2023 June 12th, Day 60 Skerries to Sorrento Bay Dublin

An 04:55 start and an hour later I was, not for the first or last time on this cruise, monitoring a RNLI shout, this one to a vehicle over the harbour wall at Loughshinny, the inshore boat rushed past after a quick launch and was tasked to check that there was no one left in the vehicle - the driver having been got from the water [by the coast guard team?] and sent off to hospital, fortunately there wasn't and at 06:00 she returned to station.

The Skerries Lifeboat returning to station, taken at 06:00 in
low light with the equivalent of a 35mm full frame 600mm lens.

Hitchhiking bird off Lamby Island, I am told it is a very ragged
Adult Male Blackcap

The Skerries to Sorrrento Bay, Dublin.

The route south takes you very close to TSS's at the north and south ends of the Burford Bank, as usual there was a ferry transiting and on a collision course, a call to Dublin Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) established there was no others so I just slowed down and the ferry passed close in front, knowing I would keep out of the way. VTS operations and some Port Authorities (Dover ask for a call) may appreciate a call in similar situations, at least when things are quite as they were at Dublin at 07:00, but many such as Southampton VTS & Portsmouth KHM, would be overwhelmed with calls and information. Port authorities often require a call before entering the port area irrespective of vessel size (e.g. Lowestoft, Blyth and Peterhead).

Dalkey Island with its Martello Tower and other fortifications.
There are a good number of Martello Towers in SE England
but there appears to be more in Ireland, probably a reflection
of the threat of the French inciting rebellion there. 

Lifeboat 14-17 is listed as that of Dunmore East but the station
name has been painted out and she is now a relief boat and probably
at Dun Laoghaire (Dublin). The current Dunmore East boat, a new
Shannon class, was active a couple of days later, see next post.

I never understand why people choose to anchor close too others
(me!) when there is plenty of room in the anchorage.

24 miles in four and a half hours.

Click here for the crossing of St Georges Channel.