive in Kinsale Harbour before mid-day Sunday.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/13/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
50°34.88'N 016°40.23'W
Course 091T Speed 6.0kts
Wind 237T @ 12kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 11

As the wind dropped below 15kts early this morning the captain had all hands on deck flying the spinnaker. By mid afternoon the wind direction shifted so after a flawless take down we put up the 135%. By late day the wind direction shifted back west and the wind dropped to 10kts so we got that spinnaker feeling again... We carried the spinnaker through the night which allowed us to make good distance despite the lighter winds. We're only about 325nm from the Fastnet Rock but the wind speed is forecasted to drop further (0-5kts) for a couple of days which will make the final miles like the start of the trip - painfully slow.

After much debate we have decided to make landfall in Kinsale, County Cork. Arrangements have been made for us at the Kinsale Yacht Club Marina. Our ETA is sometime on Sunday.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/12/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
50°23.48'N 020°24.15'W
Course 075T Speed 7.8kts
Wind 214T @ 14kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 10

A steady west wind (17-26kts) kept us on a fast run all day. In the morning we flew a spinnaker averaging over 9kts but with the wind in the mid 20's and an ominous sky fast on our tail we decided to switch back to the 100% jib. During the take down there was a mechanical malfunction with the sock. It all ended without damage but the whole thing far exceeded our daily excitement quota. For the remainder of daylight hours we used the spinnaker pole on the jib to sail wing on wing, happily surfing large swells that further increased our speed over ground.

It has been over 5 days since we have seen another boat or had any ship activity on the radar. Another surprise to us is that we have seen different types of birds despite being so far from land. All this is about to change though because we are now less than 500nm from the Fastnet.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/11/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
49°54.56'N 025°03.23'W
Course 087T Speed 9.3kts
Wind 207T @ 22kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 9

To date, the best sailing day of the passage as we averaged over 8kts. The 17-24kt wind and reduced seas made for a more comfortable ride today but some large swells remain which can catch you off guard as they did me a couple of times in the galley! We kept the second reef in the main most of the day as we were expecting a line of squalls that never came. We're feeling lucky. Plus the latest 5-day weather forecast charts are not as sinister looking (as they were yesterday) for the remainder of our journey.

So far this trip has been like a pleasure cruise relative to most of my prior offshore passages. In part due to decent enough weather and our points of sail (no beating to weather yet), but mainly because we've had crew. I've gotten so used to it just being the captain and me. Three hours on. Three hours off. And then we switched to four hours on, four hours off. This trip we tried something new, aside from having crew. We (3) each have one four-hour night watch (mine is 8pm to midnight) and 8 hours of sleep. Amazing the difference this has made. And today I got to sleep in - all morning! My captain said it was my reward for preparing and cleaning up after all our meals and serving treats for the official snack times - mid-morning, mid-afternoon and night watch.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 8

Can't complain about today. Steady 16-24kt wind allowed us to average 7.5kts, meanwhile we still have two reefs in the main. Fog continues to come and go but today we had some brief rays of sunshine. Sea state became less confused as the day progressed but the waves remain dramatic and we've been surfing them all day. Visiting porpoises are still jumping and giving us quite the "sea-world" show. And if these things aren't enough cause to be happy, today we passed the distance halfway mark! Cape Race, Newfoundland to the Fastnet is 1800nm and we've done over 950nm.

The weather charts show interesting activity around us and some uncertainties approaching. It's looking as though the final passage days will be anything but dull.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 7

Thankfully we were sailing conservatively last night because there were strong winds that took us by surprise ahead of the frontal system we were expecting. By 0500 hrs the wind gusts were 40kts so the guys reduced canvas by furling the 100% and hoisted the staysail, which was already hanked-on on deck. (I was off watch trying to sleep.) By 0730 hrs the wind was hovering around 45kts so we all jumped into action (double tethered) and dropped the main. At 1130 hrs the wind was back in the low 30's so we lowered the staysail and went back to the 100% jib to make better distance. By 1300 hrs we had raised the double reefed main, which made for a less bumpy ride yet still rough due to the large seas. Although never in danger, it has been a long day as it's tiring trying to hold on tight and getting tossed about. The highlight of my day happened just as I started my night watch at 2000 hrs. A pod of porpoise were swimming along side the boat and playing in the bow wake. This is common, however this time the waves were high, often over the lifelines, and as the porpoises swam sometimes the wave would break and they would leap out of the wave into the air. What a fantastic show!

