Finally, we postpone our departure for the South to Saturday, October 10, due to a stronger-than-expected southerly wind and a moderate reluctance to tack against a force 7 wind and current... Saturday morning, with a still southerly but force 4 wind, we weigh anchor. After a morning of mediocre tacking against the current, we reach the Mull of Kintyre at the tide change and take a long tack toward Northern Ireland at 10 knots! We arrive at the end of the favorable current 10 miles north of Belfast and spend the night anchored in Ballygalley Bay. At dawn, we set off again with the tide and moor Libertaire at the very chic marina in Bangor (There are even bathtubs in the restrooms!). The next day, a 20-minute train ride takes us to Belfast, where we spend the day discovering the murals in the North district, testifying to a violent past (sometimes still very present...) between the two communities. In the afternoon, we stroll along the docks on the south shore near the giant shipyard H&W, where the Titanic was built.
Tuesday at 5 a.m., we hoist the sails again, heading south. We start by tacking, as the wind is still southerly. At night, off the coast of Dublin, we download a new GFS file confirming a shift to westerly winds and a potential deep low-pressure system by the end of the week. With time passing (...), we decide to press on. The force 8 westerly wind allows us a fast descent to Saint Ann's Head, just west of Milford Haven. Wednesday evening, the weekend's low-pressure system is confirmed, motivating us to continue our route. The wind then shifts to southeast, and we reach Saint Ives Bay (north of Cornwall) on a reach, dropping anchor just as the wind picks up. The force 8 southerly gale lasts 24 hours, forcing us to stay aboard, but the lack of swell makes the anchorage quite comfortable. Friday evening, a short weather window allows us to round Land's End, with the current but also a well-formed swell. We arrive in Falmouth on Saturday at 10 a.m., just in time to shelter from the approaching low. The refined forecasts give a clear idea of the storm's strength, so we secure Libertaire thoroughly. For over a week, low-pressure systems have lined up west of the British Isles, bringing mostly southerly winds unfavorable for descending the Irish Sea (and keeping the minis stuck in Douarnenez...). This made us abandon our planned stop in Dublin (next time!), and we think we've had our share of thrills for October! Luckily, Libertaire, with its 3-meter draft and 4.5 tons of ballast, is quite stiff under sail. We're now tucked away in port until Tuesday, when we'll set course for Saint Malo...
