Dodging fishermen in the fog

50’29.3N 011’06.6W course 211′  speed 6,5kn


Ireland was like Ireland has often been for us, concealed by fog. In 2006, the South West coast of Ireland was where it all started, our first sailing season with the Tecla. Cork, Bantry Bay, Bear Island and Dingle Bay, it seemed like such a far corner of the world. I remember anchor watches in the fog, sun starting to rise, slithers of sunlight coming through and then a mysterious world would unveil, ready to be explored.
This afternoon we passed the Skelligs with its bird colonies and we kept on going. This time we wont stop, we continue South.  Fog steaming of the land, we did not see the rock formation at all

During the night we got some company, again, covered in fog. As we made our way of the continental shelf, more and more fishermen started to appear on our radar and AIS. Some huddled close together, other out on their own. We started dodging them, changing course with each one we passed and a next showed up. Some of them we passed at 1,5NM, but never saw them in the fog.

During the night watch, around 03:00h the fog started to lift, and when I poke my head out of the hatch now, we can see 7 lights still around us. Just now, possibly the last one of them, has passed us on starboard, heading North, to his fishing ground. We now have over 800 meters of water below us, leaving the continental shelf behind.

Another year will pass before we are back on the continental shelf. Which is sort of a nostalgic thought. As we head into the dark dark night, away from the lights of the fishermen (that are brighter then the moon), one can of coursw not help but have these thoughts, that’s what these night watches are all about. Steering the ship and gazing over the water into the dark, thoughts drifting away.

Soete and I just set the mizzen and got the mainsail ready to set at watch handover. Hopefully by that time the wind will have increased enough to keep the sails full and get us to Tenerife in a timely fashion! Looks like a few days of beautiful Easterly winds ahead for us!

All is well on board,
Jet

2 Responses to “Dodging fishermen in the fog

  • jules
    3 months ago

    Great Crew!!!
    Nice to read there’s more and more balans
    Take care of each other and njoy the horizons and elements
    gogogo to Tenerife …hunting the Thallie 😉

    Jules

    ps lost is going well in the Low lands….and grey trough autumn leaves

  • Martin
    3 months ago

    I’ve followed you all from my home port killala, seem to have lost u in the fog when you traveled through all those fishing trawlers.im actually watching from fl . Safe waves to u all martin

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