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 6

Must say I got a kick out of writing 07/07/07 in the logbook. On this unique date the log shows increasing wind speeds (15-26kts)throughout the day but speed over the ground was only moderate (6kts) for many hours due to an opposing current. Extracurricular activities were few due to the building sea state, which makes our ride less comfortable and doing anything down below a challenge. At 2100hrs we put a second reef in the main. Wind and waves continue to climb.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/8/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
47°58.48'N 038°12.66'W
Course 049T Speed 7.0kts
Wind 196T @ 34kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 5

The day started out with decent wind speeds but the direction continued to be dead behind us or at a poor angle requiring frequent jibes in order to stay on course. So progress, although improved, remained painfully slow. Trying to keep out spirits up, the captain made hot water so we all took our first showers of the passage - one hand cleans while the other hand is busy clenching a hand-rail to minimize bruising that inevitably occurs when showering underway. By mid-day the winds decreased so we changed from the 135% jib to a reaching spinnaker. At least by now we were on a great circle course towards the Fastnet, a famous large rock with a lighthouse on top that resides in the Atlantic Ocean off the south coast of Ireland. We also had the ongoing thrill of visiting dolphin pods, many of which seemed extra happy, often leaping out of the water. Gradually the winds climbed and the direction became more favorable allowing us to finally make 8+kts averages by late day and throughout the night. At midnight the winds had climbed over 20kt so we replaced the spinnaker with the 100% jib. By 1am the winds gusted over 30kts so we put a reef in the main. We did some fun "surfing" with speeds as high as 11+ kts thanks to a favorable .5 to 3kt current. However, as is common, Mother Nature's gift of wind has required trade-offs. The clear skies have been replaced by thick clouds with rain and the sea state is building. These higher wind speeds are expected to hold for the next few days as a storm passes to our north. Only 1300nm to go...

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 4

Things are looking up. We finally made some progress with 9-16 knot winds, enjoyed a clear sunshine filled day and by mid afternoon we were clear of the ice field. (No berg sightings since we departed Monday.) I spent much of my day preparing more meals and baking bread for the upcoming days.

When I can spare the time my head is buried in another great read - The Boat Who Wouldn't Float by Farley Mowat. A very funny old book recommended by several sailing friends. To my surprise much of the story takes place in Newfoundland, including harbors and towns I just visited.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/5/2007 @ 6:00 PM(UTC)
45°00.18'N 048°08.49'W
Course 098T Speed 6.2kts
Wind 246T @ 13kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 3

I might as well be cutting and pasting my blog entries because it's always the same story. Little or no wind. We're trying to keep our spirits high but the slooow progress is taking its toll. (Eating and reading can keep us happily distracted for only so long.) The ice reports showed the ice field had again extended further south...it was starting to appear as if we'd be well on our way to the Azores before we would get around the threat of ice. With the fog lifted, the potential for a moonlit night and our slow speed, we decided to turn left yesterday, heading east across a section of the ice field reportedly fairly free of bergs. We kept an exceptionally diligent watch last night and saw nothing. Day 3 did have its highlights. I went ski-hat-free for a few hours mid-day and for the first time in many nights we saw stars and the moon. The forecast is calling for a low pressure frontal system so wind is on its way.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/5/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
45°05.33'N 048°54.56'W
Course 096T Speed 4.7kts
Wind 238T @ 15kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/5/2007 @ 6:00 AM(UTC)
45°00.77'N 049°23.46'W
Course 067T Speed 3.9kts
Wind 275T @ 10kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

NF to IRE - Day 2

No wind. Adrift most of the day. On a good hour we moved 1nm (yes, ONE) in the right direction. The combined torture of not making forward progress and swells that flogged sails and shook the rig made for a long day. The ice field has managed to move further south, extending the distance we need to go to get around it. We'd chance going through the ice field if we could make it during daylight hours but we can't so we continue on the path to sail around it. Around midnight we had enough wind to sail again and are using the 135% jib to maximize the 6-11kt breeze. (At the current rate it will be a 28 day voyage.)

