Yesterday, some forty-two hours after dismasting, i finally made into Dingle Harbour. There i refuelled, repaired my broken bow navigation light and caught some rest. In the afternoon i also setup the boom as my jury rig so now i have again a little mast to hoist a little sail, the trisail, of which i sent a picture earlier. Unfortunately this is too small for sailing, but since the journey home is so long, i hope it will increase my boat speed under engine by a little when i have following winds. I have still 450 miles to get home and this could save me many many hours.
When i woke up this morning at sunrise i think setting off for this long journey home was pretty low on my list of favourite things to do on my holiday or on a sunday for that matter. I'm hoping to be in Cowes in a week's time, but that's all weather permitting, the forecast for today changed from yesterday and now they are talking of a chance of south-easterlies tomorrow, these winds are pretty rare and it will just be the final touch if i got headwinds going home. I might even have to sit the easterlies out in harbour and wait for better as under engine i would hardly move going into the wind.
So the plan is to go to Baltimore in south east ireland today, refuel and sleep there and then as soon as the wind permits make the crossing to Falmouth, from there i'll probably break it into day trips to Dartmouth, then Weymouth and finally Cowes.
i'll keep you posted on the progress of this eternal journey home, it's hardly an attention gripping sailing story from now on, just the story of a log slog under engine, but this is after all part of the experience.
ciao
Marco
British Beagle
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