Mr Grumpy goes to Ireland
It is 3 years since we last visited the Scillies and in that time the encroachment of “visitors moorings” into traditional anchorages has gathered apace , with the current charges of £20 a night coming as an unpleasant shock. At neaps it is possible to anchor outside the mooring field ( albeit no longer in the best positions) but at Springs one is forced to anchor in frankly marginal places , or pay up the £20 and take a mooring.
I have no doubt that at high season the sheer volume of visiting boats makes it safer to pack them in on buoys rather than endure a night of chaos as the inevitable unfortunates drag their way through the anchorage, but it would be interesting to hear how Porth Cressa and New Grimsby justify £20 a night charges .
It was notable that the French, almost to a man , voted with their feet( or anchors) and studiously refused to pick up a mooring. Good for them!
That’s enough of Mr Grumpy. It seems churlish to complain when the Scillies were otherwise on their best behaviour. Blue skies and light winds saw neat and tidy Tresco and its amazing garden at its best, and perhaps even nicer, the next day, Bryher’s more Bohemian untidiness. What a treat to wander around the rugged Western shore, gazing with awe at its frightening reefs ( not for nothing is it called Hell Bay), all viewed whilst lying in a wild meadow in the warm summer sun, surrounded by a riot of wild flowers .
Our weather window for Ireland was 18 hours of SW wind with a veer to NW for the last bit. The SW bit was brilliant , racing along at 7.5 knots on a reach , and if the front was a bit wet, so what. We were either sleeping or sheltering in the cuddy, and best of all our landfall was only 10 miles short of Baltimore giving us only a short little beat up the coast and a total trip of 28 hours.
So here we are in Ireland. We can anchor pretty much everywhere, the walking is great, the people are friendly and, well , Irish; so we feel “abroad”. The weather has dictated 3 days of pottering in Roaring Water Bay , before promising us a fair wind for Dingle at the SW tip of Ireland. So , Mr ( not very ) Grumpy and his much more reasonable wife send their greetings from the charming little town of Schull which has the best bookshop in West Cork , and a fine anchorage to boot.
Life is good.
Sorry to hear you are still in need of your winter woollies, while we are positively trying to keep cool. I keep wondering when our luck will run out, as I’m sure you must have had more than your (and our) fair share of good weather here last year.
Not sure if I told you, but I managed to find somewhere for Volvo spares which is more expensive than RK Marine – I must take them back some chocolates.
Keep smiling!
M & L