This was a very successful weekend event taking in Malahide and Lambay Island. Overall approximately twenty eight boats and eighty sailors participated.
Fourteen boats registered for the 50% discount berthing sponsored by the Malahide Marina and a further fourteen boats participated from Malahide Yacht Club and Marina.
Forty seven prebooked the barbecue which was hosted in the Malahide Yacht Club and some additional hungry walkins were accommodated.
Four boats also anchored overnight on the Friday in Talbot Bay off Lambay Island while some availed of the Friday berthing offer and practically all availed of the Saturday night berthing discounts.
The Friday weather was more robust than forecast making for a lumpier sail than had been expected but it settled down in the evening offering a comfortable anchorage off Lambay.
Saturday opened with a closure of thick fog, but was managed by most boats making an early start on route to Malahide. By midday the fog had lifted with a soft breeze of 4 knots varying form NNW to NNE accompanied by a flat sea. The afternoon was dry, not cold but with a little nip in the air, comfortable seas where motor sailing was the order of the day to circumnavigate Lambay Island.
It made for a good anchorage off the Lambay Harbour for a brief lunch in the company of ten or more boats, some rafted together for convenience.
The fleet agreed to meet up at the Malahide land fall mark where Timballoo and Rockabill offered themselves as the leading boats to confirm the depths and safe passage up the estuary. By 16:30 all the boats had berthed safely in the Malahide Marina with the traditional assistance of fellow members making themselves useful to take the ropes and help with the berthing.
On arrival in Malahide on Saturday, with the boats secured in their berths and tidied up in preparation for a good nights sleep, all made their way to the Malahide Yacht Club, a five minute walk from the marina, for the barbecue scheduled for 5pm. The consensus was the quality of the food was very enjoyable and I do believe everything on offer was devoured.
The evening as per CAI traditions continued with lots of jovial chat and craic and no doubt some tall stories of the sea. And in the back ground, the consortium of musicians lodged themselves into a corner of the bar taking soundings of songs, instrumentals and poetry. Consisting of fiddle, flutes, guitars and piano, every genre and style of music was delivered, from trad, to folk, to blues & jazz including a rendition of classical opera, continuing to past midnight before retiring.
Awaking on the Sunday, sailors were presented with a pleasant morning, a bit of sunshine, the forecasted rain holding off and a southerly breeze enough to fill the sails. By 10:00 most boats had left Malahide for their home ports to avail of the falling tide an advantage to the boats heading south, some decided to wait on the next rising tide and progress their journey from Malahide in the evening.
Our thanks to the Malahide Marina, the Malahide Yacht Club and caterer Noel Clarke for their hospitality. Also to Howth Yacht Club for their participation and all the sailors who took part including the musicians who made this such an enjoyable event. Our thanks to the CAI committee, MYC and Malahide Marina for their assistance in organising this event.
Fair winds and safe sailing,
Vincent Lundy