Day 3 - Happy Independence Day! fellow Americans - is off to a slow start but at the moment we are happy to be moving as the wind is gradually dropping. At least the air is not so frigid, the fog has lifted and the sun is trying to squeeze through little breaks in the clouds.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/4/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
44°57.06'N 050°45.25'W
Course 129T Speed 5.7kts
Wind 275T @ 12kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/4/2007 @ 6:00 AM(UTC)
45°23.88'N 051°17.58'W
Course 112T Speed 6.5kts
Wind 183T @ 9kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

Newfoundland to Ireland - Day 1

The first 24 hours have been very slow with moderate winds during the day and basically no wind during the night so we were adrift for over 10 hours. (At this rate the passage will take us over 50 days. Seriously.) Using the engine this early in the trip is not a prudent option as we need to conserve fuel in case we need to run away from any potential bad weather.

We keep having to remind ourselves it is July because of the harsh winter-like temperatures, which feel worse since the thick fog rolled in two days ago. And soon, along with the fog we are expecting showers. I've been wearing my wool ski hat for days both on and below deck. (So much for skipping out on winter!) At least there are three of us so we take turns being on deck and warming up down below.

On the bright side we have been eating well (because I can actually stand upright in the galley) and have time to carefully read weather reports, charts and pleasure books. At the moment I am really enjoying Tales Of A Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman - a women in her late 40's who gives up her LA lifestyle, sells her possessions and with a backpack in tow, travels the world experiencing different cultures.

This just in, now the latest reports are calling for more light wind. Ugh! Could be time for a sail change...

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/3/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
45°35.51'N 051°47.92'W
Course 154T Speed 2.3kts
Wind 101T @ 4kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/3/2007 @ 6:00 AM(UTC)
45°43.78'N 051°49.98'W
Course 256T Speed 0.7kts
Wind 084T @ 5kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

Atlantic Crossing

Monday, July 2nd, 2007. My captain, crew member Leif and myself have departed southeastern Newfoundland...

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/2/2007 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
46°28.37'N 053°06.65'W
Course 141T Speed 7.1kts
Wind 272T @ 14kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

Back in Trepassey

It remains, according to the locals, unseasonably cold here but we finally had a day of sunshine and great wind (14-24kts) for our sail back to Trepassey. We anchored and had another good nights rest, free from watch duty. Today our weather sources confirmed a good travel window with safe seas as of early tomorrow morning to begin our passage to Ireland. This morning was filled with our last minute preparations, which were few since we have been ready to go for days, and this afternoon we are enjoying a few leisurely hours with our books and pillows. If all goes according to plan, we (3) will depart tomorrow, July 1st at 4:30am as the sun is rising and will make our first landfall in approximately 10-14 days (provided we have good steady breezes and reasonable sea states) on the south coast of Ireland.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

St Mary's

We had no choice but to go find fuel and the people of Trepassey assured us there was a diesel pump in the town of St Mary's. St Mary's is further west and north along the Avalon Peninsula. It pained me to be heading west - the opposite direction to Ireland. My captain tried to convince me that based on the forecasted wind direction, our departure trajectory would be good so we'd not really be going too far out of our way...plus by now we knew approaching storms would keep us held up for at least a couple more days so we might as well visit someplace new.

It was another cold gray day but without rain or fog so we were grateful. Light winds followed us forcing us to make most progress under engine power. By late afternoon we had reached the expansive and deep waters of St Mary's Bay where we found ourselves surrounded by whales that kept is entertained for hours. Some whales were curious enough to surface very close and swim under us.

We anchored in St Mary's harbour, ate dinner on board and then took the dingy to the town dock to begin our adventures ashore. At the end of the dock we were greeted by workers at the local fish plant who gave us directions to fuel, the pub and other amenities. This would be the first of many friendly conversations and acts of kindness shown to us during our brief and wonderful visit. We were in luck, the fuel station was still open (until 8pm) and afterwards they had someone drive us back to the dock. Next intended stop was the pub which is about 1 1/2 miles from the center of town. Before we could begin the hike, a supervisor, Tony, at the fish plant gave a us ride to the Harbour View Pub where we spent a fun evening chatting and exchanging stories with the locals, including pub owners Steve and Nicole who arranged for our ride back to the dock.

The next morning we took another stroll around town before regrettably saying goodbye and setting sail for Trepassey Harbour, only because it gets us just a little closer to Ireland...

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

7/1/2007 @ 12:01 PM(UTC)
46°44.56'N 053°22.74'W
Course 144T Speed 0.1kts
Wind 265T @ 19kts

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com