The run to Bofin

Local knowledge is a wonderful thing.  While hunting down a fresh water tap Mark came upon a salty sea dog on Inishmore who advised we set off at 6a.m. in order to catch the tide which would whip us up to Slyne Head at an amazing 18 knots!!
Given the tide in these parts run at 1 knot and Goose averages 5 or 6 knots we were willing to suspend our scepticism in favour of fantasy...so having feasted on a delicious stir fry followed be Grandma's tea Brack (Siobhan reckons we could live on Brack alone!)  we settled down for the shortest sleep imaginable.  Our heads had hardly touched our pillows when that hideous 5a.m. alarm had us up, breakfasting on hearty bowls of porridge and making ready for 'one more day on the Grey Funnel Line'.
Off we went and in full sail too on a slightly overcast but nonetheless delightful morn. Our speed over ground averaging 5.5 knots...damn local knowledge!
Conversations as we brave the briney are wide-ranging both in subject matter and in the the depths to which we delve. This particular crew however are not just brave and gallant but hold an abundance of knowledge, wisdom and sensitivity. Their erudite offerings punctuated with humour and song. I can't wait to get off this bloody boat!
  Delerious with the delight of finally having a good sailing day we were lulled into a false sense of security and on rounding Slyne Head were tossed about by some serious overfalls (probably the worst I've seen) but Marks steady hand on the helm saw us through the tempestuous and turbulent seas. What a guy!
As if in a chorus of celebration on 'rounding the cape'  our larynx's warbled with a medley of sea shanty's  and other, melodious ( or should that malodourous ) tunes.  Our spirits were lifted and we were off to Inishbofin for a few days to weather a gale coming up from the south.
Boffin harbour has a quirky and puzzling entrance but once negotiated it opens into a glorious little bay with all one needs for a short sojourn on get a dry land.

We anchored after what had been a pretty exhausting 10 hour run next to an American boat and after a collective and  relieved sigh headed off for some pub grub...but not before Mark had stripped the engine of the outboard and got it purring like a kitten!  Oars are only for buffoons on Boffin

Postscript

We were joined on this jaunt by a school of what must have been in excess of 50 dolphins that stayed with us for 3 or 4 hours. Quite an experience!  Mark got some great footage.