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Ocean Froggie Specs

Ocean Froggie left Kinsale on Wed 19th July at 1100, just as all the kids ISA training school fleets took to the water. Last time I was in Kinsale was 1973, boy has it changed - for the better. 2 Marinas, restaurants, art and craft shops, nooks and crannies, cycling paths around the harbour, castles and forts to explore. Headed out up towards cork, and meet some the 'Cork Week' racing fleets. There were 100s of yachts out there in large groups. It was amazing to see so many, unreal. Some of the fleets were a mile or so off while others about 4m off and the big boats about 10m off. Attached a photo of part of one group preparing to start a race. Other photo was Le Ciara who is on station for Cork Week. The Shannon Garda boat is there also. Arrived Kilmore Quay at 1650 having past through a 5M long fog bank off hook head. As that dude churchill once said 'thank god for radar'. Cleared enough for me to follow the leading marks into the harbour. Two visiting yachts here from USA. Lots of very interesting folk to talk to. That's one job we don't have to do on the Shannon after a days cruising - wash the salt off the boat. Great marina here, all the gizmos and security

Spotted Spirit of Kinsale which is the sister ship of Spirit of Killaloe in our home port.

YC Sailing school - Trident Hotel in background has a diesel jetty, or you can get diesel from a truck off the slip or quay

Princesses and Fairlines at Castle Park Marina - Dun Laoghaire eat your heart out

Dingy Sailing in Kinsale Harbour

Oppies are also out in force - Kids having fun

Passing Big Sovereign Rock

Cork Week Racing Fleets - This was just one of about 7 fleets!

Cork Week Fleets preparing to race

More Navy - weighing anchor and get underway - P42 LE Ciara.
3rd Navy vessel I've meet in 3 days. This is the one that targeted me on radar two days earlier in the heat haze. Captain is related to a good pal of mine, so you could say he had access to intelligence! Didn't like being referred to as a "target", well not by a naval ship!  I targeted him on my radar using MARPA, sent his course and speed to the skipper via a text from his god father in Dublin. Got an indirect reply back from the bridge that it didn't matter as I couldn't shoot back!  Interestingly since this trip, we had a guided tour of her when she was in Dublin recently and the crew member taking us around proudly proclaimed that she might be one of their smallest vessels, but that she was the fastest and also had the biggest gun! Ciara is peacock class ex RN and came from Hong Kong. 5 Easy Steps to Command

Passing the Hook head light house before entering fog. Calm that day, but visibility getting worse. It would be quite different story passing here the following Saturday in an F6 wind against tide, need to keep well away from her to avoid the rip tides and tidal races.

Beautiful Sailing Yacht heading west - The coast has vanished and soon visibility would be down to 150m. Just after this we entered a dense fog bank for a few miles, but the radar worked a dream. Plenty of traffic both yachts and fishing vessels. It cleared just as I approach Kilmore and I picked up the leading marks. There is a narrow approach in here so be careful to keep the marks in line even with a strong tidal stream on the beam. 2 weeks later we would come in here on a night passage.

Kilmore Quay Marina - Excellent facilities in a busy fishing harbour. Nice beech nearby, food, shops and 15min taxi ride to Wexford town for train, or Rosslare ferry port

Light Ship Museum - Last time I saw her was 1968 on the quay in Wexford with my father when I was a young boy

Froggie on Berth in Kilmore Quay - Light ship museum in background

Yippe - Family arrive down by train - Folding Bikes again!

Anchor retrieved from the wreck of the SS Idaho

A visit to the Light ship museum is a must

Day 5 - 85nm @ 15kt AET 5h30m
I arrived in Kilmore Quay at 1630 after an 85nm passage. Family arriving tomorrow by train. Will head back west to visit Dunmore East tomorrow for lunch and then head up river to Waterford city for a night.