The engine has behaved itself so far although we have not used it much above a tickover. This, combined with the other bits and pieces which have arisen, convinces us that the sooner we can make it to Malahide (which was our planned stop anyway), the better. This will give us time to hopefully arrange for some work to be carried out before we return in September.

With that in mind, we nose away from the mooring in the early light and head out of the river, with only some cross gulls and a lone cyclist watching us go.

With a dead calm and a flat sea, we’re motoring slowly into the last of the ebb, before, hopefully, we catch the flood up to Dublin. The seascapes are beautiful…

…and there is still early morning mist over the Wicklow mountains…

As Arklow is left astern, we munch on some breakfast and another brew of coffee. We’ve opted for the inshore course along the coast, i.e., inside the many shoal banks which litter this part of Ireland. Some sea fog descends and for a short while we’re in our own circle of grey. But just as quickly as it came, it lifts and we’re back to counting headlands.

A small boat waves cheerily, heading in the opposite direction….against what is now quite a strong flood…and a few fishing boats appear….

A seal allows us to pass close by and just watches us with complete indifference…

With Wicklow now astern, we can start to see the headland of Dun Laogharie and beyond it, on the other side of Dublin Bay, the big lump of land that is Ben of Howth. We start to keep a watchful eye for ferries and larger stuff, both from Dun Laogharie and from Dublin itself.

As we’re about to cross the southern traffic separation zone, what was a speck on the horizon becomes ever larger. We alter course to pass it at 90 degrees and watch gratefully as its aspect changes and we see the port side, and it passes harmlessly astern. On the other side of the bay, a fast cat approaches, and this time we change course to pass well behind.

Ben of Howth is very distinctive and a positive hive of activity of small boats and dinghies…

Just north of Howth is the rocky island of Ireland’s Eye. Lots of gannets seem to use it as home and alongside the little terns of one sort or another, we think we spot a fulmar.

And then, with the very last of the north going tide, we’re on the approach to Malahide and a date with the engineer.

Trundling down the well marked channel, we pass beaches and swimmers and the kind of watery leisure activity not seen as much further south.

So finally, we’re moored up in Malahide marina, and a lovely welcome from the staff here. We get to speak to the engineer about the various issues we’ve got and they’ll come and look at the boat Friday or Monday morning.  They seem both knowledgeable and helpful, so hopefully we’ve got a way forward…perhaps.

It’s a shame that we’re here about 3 days early, not because this isn’t a great place, but because we have had to miss out on Courtown, Polduff and Wicklow…perhaps next time!

For now though, until 11 September, Heydays is snuggly tied up, and our sailing is over for a while.

Our little cruise along the South East and East coast of Ireland has been brilliant for the most part, not just the sailing and great places, but outstandingly for the warmth, wit and general friendliness of everyone we have met. Too many clichés spring to mind, but Ireland for us is great….although as Denise, the harbour master in Coleraine, makes clear, the best is yet to come. We look forward to planning north and then west around the Ulster coast in September.