Back to Bantry and on to Lawrence Cove Republic of Ireland

Early sun views sailing across to Bantry

Friday 30 May needed an early 0600hrs alarm call to get us across to Bantry for when the laundrette opened. With everything tidied away on Blue Velvet, we raised anchor at 0640hrs and set off for the short passage eventually dropping anchor again off Bantry Harbour at 0805hrs. Sails stowed, we immediately kicked into gear inflating the dinghy and putting the outboard on it so that we could get ashore promptly. It was just as well that we did, because we were at the head of the queue when the doors opened and there weren’t enough washing machines to look after everyone waiting. Making the effort to arrive on the dot of opening had been well worth it!

The fabulous market cheese stall 

With the laundry on, we had time to retrace our steps and visit the Sunday market which had just been setting up as we walked from our dinghy into town. There were a few gems; notably the cheese stall, and also a couple of stalls selling freshly baked bread. We indulged at those before moving on to the supermarket to pick up a couple of extra store cupboard items we’d missed during our last visit plus a bag of local mussels.

Dropping off the laundry, food shopping and bouncing back to the laundrette to rotate the washes and get everything into driers, meant there wasn’t much time for taking photos. But whilst the tumble driers ran through their cycles we did have a good chat with Allan and Claire on board Moonstone of Aberdour who miraculously had decided to do their laundry at the same time as us. They were planning to stay for the next week or so whilst the bad weather goes through, maybe taking in a bus trip to Cork for a few days.

Beating west in Bantry Bay

Back at Blue Velvet we got underway as soon as we could, consciousthat teh moderate winds wouldn't be with us for long.

Beating west in Bantry Bay

The red line showing our zip zag route beating from Bantry to Lawrence Cove

The forecast had been for the wind to back southerly but that was not to be, so we beat our way west towards Berehaven and anchored off Lawrence Cove Marina on Bere Island at the end of the afternoon.

Looking south into Lawrence Cove

Wild Atlantic Glamping 

Looking east from the anchorage with Bere Island to the right

It was lovely to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine at anchor, though frustrating to think that if the laundrette had been operational on Wednesday we could have made full use of the day’s favourable winds and got around the corner into the Kenmare River, or beyond.

Moule a là Reg

But such is life, and we enjoyed the beautiful afternoon…..and an evening meal (Moule a là Reg) in the cockpit. The first meal al fresco for a long time!

Lawrence Cove, Bere Island, West Cork, Republic of Ireland