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| Departing Kinsale |
With the wind set to swing into the westerly quadrant and our plan to sail up the western side of Ireland, we decided that we should make best use of the favourable wind, especially as very strong winds were forecast for the weekend.
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| The entrance to Kinsale ahead with Summer Cove off to the left |
So, on Wednesday 21 May we took the midday tide and set off in fairly light northerlies, heading for the Glandore area, about 35nm further west.
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| Old Head of Kinsale lighthouse just southwest of the river entrance |
Inevitably, the wind, though not previously forecast as such, turned westerly – perhaps it was sea breeze generated? In any event, it wasn’t strong so we had a pleasant beat westwards in 10-12 knots wind with very smooth seas and the sun shining.
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| Rabbit Island to our left (south)… |
In the end we decided to anchor behind Rabbit Island, just outside the entrance to Glandore Harbour. It’s a huge natural anchorage, conveniently shallow and with great protection from onshore winds and swell and an easy, open approach from the east.
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| The ruined house on Rabbit Island |
Rabbit Island (one of 5 Rabbit Islands in Ireland) is deserted now but is first recorded as inhabited by Captain Samual Jervois in the 18th century and last in 1931 after a fire. The ruins of the house just above a small beach were easy to see from Blue Velvet.
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| The Stack of Beans outcrop at the eastern end of Rabbit island |
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| At anchor looking west into Squince Harbour; a pretty anchorage but open to the south |
Tucked in behind the island was very protected and we had a lovely peaceful night at anchor. The plan for the next day was to try to get closer to Mizen Head at the southwest tip of Ireland.
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| Rabbit Island near Glandore, County Cork, Republic of Ireland |
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